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Bay Township vs Centerville Township

44 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (3.5× in Bay Township) and street grid (+89% in Bay Township).

B ×
Bay Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsCharlevoix County · 1,198 people
×
Centerville Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsLeelanau County · 1,529 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.

Bay TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 73%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Bay Township →
Centerville TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 82%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Centerville Township →
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.

Trails3.5×
Bay Township has more miles of trail
Bay Township 13.8 miCenterville Township 3.9 mi
Street grid+89%
Bay Township has the more walkable street grid
Bay Township 5.1Centerville Township 2.7
Average commute6 min
Bay Township has the shorter commute
Centerville Township 28 minBay Township 21 min
Growth since 2010+4.2 pts
Bay Township has grown faster since 2010
Bay Township +1.8%Centerville Township -2.4%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $380 more a month in Centerville 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.

Bay Township$2,170/mo
Typical home $368K (Census) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $968/mo · Housing →
Centerville Township$2,550/mo
Typical home $444K (Census) · tax rate 0.59% · or rent about $853/mo · Housing →

The difference: $380 a month, about $4,600 a year, between Centerville Township and Bay 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
B+Bay TownshipHealthier than 73% of U.S. towns A−Centerville TownshipHealthier than 82% 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
Bay TownshipCenterville Township
Snow a year124″143″
January low15°F16°F
July high75°F80°F
Growing season (days)166d140d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)3rd21st
Outdoors & history
Bay TownshipCenterville Township
Trails14 mi4 mi
Conserved land3.9%10.9%
Settled18871862
National Register places3—
Community
Bay TownshipCenterville Township
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

44 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Bay TownshipCharlevoix CountyCenterville TownshipLeelanau County
Bay Township ↔ Centerville Township44 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.

Bay TownshipCenterville Township
People
Population 1,198Lowest 1,529Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.8%Highest MI: +2% -2.4%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 52.9±4.8Highest 32% above MI 50±4.8Lowest 24% above MI
Bay Township and Centerville Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.5%±4.3Lowest MI: 21.2% 23.7%±5.7Highest MI: 21.2%
Centerville Township and Bay Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 31.6%±6.5Highest MI: 18.6% 28.3%±1Lowest MI: 18.6%
Bay Township and Centerville Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 42.2%Highest MI: 32.4% 39.9%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.3%±1.3Highest MI: 6.1% 0.9%±0.7Lowest MI: 6.1%
Bay Township and Centerville Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $80,833±$10kLowest 11% above MI $98,281±$12kHighest 35% above MI
Centerville Township and Bay Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $368,000±$33kLowest 59% above MI $444,400±$57kHighest 92% above MI
Centerville Township and Bay Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $968±$65Highest 14% below MI $853±$96Lowest 24% below MI
Bay Township and Centerville Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,877Highest about the MI average $2,641Lowest 9% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100 MI: 50.4% 0%±56.4 MI: 50.4%
Below poverty line 4.4%Lowest MI: 13.2% 6.3%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 96.8%Highest MI: 73.2% 93.6%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Lowest 13 yrs newer than MI 1992Highest 20 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 12% below MI 28 minHighest 15% above MI
Work from home 15.3%±4.7Lowest MI: 13.5% 23.3%±11.1Highest MI: 13.5%
Centerville Township and Bay Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 2.3%Highest 1.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 miLowest 13.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.18Highest 0.17Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Boyne City (17%)Traverse City (23%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Centerville TownshipFew work in Bay Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.9%Lowest 10.9%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 13.8 miHighest 3.9 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 9Highest 4Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 5.1Highest 2.7Lowest
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.

Bay Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bay Township’s Town Square.

Centerville Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Centerville Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Bay Township

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Resort Township2,839 people · $395K homes
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Hayes Township1,796 people · $247K homes
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Evangeline Township696 people · $384K homes
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Horton Bay374 people · $346K homes

Towns like Bay Township

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Bridgewater Township1,565 people · $331K homes
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Freedom Township1,339 people · $401K homes
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Gilmore Township728 people · $301K homes
F
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Friendship Township848 people · $354K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Michigan towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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