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Bethany Township vs Emerson Township

Next-door neighbors in Gratiot County. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+36.8 pts in Bethany Township) and trails (3× in Bethany Township).

B ×
Bethany Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsGratiot County · 1,162 people
E ×
Emerson Township, MIA small town of 751Gratiot County · 751 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.

Bethany TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health80% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Bethany Township →
Emerson TownshipA small town of 751
Quiet strengthsEmerson Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Emerson 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.

Growth since 2010+36.8 pts
Bethany Township has grown faster since 2010
Bethany Township +26%Emerson Township -10.8%
Trails3×
Bethany Township has more miles of trail
Bethany Township 1.5 miEmerson Township 0.5 mi
Jobs per worker2.1×
Bethany Township is more of a job hub
Bethany Township 0.77Emerson Township 0.37
★ What stands out · Where they are

Bethany Township and Emerson Township share a border

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

Bethany TownshipEmerson TownshipBethany TownshipEmerson Township
Bethany Township ↔ Emerson Township6.1 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
12 Emerson Township residents work in Bethany Township (3.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Emerson Township →
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.

Bethany Township$1,050/mo
Typical home $172K (Census) · tax rate 1.04% · or rent about $875/mo · Housing →
Emerson Township$1,110/mo
Typical home $184K (Census) · tax rate 0.96% · or rent about $825/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between Emerson Township and Bethany 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−Bethany TownshipHealthier than 20% of U.S. towns –Emerson 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
Bethany TownshipEmerson Township
Snow a year39″39″
January low15°F15°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)164d164d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)49th49th
Outdoors & history
Bethany TownshipEmerson Township
Trails2 mi—
Conserved land0.5%—
Settled1858—
Community
Bethany TownshipEmerson 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.

Bethany TownshipEmerson Township
People
Population 1,162Highest 751Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +26%Highest MI: +2% -10.8%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 49.6±6.9Highest 23% above MI 47.2±5Lowest 17% above MI
Bethany Township and Emerson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.8%±4.3Highest MI: 21.2% 16.9%±4Lowest MI: 21.2%
Bethany Township and Emerson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 23.8%±4Highest MI: 18.6% 22.2%±3.2Lowest MI: 18.6%
Bethany Township and Emerson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.4%Highest MI: 32.4% 16.4%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3%±1.8Lowest MI: 6.1% 4.4%±1.8Highest MI: 6.1%
Emerson Township and Bethany Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $80,461±$16kHighest 10% above MI $78,000±$13kLowest 7% above MI
Bethany Township and Emerson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $172,400±$25kLowest 26% below MI $183,700±$22kHighest 21% below MI
Emerson Township and Bethany Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $875±$111Highest 22% below MI $825±$222Lowest 27% below MI
Bethany Township and Emerson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,800Highest 38% below MI $1,771Lowest 39% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.4%±52.5Highest MI: 50.4% 15.8%±100Lowest MI: 50.4%
Bethany Township and Emerson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 3.8%Lowest MI: 13.2% 6.5%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 92.3%Highest MI: 73.2% 88.4%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1966Highest 6 yrs older than MI 1958Lowest 14 yrs older than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 3% below MI 25 minHighest about the MI average
Work from home 4.7%±2.1Lowest MI: 13.5% 10.6%±4.5Highest MI: 13.5%
Emerson Township and Bethany Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 3.1%Highest 1.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.3 miLowest 18.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.77Highest 0.37Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Alma (18%)Alma (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Emerson Township3% work in Bethany Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.5%Lowest 1%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.5 miHighest 0.5 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.1Highest 1.9Lowest
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.

Bethany Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bethany Township’s Town Square.

Emerson Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Emerson Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Bethany Township and Emerson Township

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Bordering Bethany Township

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St. Louis7,367 people · $119K homes
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Jasper Township927 people · $162K homes
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Wheeler Township2,591 people · $115K homes
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Pine River Township2,687 people · $156K homes

Towns like Bethany Township

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Wheatland Township1,334 people · $183K homes
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Watertown Township1,163 people · $175K homes
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Ellington Township1,146 people · $173K homes
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Elbridge Township981 people · $208K 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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