Brighton Charter Township is a charter township of Livingston County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the township population was 19,144. The township is bordered on the southwest by the city of Brighton, but the two are administered autonomously.

Communities

  • The city of Brighton is located adjacent to the township, but is administratively autonomous.
  • Pleasant Valley was a rural post office in the southeast of the township. Elijah Marsh was the first postmaster of the office, which operated from July 24, 1837, until July 29, 1852. Marsh was succeeded by Peter Delamater and then by Melzer Bird.

Geography

The township is in the southeastern part of Livingston County and is bordered to the east by Oakland County. The Interstate 96 and U.S. Route 23 cross in the southwest part of the township. I-96 serves the township via exits 147, 150, and 151, while US 23 has access within the township only via I-96. I-96 leads east to Detroit and west to Lansing, while US 23 leads north to Flint and south to Ann Arbor.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Brighton Township has a total area of 34.6 square miles (89.6 km²), of which 33.0 square miles (85.4 km²) is land and 1.6 square miles (4.2 km²), or 4.69%, is water. Streams in the township flow west and southwest and are part of the Huron River watershed leading to Lake Erie.

General Motors' Milford Proving Ground is in the northeast part of the township.

Demographics

As of the census and 60% of local residents spend less than 25% of household income on housing and housing-related expenses.

In the township, the population distribution was spaced with 30.0% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.7% who were 65 years of age or older with the median age at 38 years. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.2 males.

The median income for a household in the township for 2010 was $93,327, and the median income for a family was $99,680. Males had a median income of $64,775 versus $33,328 for females. The per capita income for the township was $38,151. About 1.8% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Most students in Brighton Township attend the Brighton Area Schools and Hartland Consolidated Schools. Also, due to the high numbers of Catholics in Brighton Township, many students attend St. Patrick's Catholic school. "St. Pat's" is a traditional Catholic school that maintains religious elements in the curriculum. There is also Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran School and Cornerstone Christian School which are Christian schools. The Brighton area also has Charyl Stockwell Academy, CSA (primary) and Charyl Stockwell Preparatory Academy, CSPA (middle and high school) organized under the multischool Stockwell District run by Dr. Chuck Stockwell.

References

  • Charter Township of Brighton official website