Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Comstock Park vs Alpine Township

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: trails (16× in Alpine Township) and street grid (5.8× in Comstock Park).

×
Comstock Park, MIAn outdoors townMichigan · 10,577 people
A ×
Alpine Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsKent County · 14,040 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.

Comstock ParkAn outdoors town
Outdoors13.9% conserved land0.3 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves All about Comstock Park →
Alpine TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 68%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$404K typical home52% above the MI typical home SchoolsBetter than 70%of MI districts All about Alpine 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.

Trails16×
Alpine Township has more miles of trail
Alpine Township 4.8 miComstock Park 0.3 mi
Street grid5.8×
Comstock Park has the more walkable street grid
Comstock Park 44.3Alpine Township 7.7
Homeowners+11.4 pts renters
Comstock Park has more renters
Alpine Township 60.1%Comstock Park 48.7%
Conserved land+10.7 pts
Comstock Park has more conserved land
Comstock Park 13.9%Alpine Township 3.2%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $620 more a month in Alpine 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.

Comstock Park$1,900/mo
Typical home $307K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.13% · or rent about $1,189/mo · Housing →
Alpine Township$2,520/mo
Typical home $404K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.20% · or rent about $1,172/mo · Housing →

The difference: $620 a month, about $7,500 a year, between Alpine Township and Comstock Park.

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

Comstock Park and Alpine Township share a border

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

Comstock ParkAlpine TownshipComstock ParkAlpine Township
Comstock Park ↔ Alpine Township3.9 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
176 Comstock Park residents work in Alpine Township (3.6% of its workers)
Work & commute in Comstock Park →
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
–Comstock ParkNot graded B+Alpine TownshipBetter than 70% of districts in the state
Health
–Comstock ParkNot graded B+Alpine TownshipHealthier than 68% of U.S. towns
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
Comstock ParkAlpine Township
Snow a year75″75″
January low17°F17°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)157d157d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)8th5th
Outdoors & history
Comstock ParkAlpine Township
Trails0 mi5 mi
Conserved land13.9%3.2%
Settled—1847
Archive photos10—
Community
Comstock ParkAlpine Township
Library hours a week43 hrs38 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.

Comstock ParkAlpine Township
People
Population 10,577Lowest 14,040Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.1%Lowest MI: +2% +5.6%Highest MI: +2%
Median age 34.7±2.5Lowest 14% below MI 36.9±2.3Highest 8% below MI
Alpine Township and Comstock Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.3%±3.7Highest MI: 21.2% 21.9%±3Lowest MI: 21.2%
Comstock Park and Alpine Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.2%±3.5Highest MI: 18.6% 15.4%±2.9Lowest MI: 18.6%
Comstock Park and Alpine Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 26%Lowest MI: 32.4% 27.3%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5%±1.6Lowest MI: 6.1% 5.1%±1.4Highest MI: 6.1%
Alpine Township and Comstock Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $59,984±$7kLowest 18% below MI $67,807±$13kHighest 7% below MI
Alpine Township and Comstock Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $235,300±$9kHighest about the MI average $233,900±$12kLowest about the MI average
Comstock Park and Alpine Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,189±$48Highest 5% above MI $1,172±$45Lowest 4% above MI
Comstock Park and Alpine Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,669Lowest 8% below MI $2,807Highest 3% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 54.8%±12.6Highest MI: 50.4% 52.4%±12Lowest MI: 50.4%
Comstock Park and Alpine Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11.8%Highest MI: 13.2% 11.2%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 48.7%Lowest MI: 73.2% 60.1%Highest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985 13 yrs newer than MI 1985 13 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 13% below MI 21 minHighest 12% below MI
Work from home 5.7%±2.5Lowest MI: 13.5% 7.2%±3.3Highest MI: 13.5%
Alpine Township and Comstock Park are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 3.1%Lowest 5.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 mi 9.8 mi
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.52Lowest 0.73Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Grand Rapids (25%)Grand Rapids (24%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 4% work in Alpine TownshipFew work in Comstock Park
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 13.9%Highest 3.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.3 miLowest 4.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 mi 0.1 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 3Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 44.3Highest 7.7Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#348 of 493 in MI
School district —Comstock Park Public Schools · Kenowa Hills Public Schools
High school in town —Kenowa Hills High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 18.0
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.

Comstock Park neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Comstock Park’s Town Square.

Alpine Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alpine Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Comstock Park and Alpine Township

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

Bordering Comstock Park

W
+ Compare
Walker25,386 people · $295K homes

Towns like Comstock Park

+ Compare
Lansing Township8,100 people · $146K homes
+ Compare
Howell10,021 people · $266K homes
+ Compare
Lapeer9,082 people · $178K homes
H
+ Compare
Hillsdale8,002 people · $131K 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.

Post to Comstock Park

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