Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Berlin Township vs Orange Township

Next-door neighbors in Ionia County. The biggest differences: trails (57× in Berlin Township) and conserved land (+16 pts in Berlin Township).

B ×
Berlin Township, MIKnown for its schoolsIonia County · 1,819 people
O ×
Orange Township, MIA small town of 1,170Ionia County · 1,170 people
Swap order
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.

Berlin TownshipKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 70%of MI districts Outdoors16.6% conserved land34 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves HistorySettled in 18391 place on the National Register All about Berlin Township →
Orange TownshipA small town of 1,170
Quiet strengthsOrange Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Orange 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.

Trails57×
Berlin Township has more miles of trail
Berlin Township 34.2 miOrange Township 0.6 mi
Conserved land+16 pts
Berlin Township has more conserved land
Berlin Township 16.6%Orange Township 0.6%
Street grid+69%
Berlin Township has the more walkable street grid
Berlin Township 2.2Orange Township 1.3
Bachelor’s degree++9.6 pts
More adults in Berlin Township have a degree
Berlin Township 25.6%Orange Township 16%
Jobs per worker+53%
Berlin Township is more of a job hub
Berlin Township 1.21Orange Township 0.79
★ What stands out · Where they are

Berlin Township and Orange Township share a border

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

Berlin TownshipOrange TownshipBerlin TownshipOrange Township
Berlin Township ↔ Orange Township5.2 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
15 Orange Township residents work in Berlin Township (3.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Orange Township →
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.

Schools
B+Berlin TownshipBetter than 70% of districts in the state –Orange TownshipNot graded
Health
C+Berlin TownshipHealthier than 38% of U.S. towns B−Orange TownshipHealthier than 48% of 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.

Berlin Township$1,420/mo
Typical home $238K (Census) · tax rate 0.88% · or rent about $1,212/mo · Housing →
Orange Township$1,430/mo
Typical home $240K (Census) · tax rate 0.85% · or rent about $1,133/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.

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
Berlin TownshipOrange Township
Snow a year54″54″
January low16°F16°F
July high81°F81°F
Growing season (days)161d161d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)36th28th
Outdoors & history
Berlin TownshipOrange Township
Trails34 mi—
Conserved land16.6%—
Settled1839—
National Register places1—
Famous people born here1—
Community
Berlin TownshipOrange 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.

Berlin TownshipOrange Township
People
Population 1,819Highest 1,170Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1%Lowest MI: +2% +2.5%Highest MI: +2%
Median age 42.4±4.5Highest 5% above MI 34.3±6.3Lowest 15% below MI
Berlin Township and Orange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.3%±4.6Highest MI: 21.2% 20.4%±2.5Lowest MI: 21.2%
Berlin Township and Orange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 21.7%±3.3Highest MI: 18.6% 16.9%±5.3Lowest MI: 18.6%
Berlin Township and Orange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.6%Highest MI: 32.4% 16%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.9%±1.1Lowest MI: 6.1% 7.7%±5.6Highest MI: 6.1%
Orange Township and Berlin Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $74,250±$17kLowest about the MI average $91,667±$28kHighest 26% above MI
Orange Township and Berlin Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $237,600±$25kLowest about the MI average $240,200±$13kHighest 4% above MI
Orange Township and Berlin Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,212±$525Highest 7% above MI $1,133±$101Lowest about the MI average
Berlin Township and Orange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,094Highest 28% below MI $2,034Lowest 30% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 52%±22.5Highest MI: 50.4% 22.9%±44.8Lowest MI: 50.4%
Berlin Township and Orange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 3.7%Lowest MI: 13.2% 7.4%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 81.2%Lowest MI: 73.2% 87.5%Highest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1973Highest 1 yr newer than MI 1972Lowest same as MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minHighest 10% below MI 22 minLowest 10% below MI
Work from home 9.9%±4.5Lowest MI: 13.5% 11.4%±2.3Highest MI: 13.5%
Orange Township and Berlin Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 2.8%Highest 0.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 23.3 miLowest 23.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.21Highest 0.79Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Ionia (15%)Ionia (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Orange Township3% work in Berlin Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 16.6%Highest 0.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 34.2 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.2Highest 1.3Lowest
Schools
School district Berlin Township S/D #3—
High school in town None in town—
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.

Berlin Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Berlin Township’s Town Square.

Orange Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Orange Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Berlin Township and Orange Township

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Berlin Township

E
+ Compare
Easton Township3,097 people · $192K homes
I
+ Compare
Ionia12,753 people · $165K homes
B
+ Compare
Boston Township6,065 people · $235K homes
I
+ Compare
Ionia Township4,032 people · $159K homes

Towns like Berlin Township

+ Compare
Three Oaks Township2,215 people · $246K homes
P
+ Compare
Pokagon Township2,157 people · $218K homes
B
+ Compare
Boyne Valley Township1,333 people · $203K homes
F
+ Compare
Fulton Township2,563 people · $215K 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.

Post to Berlin Township

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in