The city of Backus is located entirely within Powers Township geographically but is a separate entity.

At the 2000 census,[1] there were 918 people, 340 households and 239 families residing in the township.

There were 800 housing units at an average density of 27.9 per square mile (10.8/km2).

There were 340 households, of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.8% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families.

24.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.