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.

Report cards

Cheboygan places higher on 13 of 21 MI lists

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.

Safety

C+CheboyganSafer than 35% of U.S. towns BClareSafer than 58% of U.S. towns

Schools

BCheboyganBetter than 57% of districts in the state B−ClareBetter than 54% of districts in the state

Health

DCheboyganHealthier than 14% of U.S. towns DClareHealthier than 12% of U.S. towns

13Cheboygan

6Clare

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most remote workersWork · 714 towns #650#301 Fastest growingGrowth · 723 towns #543#228 Lowest property taxCost of living · 723 towns #108#373 Most conserved landOutdoors · 712 towns #239#476 Shortest commuteGetting around · 723 towns #245#471 Highest graduation rateSchools · 540 towns #256#367 SafestSafety · 255 towns #164#117 Most trailsOutdoors · 601 towns #256#353

Left end = #1 in Michigan. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Cheboygan’s rankings →

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.

Down paymentRate%

Cheboygan$1,440/mo

Typical home $223K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.46% · or rent about $683/mo · Housing →

Clare$1,580/mo

Typical home $228K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.03% · or rent about $822/mo · Housing →

The difference: $140 a month, about $1,700 a year, between Clare and Cheboygan.

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

126 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CheboyganMI ClareMI

Cheboygan ↔ Clare126 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.

Only big differences vs Michigan average

CheboyganClare

People

Population 4,820Highest 3,324Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2%Lowest MI: +2% +4.4%Highest MI: +2%

Median age 43.3±5.3Lowest 8% above MI 43.9±4.7Highest 9% above MI

Clare and Cheboygan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 16.4%±2.8Lowest MI: 21.2% 20.2%±5.5Highest MI: 21.2%

Clare and Cheboygan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 24%±4.5Highest MI: 18.6% 23.1%±5.4Lowest MI: 18.6%

Cheboygan and Clare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.8%Lowest MI: 32.4% 21.9%Highest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.3%±1.6Lowest MI: 6.1% 8.4%±4Highest MI: 6.1%

Clare and Cheboygan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $42,290±$7kHighest 42% below MI $41,226±$11kLowest 43% below MI

Cheboygan and Clare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $123,200±$18kLowest 47% below MI $134,600±$31kHighest 42% below MI

Clare and Cheboygan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $683±$77Lowest 40% below MI $822±$64Highest 27% below MI

Clare and Cheboygan 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 $2,734Highest 6% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 44.4%±16.2Highest MI: 50.4% 39.5%±16.5Lowest MI: 50.4%

Cheboygan and Clare are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 14.9%Lowest MI: 13.2% 18.9%Highest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 66.9%Highest MI: 73.2% 59.3%Lowest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1959Lowest 13 yrs older than MI 1966Highest 6 yrs older than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 7% below MI 27 minHighest 10% above MI

Work from home 4.3%±2.6Lowest MI: 13.5% 11.5%±7.4Highest MI: 13.5%

Clare and Cheboygan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 24.4%Highest 16.6%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 28.8 miHighest 16.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.26Lowest 1.72Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Inverness Township (5%)Mount Pleasant (10%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ClareFew work in Cheboygan

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 6.6%Highest 2.6%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 4.1 miHighest 1.2 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miHighest 0.3 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 16Highest 8Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 40.6Highest 40.4Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #231 of 493 in MI #295 of 493 in MI

School district Cheboygan Area SchoolsClare Public Schools

High school in town Cheboygan Area High SchoolClare High School

Students per teacherat that high school 15.5Lowest 19.0Highest

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.

Cheboygan neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cheboygan’s Town Square.

Clare neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Clare’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Cheboygan and Clare

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

Bordering Cheboygan

+ Compare

Benton Township3,170 people · $201K homes

+ Compare

Inverness Township1,836 people · $199K homes

+ Compare

Beaugrand Township1,048 people · $206K homes

Towns like Cheboygan

+ Compare

Caro4,290 people · $103K homes

+ Compare

Eaton Rapids5,183 people · $156K homes

+ Compare

Iron River3,002 people · $85K homes

+ Compare

Iron Mountain7,518 people · $142K 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.

Cheboygan vs Clare

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Cheboygan gets 39 more inches of snow a year

Cheboygan places higher on 13 of 21 MI lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

126 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Cheboygan and Clare

Bordering Cheboygan

Towns like Cheboygan

Post to Cheboygan

Check your email