Plat book of Ogemaw County, Michigan, 1903
West Branch Township’s story
141 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1903.
- 1885West Branch Township is incorporated
West Branch TownshipMI
The town was incorporated in 1885 and has 2,607 residents today.
Population
2,607
2025 Census estimate · +1.9% since 2020
Median home value
$172K
Census ACS
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
51.5
years
Jobs based here
1,559
A job hub
Is West Branch Township a good place to live?
14% of residents are under 18 in West Branch Township, where Michigan’s towns sit at 21% and U.S. towns at 22%. We don’t grade West Branch Township yet; the figures below are still real.
A job hub
Every workday, about 1,450 people come to West Branch Township for work
Where West Branch Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,559jobs based in West Branch Township
12%of working residents work in town
28 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to West Branch Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in West Branch Township, and how to reach them.
PowerDTE20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of West Branch water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers72% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have West Branch Township’s trash rules yet
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 hereWest Branch Township ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code4866148661 100%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 West Branch Township.
Work & commute
West Branch Township has 1.7 jobs for every working resident, and 1,450 people commute in
In West Branch Township, the median household income is $63,000. Most working residents leave West Branch Township for work: only 12% work in town. The town had 1,559 jobs in 2021, up 401 from 2011. The top destinations are West Branch (23%), Midland (3%) and Standish (2%).
12%work in town
| West Branch Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In West Branch Township12%
West Branch23%
Midland3%
Standish2%
Ogemaw Township2%
28 mi
median commute distance
1,559
jobs based in West Branch Township
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Schools
The schools West Branch Township’s kids attend
The largest public high school is Ogemaw Heights High School, with 592 students. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ogemaw Heights High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 592 | B |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Very low risk in West Branch Township, with inland flooding at the top
Expected damage from storms and floods is lower here than in 84% of U.S. communities. 43% of West Branch Township’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by hail at 21%.
16risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHailCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
The climate in West Branch Township brings snowy winters and pleasant summers
In July, afternoons reach 81°; in January, nights fall to 12°, and about 53 inches of snow falls in a winter.
53″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–30°
Spring31–54°
Summer54–79°
Fall37–58°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 15
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
West Branch Township is older than the Michigan average
The share of adults 25 and older in West Branch Township who hold a bachelor’s degree or more: 23%. In West Branch Township, the age of the median resident is 51.5 years.
51.5median age · MI 40.2
| West Branch Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.5 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 26% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 23% | 26% | 29% |
West Branch TownshipMichiganUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school33%
Some college26%
Associate’s15%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate5%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.4 points. Across Michigan, 50.4% of residents are women. Among residents 18 to 24, 82% are men (MI 51%).
| West Branch Township | MI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.6% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.6% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.3% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.6% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.7% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 18% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 12.1% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.5% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32.6% | 28% | 26% |
| Some college | 25.8% | 21.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.5% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.2% | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 5.4% | 12.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,600, single groups can be off by several points
Health
How healthy West Branch Township is
West Branch Township: 28% of adults have been diagnosed with depression. 42% of West Branch Township adults have high blood pressure.
| West Branch Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 36% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 27% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 17% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better21 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | West Branch Township | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 11% | 8.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.4% | 7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13.6% | 10.2% |
Mymichigan Medical Center West Branch
3.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Protected land: 2.4% of West Branch Township
9.9 miles of trail wind through 1 park or preserve. One park or preserve covers 739 acres in West Branch Township. Its trail network density stands at 0.3 miles per square mile.
2.4%conserved
| West Branch Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.4% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
2.4%
conserved · 528 of 22,006 acres
9.9 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Au Sable State Forest - Roscommon Unit | 3 mi | 739 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about West Branch Township
18pages on West Branch Township
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of West Branch Township; the nearest are
Kirtland Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Grayling33.7 mi$5,190 in-state tuitionSaginaw Valley State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · University Center55.4 mi$12,930 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 West Branch Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
About West Branch Township
City in Michigan, United States
West Branch is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of and the largest incorporated settlement in Ogemaw County. The city had a population of 2,351 at the 2020 census, an increase from 2,139 at the 2010 census. West Branch is mostly surrounded by West Branch Township, but the two are administered autonomously.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 955 ft
- ZIP code
- 48661
- Area code
- 989
West Branch Township’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with West Branch Township.
West BranchHorton TownshipOgemaw TownshipKlacking TownshipChurchill TownshipWest Branch Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Branch Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| West Branch | — | — | C+ | B+ | B+ | C− |
| Horton Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ogemaw Township | — | — | B− | — | B+ | C− |
| Klacking Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Churchill Township | — | — | A | — | B+ | D |
West Branch, Ogemaw Township and Churchill Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Ogemaw Township and Churchill Township report no FBI crime data of their own. West Branch Township, Horton Township and Klacking Township aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare West Branch Township with a neighbor →
Questions about West Branch Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is West Branch Township, MI a good place to live?
We don’t grade West Branch Township yet; the figures below are still real.