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Compare towns

Coleman vs Reading

133 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+42% in Coleman) and typical home built (32 yrs in Reading).

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Coleman, MIOne of the healthiest townsMichigan · 1,206 people
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Reading, MIHomes around $180KMichigan · 947 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.

ColemanOne of the healthiest towns
Health69% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$200K typical home25% below the MI typical home All about Coleman →
ReadingHomes around $180K
Housing$180K typical home33% below the MI typical home All about Reading →
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.

Property tax bill+42%
Tax bills are bigger in Coleman
Coleman $1,691Reading $1,189
Typical home built32 yrs
Reading’s homes are older
Coleman 1970Reading 1938
Street grid+80%
Coleman has the more walkable street grid
Coleman 78.7Reading 43.7
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $210 more a month in Coleman

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.

Coleman$1,320/mo
Typical home $200K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.63% · or rent about $643/mo · Housing →
Reading$1,110/mo
Typical home $180K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.10% · or rent about $835/mo · Housing →

The difference: $210 a month, about $2,500 a year, between Coleman and Reading.

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
–ColemanNot graded B−ReadingBetter than 47% of districts in the state
Health
CColemanHealthier than 31% of U.S. towns –ReadingNot 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
ColemanReading
Snow a year49″44″
January low13°F15°F
July high82°F83°F
Growing season (days)148d161d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)24th28th
Outdoors & history
ColemanReading
Trails0 mi0 mi
Conserved land0%1.4%
Settled1887—
Archive photos2—
Community
ColemanReading
Library hours a week36 hrs41 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.

Where they are

133 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ColemanMIReadingMI
Coleman ↔ Reading133 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.

ColemanReading
People
Population 1,206Highest 947Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.5% MI: +2% +1.5% MI: +2%
Median age 42.3±2.9Lowest 5% above MI 43.8±5.6Highest 9% above MI
Reading and Coleman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.5%±5.3Highest MI: 21.2% 19.9%±5.7Lowest MI: 21.2%
Coleman and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.1%±4.3Highest MI: 18.6% 15.6%±3.9Lowest MI: 18.6%
Coleman and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.2%Highest MI: 32.4% 12%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.6%±2.1Highest MI: 6.1% 3.6%±2Lowest MI: 6.1%
Coleman and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $47,868±$6kLowest 34% below MI $49,342±$15kHighest 32% below MI
Reading and Coleman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $103,500±$10kLowest 55% below MI $107,800±$24kHighest 53% below MI
Reading and Coleman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $643±$93Lowest 43% below MI $835±$160Highest 26% below MI
Reading and Coleman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,691Highest 42% below MI $1,189Lowest 59% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 48.9%±19.7Highest MI: 50.4% 31.1%±14Lowest MI: 50.4%
Coleman and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 22.3%Lowest MI: 13.2% 24.6%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 59.9%Highest MI: 73.2% 58.3%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1970Highest 2 yrs older than MI 1938Lowest 34 yrs older than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minHighest 5% below MI 21 minLowest 12% below MI
Work from home 3.1%±2.6Highest MI: 13.5% 2.7%±2.4Lowest MI: 13.5%
Coleman and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 6.8%Highest 2.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miHighest 15.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.60Lowest 0.64Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Midland (22%)Hillsdale (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ReadingFew work in Coleman
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 1.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 78.7Highest 43.7Lowest
Schools
School district —Reading Community Schools
High school in town —Reading High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 16.2
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.

Coleman neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Coleman’s Town Square.

Reading neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Reading’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Coleman

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Cassopolis1,834 people · $110K homes
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Breckenridge1,517 people · $112K 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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