Colfax Township, MI hall and fire department, 2022
Colfax Township’s story
149 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2022.
- 1877Colfax Township is settled
Colfax TownshipMI
A town of 912, settled in 1877.
Population
912
2025 Census estimate · +1.7% since 2020
Median home value
$172K
Census ACS
Household income
$48K
median
Median age
54.2
years
Jobs based here
21
A commuter town
Is Colfax Township a good place to live?
27% of the land in Colfax Township is conserved, above both the Michigan town median (4.4%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest park or preserve is Clofax Township Park, at 65 acres. Colfax Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
912 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Antioch TownshipSelma TownshipCedar Creek TownshipGreenwood TownshipColfax Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Colfax Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Colfax Township, and how to reach them.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet4 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Colfax Township’s trash rules yet
SchoolsMesick Consolidated SchoolsManton Consolidated Schools2 districts serve Colfax Township; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Michigan you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereColfax Township ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2021
ZIP codes49663, 49601, 49668, 4961849663 55% · 49601 31% · 49668 10% · 49618 5%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Colfax Township.
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Colfax Township is inland flooding, at a very low overall level
Compared with 90% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Colfax Township is lower. FEMA puts 45% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 29% to cold waves.
10risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesWinter weather
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
Conserved land covers nearly a quarter of Colfax Township
Walkers can cover 23 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. Colfax Township’s trail density comes in at 0.7 miles per square mile.
27.2%conserved
27.2%
conserved · 6,131 of 22,523 acres
23 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Manistee National Forest - Cadillac Ranger District | 15.4 mi | 5,193 |
| 2. Pere Marquette State Forest - Cadillac Unit | 1.7 mi | 955 |
| 3. Clofax Township Park | 0.6 mi | 65 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commute
Most of Colfax Township’s workers head elsewhere: there are 0.1 jobs for each of them
For half of commuters, work is under 23 miles away. In Colfax Township, the mean commuting time is 31 minutes, against 25 minutes in Michigan’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Jobs here fell by 21 from 2011 to 2021, to 21. The typical household income here is $48,000.
1%work in town
| Colfax Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $48,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.6% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Colfax Township1%
Cadillac16%
Traverse City15%
Garfield Township7%
Haring Township4%
23 mi
median commute distance
21
jobs based in Colfax Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Climate
In Colfax Township, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
For Colfax Township, the peak summer temperature is 81°F.
74″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–30°
Spring30–54°
Summer54–78°
Fall37–57°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 19
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Colfax Township is
In Colfax Township, 13% of adults have diabetes. 29% of adults in the town have been diagnosed with depression; 16% report frequent physical distress.
| Colfax Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 15% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 27% | 23% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better23 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Colfax Township | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 14.3% | 10.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.5% | 8.1% |
| More smokers | 18.6% | 14.6% |
Munson Healthcare Cadillac Hospital
12.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Colfax Township
17pages on Colfax Township
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Colfax Township; the nearest are
Northwestern Michigan CollegeCommunity college · Public · Traverse City25.6 mi$5,860 in-state tuitionKirtland Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Grayling42.9 mi$5,190 in-state tuitionFerris State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Big Rapids49.1 mi$14,778 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Colfax Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Colfax Township for work
Where Colfax Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
21jobs based in Colfax Township
1%of working residents work in town
23 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
About Colfax Township
Civil township in Michigan, United States
Colfax Township is a civil township of Wexford County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 897 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 36 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,253 ft
Questions about Colfax Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Colfax Township, MI a good place to live?
Colfax Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.