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Au Sable Township vs Higgins Township

Next-door neighbors in Roscommon County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (55.7× in Higgins Township) and size (9.8× in Higgins Township).

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Au Sable Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsRoscommon County · 209 people
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Higgins Township, MIA regional job hubRoscommon County · 2,054 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Au Sable TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health88% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Au Sable Township →
Higgins TownshipA regional job hub
Work924 jobsbased in Higgins Township, a regional job hub Health77% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Outdoors14.8% conserved land130 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves All about Higgins Township →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker55.7×
Higgins Township is more of a job hub
Higgins Township 1.67Au Sable Township 0.03
Size9.8×
Higgins Township is the bigger place
Higgins Township 2,054Au Sable Township 209
Home values+54%
Homes cost more in Au Sable Township
Au Sable Township $158,300Higgins Township $103,000
Average commute10 min
Higgins Township has the shorter commute
Au Sable Township 30 minHiggins Township 20 min
Homeowners+16.4 pts renters
Higgins Township has more renters
Au Sable Township 96%Higgins Township 79.6%
Work in town+14.9 pts
More of Higgins Township’s workers stay in town
Higgins Township 14.9%Au Sable Township 0%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $270 more a month in Au Sable Township

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Au Sable Township$930/mo
Typical home $158K (Census) · tax rate 0.73% · Housing →
Higgins Township$660/mo
Typical home $103K (Census) · tax rate 1.40% · or rent about $668/mo · Housing →

The difference: $270 a month, about $3,200 a year, between Au Sable Township and Higgins Township.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Where they are

Au Sable Township and Higgins Township share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

Au Sable TownshipHiggins TownshipAu Sable TownshipHiggins Township
Au Sable Township ↔ Higgins Township7.7 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
10 Au Sable Township residents work in Higgins Township (13.2% of its workers)
Work & commute in Au Sable Township →
Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Michigan ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Health
DAu Sable TownshipHealthier than 12% of U.S. towns C−Higgins TownshipHealthier than 23% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Au Sable TownshipHiggins Township
Snow a year66″66″
January low11°F11°F
July high81°F81°F
Growing season (days)125d125d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)54th38th
Outdoors & history
Au Sable TownshipHiggins Township
Trails75 mi130 mi
Conserved land2.2%14.8%
Archive photos49
Community
Au Sable TownshipHiggins Township
Library hours a week—35 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Au Sable TownshipHiggins Township
People
Population 209Lowest 2,054Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -3.5% MI: +2%
Median age 58.6±6.1Highest 46% above MI 53.4±5.7Lowest 33% above MI
Au Sable Township and Higgins Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 10.5%±9.4Lowest MI: 21.2% 13.1%±3.4Highest MI: 21.2%
Higgins Township and Au Sable Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 32.1%±1.6Highest MI: 18.6% 23.2%±4Lowest MI: 18.6%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20%Highest MI: 32.4% 17.5%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.7%±6.7Highest MI: 6.1% 2.5%±1.2Lowest MI: 6.1%
Au Sable Township and Higgins Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $61,250±$27kHighest 16% below MI $55,313±$12kLowest 24% below MI
Au Sable Township and Higgins Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $158,300±$18kHighest 32% below MI $103,000±$20kLowest 56% below MI
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $668±$91 41% below MI
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,150Lowest 60% below MI $1,442Highest 50% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 100%±100Highest MI: 50.4% 38.8%±11.6Lowest MI: 50.4%
Au Sable Township and Higgins Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11%Highest MI: 13.2% 9.9%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 96%Highest MI: 73.2% 79.6%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1987Highest 15 yrs newer than MI 1976Lowest 4 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minHighest 22% above MI 20 minLowest 19% below MI
Work from home 9%±7.6Highest MI: 13.5% 8.2%±3.2Lowest MI: 13.5%
Au Sable Township and Higgins Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 14.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 50.3 miHighest 21.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.03Lowest 1.67Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Higgins Township (13%)Grayling (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 13% work in Higgins TownshipFew work in Au Sable Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.2%Lowest 14.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 75.3 miLowest 130.0 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.1 miHighest 1.8 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 4Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.4Lowest 2.3Highest
Michigan average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Au Sable Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Au Sable Township’s Town Square.

Higgins Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Higgins Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Au Sable Township

S
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South Branch Township1,839 people · $146K homes
R
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Richfield Township3,563 people · $110K homes
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Foster Township851 people · $150K homes

Towns like Au Sable Township

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Mueller Township272 people · $158K homes
S
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South Branch Township285 people · $139K homes
+ Compare
Fairbanks Township298 people · $192K homes
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+ Compare
Home Township282 people · $175K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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