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.

Down paymentRate%

Backus Township$1,010/mo

Typical home $168K (Census) · tax rate 0.90% · Housing →

Denton Township$990/mo

Typical home $163K (Census) · tax rate 1.02% · or rent about $794/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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.

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.

Safety

–Backus TownshipNot graded A−Denton TownshipSafer than 78% of U.S. towns

Schools

–Backus TownshipNot graded C−Denton TownshipBetter than 24% of districts in the state

Health

–Backus TownshipNot graded C−Denton TownshipHealthier than 16% 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

Backus TownshipDenton Township

Snow a year66″66″

January low11°F 11°F

July high81°F 81°F

Growing season (days)125d 125d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)52nd 28th

Outdoors & history

Backus TownshipDenton Township

Trails68 mi 33 mi

Conserved land13.8%5.2%

Archive photos3 2

Community

Backus TownshipDenton Township

Library hours a week—46 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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.

Only big differences vs Michigan average

Backus TownshipDenton Township

People

Population 378Lowest 5,372Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -4.8% MI: +2%

Median age 53.3±6.7Lowest 33% above MI 57±6.1Highest 42% above MI

Denton Township and Backus Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 8.2%±4.9Lowest MI: 21.2% 16.7%±3.4Highest MI: 21.2%

Age 65+ 28.6%±4.9Lowest MI: 18.6% 36.8%±5.4Highest MI: 18.6%

Denton Township and Backus Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.3%Lowest MI: 32.4% 20.2%Highest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 9%±8.4Highest MI: 6.1% 2.8%±1.6Lowest MI: 6.1%

Backus Township and Denton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $62,500±$15kHighest 14% below MI $45,640±$6kLowest 37% below MI

Backus Township and Denton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $167,900±$40kHighest 28% below MI $163,200±$13kLowest 30% below MI

Backus Township and Denton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly — $794±$156 30% below MI

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,513Lowest 48% below MI $1,668Highest 43% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 85.2%±79.6Highest MI: 50.4% 65%±17.7Lowest MI: 50.4%

Backus Township and Denton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 14.4%Lowest MI: 13.2% 19.7%Highest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 84.1%Highest MI: 73.2% 78%Lowest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest 7 yrs newer than MI 1976Lowest 4 yrs newer than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 24 minLowest about the MI average 24 minHighest about the MI average

Work from home 7.6%±6.5Lowest MI: 13.5% 13.5%±5.9Highest MI: 13.5%

Denton Township and Backus Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 1.4%Lowest 13.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 27.8 miLowest 40.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.85Highest 0.79Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Denton Township (14%)Roscommon Township (10%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others 14% work in Denton TownshipFew work in Backus Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 13.8%Highest 5.2%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 67.9 miHighest 32.5 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.9 miHighest 0.9 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3 3

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.0Lowest 12.2Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#396 of 493 in MI

School district —Houghton Lake Community Schools

High school in town —Houghton Lake JrSr High School

Students per teacherat that high school — 15.2

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.

Backus Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Backus Township’s Town Square.

Denton Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Denton Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Backus Township and Denton Township

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Backus Township

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Higgins Township2,054 people · $103K homes

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Richfield Township3,563 people · $110K homes

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Nester Township183 people · $132K homes

Towns like Backus Township

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McKinley Township350 people · $165K homes

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Paris Township362 people · $165K homes

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Beaver Township463 people · $168K homes

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Eden Township351 people · $163K 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.

Backus Township vs Denton Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Backus Township and Denton Township share a border

A typical home costs about the same each month

Grades and rankings, side by side

What daily life feels like in each

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Backus Township and Denton Township

Bordering Backus Township

Towns like Backus Township

Post to Backus Township

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