Both the village and township are named in honor of DeWitt Clinton, the governor of New York from 1817 to 1823.

At the 2000 census there were 3,624 people, 1,395 households, and 1,016 families in the township.

There were 1,448 housing units at an average density of 80.1 per square mile (30.9/km2).

[1] Of the 1,395 households, 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families.

In the township the population was spread out, with 27.2% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% 65 or older.