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Bethany Township vs Wheeler Township

Next-door neighbors in Gratiot County. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+32.2 pts in Bethany Township) and trails (5× in Bethany Township).

B ×
Bethany Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsGratiot County · 1,162 people
W ×
Wheeler Township, MIHomes around $193KGratiot County · 2,591 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 →
Wheeler TownshipHomes around $193K
Housing$193K typical home28% below the MI typical home Health60% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Wheeler 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.

Growth since 2010+32.2 pts
Bethany Township has grown faster since 2010
Bethany Township +26%Wheeler Township -6.2%
Trails5×
Bethany Township has more miles of trail
Bethany Township 1.5 miWheeler Township 0.3 mi
Home values+49%
Homes cost more in Bethany Township
Bethany Township $172,400Wheeler Township $115,400
Street grid+86%
Wheeler Township has the more walkable street grid
Wheeler Township 3.9Bethany Township 2.1
Homeowners+16.6 pts renters
Wheeler Township has more renters
Bethany Township 92.3%Wheeler Township 75.7%
Size2.2×
Wheeler Township is the bigger place
Wheeler Township 2,591Bethany Township 1,162
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $240 more a month in Wheeler 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.

Bethany Township$1,050/mo
Typical home $172K (Census) · tax rate 1.04% · or rent about $875/mo · Housing →
Wheeler Township$1,290/mo
Typical home $193K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.76% · or rent about $694/mo · Housing →

The difference: $240 a month, about $2,900 a year, between Wheeler 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.

Schools
–Bethany TownshipNot graded B−Wheeler TownshipBetter than 53% of districts in the state
Health
C−Bethany TownshipHealthier than 20% of U.S. towns C+Wheeler TownshipHealthier than 40% of U.S. towns
Where they are

Bethany Township and Wheeler Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Bethany TownshipWheeler TownshipBethany TownshipWheeler Township
Bethany Township ↔ Wheeler Township6.2 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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 TownshipWheeler Township
Snow a year39″39″
January low15°F15°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)164d164d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)49th39th
Outdoors & history
Bethany TownshipWheeler Township
Trails2 mi0 mi
Conserved land0.5%0.3%
Settled1858—
Community
Bethany TownshipWheeler Township
Library hours a week—30 hrs
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 TownshipWheeler Township
People
Population 1,162Lowest 2,591Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +26%Highest MI: +2% -6.2%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 49.6±6.9Highest 23% above MI 42.8±3.6Lowest 6% above MI
Bethany Township and Wheeler Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.8%±4.3Lowest MI: 21.2% 22.4%±4.2Highest MI: 21.2%
Wheeler Township and Bethany 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% 17.9%±3.3Lowest MI: 18.6%
Bethany Township and Wheeler 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% 15.8%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3%±1.8Lowest MI: 6.1% 3.9%±1.8Highest MI: 6.1%
Wheeler 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 $61,149±$5kLowest 16% below MI
Bethany Township and Wheeler Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $172,400±$25kHighest 26% below MI $115,400±$12kLowest 50% below MI
Rentmedian gross, monthly $875±$111Highest 22% below MI $694±$174Lowest 39% below MI
Bethany Township and Wheeler Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,800Lowest 38% below MI $2,030Highest 30% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.4%±52.5Lowest MI: 50.4% 38.3%±14.1Highest MI: 50.4%
Wheeler Township and Bethany 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% 12.3%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 92.3%Highest MI: 73.2% 75.7%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1966Highest 6 yrs older than MI 1963Lowest 9 yrs older than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 3% below MI 27 minHighest 12% above MI
Work from home 4.7%±2.1Lowest MI: 13.5% 4.9%±2.7Highest MI: 13.5%
Wheeler 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%Lowest 11.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.3 miLowest 19.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.77Lowest 0.84Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Alma (18%)Midland (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Wheeler TownshipFew work in Bethany Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.5%Highest 0.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.5 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 3Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.1Lowest 3.9Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#319 of 493 in MI
School district —Breckenridge Community Schools
High school in town —Breckenridge MiddleHigh School
Students per teacherat that high school — 15.5
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.

Wheeler Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wheeler Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Bethany Township

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St. Louis7,367 people · $119K homes
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Emerson Township751 people · $184K homes
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Jasper Township927 people · $162K 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
W
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Watertown Township1,163 people · $175K homes
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Ellington Township1,146 people · $173K homes
E
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Elbridge Township981 people · $208K 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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