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Benton Township vs Laurel Township

Next-door neighbors in Hocking County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (3.7× in Benton Township) and average commute (18 min in Benton Township).

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Benton Township, OHOne of the healthiest townsHocking County · 973 people
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Laurel Township, OHAn outdoors townHocking County · 840 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.

Benton TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health96% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Outdoors27.5% conserved land37 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves All about Benton Township →
Laurel TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors23.6% conserved land33 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Laurel 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.

Jobs per worker3.7×
Benton Township is more of a job hub
Benton Township 0.93Laurel Township 0.25
Average commute18 min
Benton Township has the shorter commute
Laurel Township 51 minBenton Township 33 min
Growth since 2010+7.7 pts
Benton Township has grown faster since 2010
Benton Township -2.9%Laurel Township -10.6%
Typical home built17 yrs
Benton Township’s homes are older
Laurel Township 1985Benton Township 1968
Bachelor’s degree++8 pts
More adults in Laurel Township have a degree
Laurel Township 11.1%Benton Township 3.1%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $760 more a month in Laurel 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.

Benton Township$1,010/mo
Typical home $166K (Census) · tax rate 1.02% · or rent about $861/mo · Housing →
Laurel Township$1,770/mo
Typical home $312K (Census) · tax rate 0.54% · Housing →

The difference: $760 a month, about $9,200 a year, between Laurel Township and Benton 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.

Where they are

Benton Township and Laurel Township share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

Benton TownshipLaurel TownshipBenton TownshipLaurel Township
Benton Township ↔ Laurel Township6.6 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
6 Laurel Township residents work in Benton Township (1.8% of its workers)
5 Benton Township residents work in Laurel Township (1.9% of its workers)
Work & commute in Laurel Township →
Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Ohio ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
B−Benton TownshipBetter than 51% of districts in the state –Laurel TownshipNot graded
Health
D−Benton TownshipHealthier than 4% of U.S. towns –Laurel TownshipNot graded
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
Benton TownshipLaurel Township
Snow a year15″15″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)58th58th
Outdoors & history
Benton TownshipLaurel Township
Trails37 mi33 mi
Conserved land27.5%23.6%
Archive photos12—
Community
Benton TownshipLaurel 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.

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.

Benton TownshipLaurel Township
People
Population 973Highest 840Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2.9%Highest OH: +2.3% -10.6%Lowest OH: +2.3%
Median age 47.7±4.1Lowest 20% above OH 51.9±9.5Highest 31% above OH
Laurel Township and Benton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 6.1%±7.8Lowest OH: 22% 21.3%±9.9Highest OH: 22%
Laurel Township and Benton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.1%±12.6Lowest OH: 18.3% 25.5%±7.4Highest OH: 18.3%
Laurel Township and Benton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 3.1%Lowest OH: 31.5% 11.1%Highest OH: 31.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±1.9Lowest OH: 5.6% 3.2%±4.4Highest OH: 5.6%
Laurel Township and Benton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $83,333±$65kHighest 17% above OH $64,271±$43kLowest 10% below OH
Benton Township and Laurel Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $165,800±$68kLowest 23% below OH $311,600±$127kHighest 45% above OH
Laurel Township and Benton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $861±$32 17% below OH —
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,692Highest 40% below OH $1,688Lowest 40% below OH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±43.3 OH: 45.9% 0%±100 OH: 45.9%
Below poverty line 20.3%Highest OH: 13.3% 6.3%Lowest OH: 13.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 84.5%Lowest OH: 67.2% 89.1%Highest OH: 67.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1968Lowest 2 yrs older than OH 1985Highest 15 yrs newer than OH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 33 minLowest 41% above OH 51 minHighest 116% above OH
Work from home 6.1%±3.9Highest OH: 13% 4.1%±5.8Lowest OH: 13%
Benton Township and Laurel Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 2.2%Highest 0.3%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.3 miHighest 18.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.93Highest 0.25Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Logan (15%)Logan (20%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 2% work in Laurel Township2% work in Benton Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 27.5%Highest 23.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 37.4 miHighest 33.4 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miHighest 0.9 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.4Lowest 1.5Highest
Schools
School district Logan-Hocking Local—
High school in town None in town—
Ohio 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.

Benton Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Benton Township’s Town Square.

Laurel Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Laurel Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Benton Township

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Salt Creek Township1,087 people · $225K homes
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Jackson Township1,248 people · $176K homes
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Swan Township859 people
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Washington Township1,030 people · $200K homes

Towns like Benton Township

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Franklin Township1,152 people · $167K homes
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West Salem1,033 people · $126K homes
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Marion Township1,106 people · $133K homes
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Pike Township1,448 people · $229K 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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