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Batavia Township vs Forest Township

235 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (4.2× in Forest Township) and conserved land (+48.8 pts in Forest Township).

B ×

Batavia Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsBranch County · 1,010 people

F ×

Forest Township, MIAn outdoors townCheboygan County · 1,259 people

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.

Batavia TownshipOne of the healthiest towns

Health77% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Batavia Township →

Forest TownshipAn outdoors town

Outdoors#338 most conserved land in MI84 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves Health88% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Forest 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 worker4.2×

Forest Township is more of a job hub

Forest Township 0.42Batavia Township 0.10

Conserved land+48.8 pts

Forest Township has more conserved land

Forest Township 49.1%Batavia Township 0.3%

Property tax bill+66%

Tax bills are bigger in Batavia Township

Batavia Township $1,741Forest Township $1,050

Seasonal homes+22.3 pts

Forest Township has more second homes

Forest Township 23.7%Batavia Township 1.4%

Street grid+64%

Batavia Township has the more walkable street grid

Batavia Township 2.3Forest Township 1.4

Growth since 2010+5.3 pts

Batavia Township has grown faster since 2010

Batavia Township -1.2%Forest Township -6.5%

★ What stands out · Life in each

Forest Township gets 44 more inches of snow a year

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

Batavia TownshipForest Township

Snow a year43″87″

January low16°F 12°F

July high82°F 80°F

Growing season (days)163d 135d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)33rd 54th

Outdoors & history

Batavia TownshipForest Township

Trails0 mi 84 mi

Conserved land0.3%49.1%

National Register places1 —

Community

Batavia TownshipForest Township

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.

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%

Batavia Township$840/mo

Typical home $133K (Census) · tax rate 1.31% · or rent about $906/mo · Housing →

Forest Township$760/mo

Typical home $129K (Census) · tax rate 0.82% · or rent about $675/mo · Housing →

The difference: $80 a month, about $1,000 a year, between Batavia Township and Forest 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.

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

C−Batavia TownshipHealthier than 23% of U.S. towns DForest TownshipHealthier than 12% of U.S. towns

Where they are

235 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Batavia TownshipBranch County Forest TownshipCheboygan County

Batavia Township ↔ Forest Township235 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

Batavia TownshipForest Township

People

Population 1,010Lowest 1,259Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.2%Highest MI: +2% -6.5%Lowest MI: +2%

Median age 52.4±6.2Highest 30% above MI 50.5±11.7Lowest 26% above MI

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

Kids under 18 17.6%±5.7Lowest MI: 21.2% 19.9%±5Highest MI: 21.2%

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

Age 65+ 26.8%±3.9Highest MI: 18.6% 20.3%±5.4Lowest MI: 18.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12.5%Highest MI: 32.4% 10.1%Lowest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.3%±3.3Highest MI: 6.1% 2.2%±1.8Lowest MI: 6.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $61,389±$4kHighest 16% below MI $57,292±$15kLowest 21% below MI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $133,300±$44kHighest 42% below MI $128,800±$22kLowest 44% below MI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $906±$106Highest 20% below MI $675±$329Lowest 40% below MI

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,741Highest 40% below MI $1,050Lowest 64% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 18.1%±24.7Highest MI: 50.4% 7.1%±34.1Lowest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 5.8%Lowest MI: 13.2% 23.5%Highest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 82.7%Highest MI: 73.2% 77.5%Lowest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1975Lowest 3 yrs newer than MI 1983Highest 11 yrs newer than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 6% below MI 26 minHighest 9% above MI

Work from home 6.4%±4.8Lowest MI: 13.5% 10.3%±5.9Highest MI: 13.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 0.5%Lowest 1.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.8 miLowest 31.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.10Lowest 0.42Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Coldwater (23%)Petoskey (6%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Forest TownshipFew work in Batavia Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.3%Lowest 49.1%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 83.8 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 1.2 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 4Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.3Highest 1.4Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#412 of 493 in MI

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.

Batavia Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Batavia Township’s Town Square.

Forest Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Forest Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Batavia Township

Bethel Township1,370 people · $125K homes

Coldwater Township3,829 people · $169K homes

Union Township2,962 people · $126K homes

Matteson Township1,171 people · $139K homes

Towns like Batavia Township

Fork Township1,556 people · $145K homes

Sheridan Township1,270 people · $156K homes

Manistique Township941 people · $201K homes

Richmond Township724 people · $103K 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.