Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 943.
40% of residents are 65 or older in Bates Township, above both Michigan’s towns (19%) and U.S. towns (18%). Only 1 of the 702 Michigan towns we compare have a lower January low than Bates Township. 38% of the land in Bates Township is conserved, above both Michigan’s towns (4.4%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Bates Township has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them US 2-Iron River Bridge and Chicagon Mine Road-Chicagon Creek Bridge. Bates Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
The archive holds 3 maps from 1898 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →Who provides power, water and the rest in Bates Township, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Bates Township.
The median age in Bates Township is 57.5 years. 26% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across Michigan. 15% of residents are under 18 in Bates Township.
| Bates Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.5 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 15% | 21% | 22% |
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±7.3 points. Across Michigan, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Bates Township | MI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.9% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.2% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.7% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 5.2% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 5.9% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.6% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.5% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 22.8% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 17.3% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 38.3% | 28% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.1% | 21.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.1% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 14.6% | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.9% | 12.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 900, single groups can be off by several points
112 miles of trail in 8 parks and preserves. Bates Township’s trail density is 0.9 miles per square mile. Ontonagon Wild And Scenic River, at 708 acres with 1.2 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ottawa National Forest - Kenton Ranger District | 27.9 mi | 17,355 |
| 2. Ottawa National Forest - Iron River Ranger District | 21.3 mi | 11,552 |
| 3. Copper Country State Forest - Crystal Falls Unit | 2 mi | 2,485 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Most working residents leave Bates Township for work: only 1% work in town. 16% of Bates Township residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Iron River (18%), Crystal Falls (15%) and Iron Mountain (8%).
| Bates Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.7% | 5.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 77% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Bates Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 78°, January nights drop to 3° and about 67 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Bates Township beats the Michigan average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11.
| Bates Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 36% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 17% | 16% |
| What stands out | Bates Township | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.1% | 11.9% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.2% | 77.6% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10.2% | 7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Bates Township; the nearest are
About 6 of every 100 Bates Township residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Michigan.
Where Bates Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2021
Civil township in Michigan, United States
Bates Township is a civil township of Iron County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 1,021, though in 2020 its population was 925.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Bates Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.