{{distinguish|text=the community of [[Paradise, Michigan]], in [[Upper Peninsula of Michigan|Michigan's Upper Peninsula]]}} {{Use American English|date=January 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Paradise Township, Michigan | settlement_type = [[Civil township]] | nickname = | motto = "Looking Towards the Future" | image_skyline = Kingsley Club - First Tee.jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = [[Kingsley Club]] | image_flag = | image_seal = <!-- Maps --> | pushpin_map = Michigan#USA | pushpin_label_position = left<!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none --> | pushpin_label = Paradise Township | pushpin_map_caption = Location within the state of Michigan | pushpin_mapsize = | image_map = Paradise Township, MI location.png | mapsize = 250 | map_caption = Location within [[Grand Traverse County, Michigan|Grand Traverse County]] (red) and the administered village of [[Kingsley, Michigan|Kingsley]] (pink) <!-- Location -->| subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{Flagu|United States}} | subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]] | subdivision_name1 = {{Flag|Michigan}} | subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Michigan|County]] | subdivision_name2 = {{Flagicon image|Flag of Grand Traverse County, Michigan.svg}} [[Grand Traverse County, Michigan|Grand Traverse]]
<!-- Government -->| government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = Supervisor | leader_name = Rob Lajko | leader_title1 = | leader_name1 = | established_title = Organized | established_date = April 1870
<!-- Area -->| unit_pref = Imperial | area_footnotes = | area_magnitude = | area_total_km2 = 137.1 | area_land_km2 = 137.0 | area_water_km2 = 0.2 | area_total_sq_mi = 53.0 | area_land_sq_mi = 52.9 | area_water_sq_mi = 0.1
<!-- Population -->| population_as_of = [[United States Census, 2020|2020]] | population_footnotes = | population_total = 4952 | population_density_km2 = 36.1 | population_density_sq_mi = 93.6 <!-- General information -->| timezone = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]] | utc_offset = -5 | timezone_DST = EDT | utc_offset_DST = -4 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 321 | elevation_ft = 1053 | coordinates = {{coord|44|35|25|N|85|31|29|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}} | postal_code_type = [[ZIP Code|ZIP code(s)]] | postal_code = 49649 ([[Kingsley, Michigan|Kingsley]])<br/>49666 ([[Mayfield, Michigan|Mayfield]])<br/>49696 ([[Traverse City, Michigan|Traverse City]]) | area_code = [[Area code 231|231]] | blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]] | blank_info = 26-62320<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> | blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID | blank1_info = 1626879<ref>{{gnis|1626879}}</ref> | website = https://www.paradisetwp.org/ | footnotes = | population_est = 5101 | pop_est_as_of = 2025<ref name="USCensusEst2025">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/paradisetownshipgrandtraversecountymichigan/PST045225|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates Tables|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 1, 2026}}</ref> }} '''Paradise Township''' is a [[civil township]] of [[Grand Traverse County, Michigan|Grand Traverse County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]]. The population was 4,952 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], an increase from 4,713 at the [[2010 United States census|2010 census]]. The [[Village (United States)|village]] of [[Kingsley, Michigan|Kingsley]] is located within the township.
==History== Paradise Township was organized in April 1870 from a portion of [[Traverse Township, Michigan|Traverse Township]] – Town 25 north, of Ranges 9 and 10 west, and the south half of Township 26 north of Ranges 9 and 10 west.
==Communities== * The village of [[Kingsley, Michigan|'''Kingsley''']] is within the township. All of the township south of Mayfield is served by the Kingsley [[ZIP code]] 49649.<ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/MapItDrawServlet?geo_id=86000US49649&_bucket_id=50&tree_id=420&context=AdvSearch&_lang=en 49649 5-Digit ZCTA, 496 3-Digit ZCTA - Reference Map - American FactFinder]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 census</ref> * '''[[Mayfield, Michigan|Mayfield]]''' is an [[Unincorporated area#United States|unincorporated community]] within the township a few miles north of Kingsley. * '''Summit City''' is an unincorporated community within the township, several miles southeast of Kingsley at {{Coord|44|33|03|N|85|30|54|W||name=Summit City, Michigan}}.<ref>{{gnis|639059|Summit City, Michigan}}</ref> Summit City was established as a station on the [[Traverse City Railroad]], first called "Summit". A post office at Summit City lasted from 1874 to 1955.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Romig |first=Walter |title=Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities |publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] |year=1986 |isbn=0-8143-1838-X |location=[[Detroit]] |pages=544}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Summit City Post Office (historical) (in Grand Traverse County, MI) |url=https://michigan.hometownlocator.com/maps/feature-map,ftc,3,fid,2495782,n,summit%20city%20post%20office.cfm |access-date=2023-01-30 |website=michigan.hometownlocator.com}}</ref> * '''Westminster''' is a [[ghost town]] south of Kingsley at {{Coord|44|33|59.4|N|85|32|48.7|W||name=Westminster, Michigan}}. It was founded as a station on the Traverse City Railroad, and was the site of a lumber mill completed in 1883.<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Romig |first=Walter |title=Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities |publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] |year=1986 |isbn=0-8143-1838-X |location=[[Detroit]] |pages=593}}</ref>
==Geography== According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|53.0|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|52.9|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.1|sqmi|km2}} (0.13%) is water. The [[Boardman River]] flows through the north of the township.
Paradise Township is the largest township in Grand Traverse County by land area, and second largest in total area, behind [[Whitewater Township, Michigan|Whitewater Township]]. The township shares a boundary with [[Wexford County, Michigan|Wexford County]], to the south.
=== Major highway ===
* {{Jct|M|113|state=MI}} is a [[Michigan State Trunkline Highway System|state trunkline highway]] that traverses the township east to west.
==Demographics== As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 4,191 people, 1,374 households, and 1,082 families residing in the township. The population density was {{convert|79.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,481 housing units at an average density of {{convert|28.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the township was 97.07% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.21% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.86% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.19% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.45% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.19% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.48% of the population.
There were 1,374 households, out of which 45.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.2% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the township the population was spread out, with 33.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $44,776, and the median income for a family was $45,652. Males had a median income of $34,804 versus $21,902 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $16,507. About 4.5% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Grand Traverse County, Michigan}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:Townships in Grand Traverse County, Michigan]] [[Category:Townships in Michigan]] [[Category:Traverse City metropolitan area]]