Kentwood, Michigan
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 |
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (April 2007) |
| Kentwood | |
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| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Kent |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Richard L. Root |
| Area | |
| - City | 21.0 sq mi (54.5 km²) |
| - Land | 21.0 sq mi (54.5 km²) |
| - Water | 0 sq mi (0 km²) 0% |
| Elevation | 699 ft (213 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - City | 45,255 |
| - Density | 2,150.6/sq mi (830.5/km²) |
| - Metro | 771,185 (Grand Rapids Metro) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 49500-49599 |
| Area code(s) | 616 |
| FIPS code | 26-42820[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0629607[2] |
| Website: http://www.ci.kentwood.mi.us/ | |
Kentwood is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 45,255 at the 2000 census, making it the second most populous suburb of Grand Rapids.
Kentwood is home to the corporate headquarters of X-Rite.
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[edit] History
The city was incorporated in 1967 from what remained of Paris Township to prevent further annexation of land from the adjacent cities of Grand Rapids and Wyoming. The city was named after Kent County, which was named after jurist James Kent.
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.0 square miles (54.5 km²), all land. The city is bordered by Wyoming to the west, Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Township to the north, Cascade Township to the east, and Gaines Township to the south.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 45,255 people, 18,477 households, and 11,529 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,150.6 per square mile (830.5/km²). There were 19,507 housing units at an average density of 927.0/sq mi (358.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.87% White, 9.09% African American, 0.46% Native American, 5.63% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.42% from other races, and 2.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.88% of the population.
Of the 18,477 households, 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 33.7% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,812, and the median income for a family was $55,615. Males had a median income of $40,544 versus $27,632 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,463. About 5.0% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.4% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
Voters in Kentwood elect a mayor, city clerk, and city treasurer to four-year terms. The next election for these offices will be held on November 3, 2009. The current mayor is Richard Root.
The legislative body of Kentwood is the City Commission. Voters elect six city commissioners to four-year terms. On November 6, 2007, voters in each of the city's two wards will elect one commissioner, while another city commissioner will be elected by the city at-large. This will also be done on November 3, 2009, concurrent with the other aforementioned officials. The mayor serves as a voting member of the City Commission and presides over Commission meetings.
[edit] Public Safety
[edit] Fire Service
The Kentwood Fire Department [1] has been serving the citizens of Kentwood since 1967.
"The Kentwood Fire Department is a team of efficient, professional, and dedicated personnel who serve the community by protecting life, property and the environment through public education, fire safety inspections, fire suppression, fire investigations, emergency medical services, hazardous materials mitigation and response, technical rescue response, and emergency management and disaster response."[3]
Initially a fully volunteer fire department, the KFD is now a combination fire department utilizing both career and paid-on-call firefighters to carry out it's objectives. A minimum of twelve career firefighters are on duty at all times, four at each of the city's three strategically located fire stations. Every career member of the department is minimally licensed as an emergency medical technician, while several also hold Paramedic certification. Additional support is provided by a dedicated group of paid-on-call firefighters. These members respond to provide extra manpower at structure fires and other large scale emergencies. A full-time Fire Marshall and Fire Inspector also work to ensure the city is a safe place for residents, employers, and visitors alike.
The department is led by Fire Chief James Carr and Deputy Chief Brent Looman, who are assisted by an excellent administrative staff. The Kentwood Fire Department is headquartered at 4775 Walma SE across from the Kentwood City Center.
In 2007, the Kentwood Fire Department responded to 4,297 alarms.
[edit] Law Enforcement
Law enforcement services are provided by the Kentwood Police Department. It is the mission of the Kentwood Police Department to assist the community in ensuring the safety, individual rights, and quality of life of all citizens. Currently, the department has seventy sworn officers and is led by Chief Richard Mattice. The Kentwood Police Department's Headquarters is co-located with the 62B District Court in the Kentwood Justice Center at 4742 Walma SE.
[edit] Major Highways
- M-11 (Michigan Highway)
- M-37 (Michigan Highway)
- I-96 (US Interstate)
[edit] Schools
The Kentwood Public School district has eleven elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools. The middle and high schools and elementary are:
- Crestwood Middle School
- Pinewood Middle School
- Valleywood Middle School
- East Kentwood High School
- Bowen Elementary school
- Brookwood Elementary school
- Challenger Elementary school
- Discovery Elementary school
- Endeavor Elementary school
- Explorer Elementary school
- Glenwood Elementary school
- Hamilton Elementary school
- Meadowlawn Elementary school
- Southwood Elementary school
- Townline Elementary
[edit] Churches
- Kelloggsville Christian Reformed Church
- Pentecostals of Kentwood
- St. Mary Magdalen Roman Catholic Parish
- Kentwood Community Church
[edit] References
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ City of Kentwood Fire Department
[edit] External links
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