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Bad Axe vs Gladwin

75 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+8.1 pts in Gladwin) and trails (+50% in Bad Axe).

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Bad Axe, MIHomes around $178KMichigan · 2,992 people
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Gladwin, MIHomes around $200KMichigan · 3,098 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.

Bad AxeHomes around $178K
Housing$178K typical home33% below the MI typical home Health89% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Outdoors#172 most walkable in MI0.9 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Bad Axe →
GladwinHomes around $200K
Housing$200K typical home25% below the MI typical home Work2,155 jobsbased in Gladwin, a regional job hub Outdoors#140 most walkable in MI0.6 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves All about Gladwin →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

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

Growth since 2010+8.1 pts
Gladwin has grown faster since 2010
Gladwin +4.6%Bad Axe -3.5%
Trails+50%
Bad Axe has more miles of trail
Bad Axe 0.9 miGladwin 0.6 mi
★ What stands out · Report cards

Gladwin places higher on 11 of 20 MI lists

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
B−Bad AxeSafer than 49% of U.S. towns C−GladwinSafer than 19% of U.S. towns
Schools
B−Bad AxeBetter than 48% of districts in the state B+GladwinBetter than 66% of districts in the state
Health
DBad AxeHealthier than 11% of U.S. towns DGladwinHealthier than 13% of U.S. towns
6Bad Axe
11Gladwin

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 723 towns #27#593 Most remote workersWork · 714 towns #490#102 Fastest growingGrowth · 723 towns #605#218 Highest graduation rateSchools · 540 towns #448#256 SafestSafety · 255 towns #142#207 Most educatedPeople · 723 towns #460#639 Most conserved landOutdoors · 712 towns #439#326 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 723 towns #640#529

Left end = #1 in Michigan. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Bad Axe’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Bad Axe$1,150/mo
Typical home $178K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.46% · or rent about $742/mo · Housing →
Gladwin$1,260/mo
Typical home $200K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.32% · or rent about $628/mo · Housing →

The difference: $110 a month, about $1,400 a year, between Gladwin and Bad Axe.

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.

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
Bad AxeGladwin
Snow a year43″49″
January low13°F13°F
July high80°F82°F
Growing season (days)152d148d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)7th9th
Outdoors & history
Bad AxeGladwin
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land3%4.8%
Settled18701875
Archive photos107
Famous people born here64
Community
Bad AxeGladwin
Library hours a week48 hrs44 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.

Where they are

75 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Bad AxeMIGladwinMI
Bad Axe ↔ Gladwin75 miles apart
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.

Bad AxeGladwin
People
Population 2,992Lowest 3,098Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3.5%Lowest MI: +2% +4.6%Highest MI: +2%
Median age 48.6±5.8Highest 21% above MI 47±12.8Lowest 17% above MI
Bad Axe and Gladwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 16.7%±4.3Lowest MI: 21.2% 22%±4.7Highest MI: 21.2%
Gladwin and Bad Axe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 26.4%±5.2Highest MI: 18.6% 25.2%±5.9Lowest MI: 18.6%
Bad Axe and Gladwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 22.1%Highest MI: 32.4% 14.6%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±0.5Lowest MI: 6.1% 0.8%±1.3Highest MI: 6.1%
Gladwin and Bad Axe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $44,688±$11kHighest 39% below MI $43,005±$14kLowest 41% below MI
Bad Axe and Gladwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $125,200±$12kLowest 46% below MI $126,900±$23kHighest 45% below MI
Gladwin and Bad Axe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $742±$86Highest 34% below MI $628±$110Lowest 44% below MI
Bad Axe and Gladwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,834Highest 37% below MI $1,670Lowest 42% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 51.7%±18.2Highest MI: 50.4% 35.6%±13Lowest MI: 50.4%
Bad Axe and Gladwin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 20.2%Highest MI: 13.2% 17.4%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 57.4%Highest MI: 73.2% 52.3%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1961Lowest 11 yrs older than MI 1965Highest 7 yrs older than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minHighest 11% below MI 20 minLowest 19% below MI
Work from home 8%±5.9Lowest MI: 13.5% 17.8%±9.3Highest MI: 13.5%
Gladwin and Bad Axe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 25.3%Highest 25.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.8 miLowest 26.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.12Lowest 2.21Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Colfax Township (11%)Midland (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in GladwinFew work in Bad Axe
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3%Lowest 4.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.9 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 4Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 52.9Lowest 61.5Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #283 of 493 in MI#303 of 493 in MI
School district Bad Axe Public SchoolsGladwin Community Schools
High school in town Bad Axe High SchoolGladwin High School
Students per teacherat that high school 12.2Lowest 24.1Highest
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.

Bad Axe neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bad Axe’s Town Square.

Gladwin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Gladwin’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Bad Axe

C
+ Compare
Colfax Township1,834 people · $160K homes
V
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Verona Township1,154 people · $224K homes

Towns like Bad Axe

C
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Clio2,185 people · $138K homes
C
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Clare3,324 people · $135K homes
S
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St. Ignace2,463 people · $132K homes
L
+ Compare
LaGrange Township3,751 people · $120K 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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