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.

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.

Down paymentRate%

Baraga$1,130/mo

Typical home $173K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.52% · or rent about $495/mo · Housing →

Marlette$1,110/mo

Typical home $183K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.98% · or rent about $873/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

–BaragaNot graded C+MarletteSafer than 43% of U.S. towns

Schools

–BaragaNot graded A−MarletteBetter than 84% of districts in the state

Health

DBaragaHealthier than 11% of U.S. towns C−MarletteHealthier than 16% of U.S. towns

Where they are

356 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BaragaMI MarletteMI

Baraga ↔ Marlette356 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.

Only big differences vs Michigan average

BaragaMarlette

People

Population 1,939Highest 1,850Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -8.3%Lowest MI: +2% -1.1%Highest MI: +2%

Median age 37±2.4Lowest 8% below MI 38.2±3.5Highest 5% below MI

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

Kids under 18 12.2%±2.5Lowest MI: 21.2% 22.2%±2.5Highest MI: 21.2%

Age 65+ 13.2%±2.8Lowest MI: 18.6% 18.2%±2.9Highest MI: 18.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 5.8%Lowest MI: 32.4% 12.1%Highest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.3%±3.4Highest MI: 6.1% 2.6%±1.4Lowest MI: 6.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $43,558±$7kLowest 40% below MI $48,571±$6kHighest 33% below MI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $114,600±$16kLowest 51% below MI $132,300±$19kHighest 43% below MI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $495±$70Lowest 56% below MI $873±$81Highest 23% below MI

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,744Highest 40% below MI $1,301Lowest 55% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 27.8%±15.2Lowest MI: 50.4% 40.6%±13.1Highest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 17.2%Lowest MI: 13.2% 18%Highest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 49.9%Lowest MI: 73.2% 56.1%Highest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1973Highest 1 yr newer than MI 1963Lowest 9 yrs older than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 12 minLowest 51% below MI 25 minHighest 5% above MI

Work from home 1.5%±1.5Lowest MI: 13.5% 3.5%±2Highest MI: 13.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 41.8%Highest 20.4%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 3.3 miLowest 21.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 3.36Highest 2.30Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Baraga Township (44%)Sandusky (9%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MarletteFew work in Baraga

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 4%Lowest 13.7%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 1.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 33.2Lowest 50.4Highest

Schools

School district —Marlette Community Schools

High school in town —Marlette JrSr High School

Students per teacherat that high school — 18.7

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.

Baraga neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Baraga’s Town Square.

Marlette neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marlette’s Town Square.

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Towns like Baraga

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Corunna3,037 people · $151K 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.

Baraga vs Marlette

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Baraga gets 166 more inches of snow a year

A typical home costs about the same each month

Grades and rankings, side by side

356 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

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Towns like Baraga

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