According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 517.42 square miles (1,340.11 km²), of which 120.72 square miles (312.66 km²) is land and 396.70 square miles (1,027.45 km²) (76.67%) is water.^[5]

Due to its surrounding water boundaries, it ranks as the third-largest municipality by total area after McMillan Township and Eagle Harbor Township, although Houghton Township has the largest water boundaries of any municipalities in the state.

Major highways edit

•   US 41 runs west–east through the central portion of the township.
•   M-26 enters the township concurrently with US 41 until it branches off to the north in Phoenix.

Communities edit

• Central is an unincorporated community located within the township at 47°24′26″N 88°12′02″W / 47.40722°N 88.20056°W / 47.40722; -88.20056.^[6] This settlement developed around the successful Central Mine, which began operating in 1854. A post office named Central Mine opened on December 8, 1871, in what was then part of Sherman Township, as seen in an 1873 map of Keweenaw County.^[7] The name changed to Centralmine on June 30, 1894, and was disestablished on September 15, 1904. The mine itself closed in 1894.^[8]
• Eagle Nest is an unincorporated community located just southeast of Eagle River at 47°24′27″N 88°16′39″W / 47.40750°N 88.27750°W / 47.40750; -88.27750.^[9]
• Eagle River is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located along Lake Superior at 47°24′50″N 88°17′44″W / 47.41389°N 88.29556°W / 47.41389; -88.29556. It is also the county seat of Keweenaw County.^[10]
• Phoenix is an unincorporated community located at the junction of U.S. Route 41 and M-26 at 47°23′20″N 88°16′39″W / 47.38889°N 88.27750°W / 47.38889; -88.27750.^[11]
• Rock Harbor Lodge is a seasonal unincorporated community located on Isle Royale at 48°08′45″N 88°29′01″W / 48.14583°N 88.48361°W / 48.14583; -88.48361.^[12] It is the main access point for visitors to the national park and is also the northernmost community in the state, although it is uninhabited during the colder months.
• Vaughsville is an unincorporated community located in the western portion of the township along US 41 / M-27 at 47°22′53″N 88°17′45″W / 47.38139°N 88.29583°W / 47.38139; -88.29583.^[13] The area was first settled by Joel Vaugh, who bought land here in 1849. He platted the village, but the settlement dwindled following his death in 1862.^[14]

At the 2000 United States census,^[2] there were 204 people, 45 households, and 26 families in the township. The population density was 1.7 per square mile (0.6/km²). There were 273 housing units at an average density of 2.2 per square mile (0.9/km²). By the 2020 census, its population declined to 72.^[4]

In 2000, the racial makeup of the township was 58.33% White, 36.76% African American, 0.98% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.98% from other races, and 2.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latinos of any race were 4.90% of the population Among its population at the time, 16.5% were of Finnish, 10.6% English, 9.4% Irish, 8.8% Italian, 6.5% German and 5.3% Norwegian ancestry.

At the 2000 census, there were 45 households, out of which 13.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 42.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.89 and the average family size was 2.54. The median income for a household in the township was $28,750, and the median income for a family was $41,250. Males had a median income of $32,500 versus $21,875 for females. The per capita income for the township was $8,505. None of the families and 7.0% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 9.1% of those over 64. At the 2021 American Community Survey, its median household income increased to $51,250.^[4]

• Houghton Township official website