Township

In the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), a township is a roughly square unit of land measuring 6 miles by 6 miles. Each township contains 36 sections, and its total area is approximately 23,040 acres. Townships are the primary organizational unit of the PLSS grid — the building blocks from which all legal land descriptions in the 30 PLSS states are constructed.

Township and Range

A township's position on the PLSS grid is defined by two coordinates: its township number (north-south position) and its range number (east-west position). Both are measured from a specific principal meridian and its associated baseline.

• Township indicates how many rows north or south of the baseline a particular 6-mile strip lies. "T5N" means Township 5 North — the fifth row of townships north of the baseline. "T3S" means Township 3 South — the third row south of the baseline.
• Range indicates how many columns east or west of the principal meridian a strip lies. "R4E" means Range 4 East — the fourth column east of the meridian. "R7W" means Range 7 West.

A full township reference combines both: T5N R4E identifies a specific 6-by-6-mile block at the intersection of the fifth row north and the fourth column east. Add the governing meridian and you have an unambiguous location — for example, "T5N R4E, Sixth Principal Meridian" places that township in central Kansas or Nebraska.

Internal Layout: 36 Sections

Each township is subdivided into 36 sections, numbered 1 through 36. The numbering follows a serpentine (boustrophedon) pattern starting in the northeast corner:

• Row 1 (top): Sections 1–6, numbered right to left (east to west)
• Row 2: Sections 7–12, numbered left to right (west to east)
• Row 3: Sections 13–18, right to left
• Row 4: Sections 19–24, left to right
• Row 5: Sections 25–30, right to left
• Row 6 (bottom): Sections 31–36, left to right

This pattern means Section 1 is in the northeast corner, Section 6 is in the northwest corner, Section 31 is in the southwest corner, and Section 36 is in the southeast corner. Anyone working with PLSS descriptions should memorize this layout — it tells you immediately where within the township a given section falls.

Size and Variations

In theory, every township is a perfect 6-by-6-mile square. In practice, the earth's curvature, survey errors, and the convergence of meridian lines toward the poles cause townships to deviate from perfect squares. The PLSS accounts for this by placing correction lines (standard parallels) at regular intervals, typically every 24 miles. Sections along the north and west edges of a township absorb any accumulated error, which is why some sections are slightly larger or smaller than the standard 640 acres.

Government lots — irregularly sized parcels — appear where townships border rivers, lakes, state boundaries, or other natural features that prevent standard subdivision.

How Townships Appear in Legal Descriptions

A complete PLSS legal land description always includes the township and range. Here are examples you might encounter:

• NE 14-5N-3W 6th PM — Northeast Quarter, Section 14, Township 5 North, Range 3 West, Sixth Principal Meridian
• SW 22-8N-4W IM — Southwest Quarter, Section 22, Township 8 North, Range 4 West, Indian Meridian
• SE 30-4S-2W WM — Southeast Quarter, Section 30, Township 4 South, Range 2 West, Willamette Meridian

The township and range values tell you the general area. The section number narrows it to a specific square mile, and the quarter (or quarter-quarter) section pinpoints it further.

Common Mistakes

Two errors come up frequently when working with township references:

1. Confusing North and South (or East and West). T5N and T5S are entirely different locations — they are on opposite sides of the baseline. Always double-check the directional suffix.
2. Omitting the principal meridian. T5N R3W exists under multiple principal meridians. Without specifying which meridian, the description is ambiguous and could refer to parcels in different states.

Finding Your Township

If you have a street address or GPS coordinates and need to determine which township you are in, Township America can look it up for you. Knowing your township and range is the first step in working with any PLSS-based legal land description, whether you are filing a drilling permit, checking a deed, or enrolling in a USDA program.