The present name of Palmer was adopted a few years later, the maiden name of Joshua Briggs' wife.

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 2,414 people, 829 households, and 679 families residing in the township.

There were 1,040 housing units at an average density of 29.8 per square mile (11.5/km2).

There were 829 households, out of which 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.5% were married couples living together, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.0% were non-families.

14.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.