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%

Denton Township$990/mo

Typical home $163K (Census) · tax rate 1.02% · or rent about $794/mo · Housing →

Backus Township$1,010/mo

Typical home $168K (Census) · tax rate 0.90% · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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.

Safety

A−Denton TownshipSafer than 78% of U.S. towns –Backus TownshipNot graded

Schools

C−Denton TownshipBetter than 24% of districts in the state –Backus TownshipNot graded

Health

C−Denton TownshipHealthier than 16% of U.S. towns –Backus 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

Denton TownshipBackus Township

Snow a year66″66″

January low11°F 11°F

July high81°F 81°F

Growing season (days)125d 125d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)28th 52nd

Outdoors & history

Denton TownshipBackus Township

Trails33 mi 68 mi

Conserved land5.2%13.8%

Archive photos2 3

Community

Denton TownshipBackus Township

Library hours a week46 hrs —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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.

Only big differences vs Michigan average

Denton TownshipBackus Township

People

Population 5,372Highest 378Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4.8% MI: +2% —

Median age 57±6.1Highest 42% above MI 53.3±6.7Lowest 33% above MI

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

Kids under 18 16.7%±3.4Highest MI: 21.2% 8.2%±4.9Lowest MI: 21.2%

Age 65+ 36.8%±5.4Highest MI: 18.6% 28.6%±4.9Lowest MI: 18.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.2%Highest MI: 32.4% 15.3%Lowest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.8%±1.6Lowest MI: 6.1% 9%±8.4Highest MI: 6.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $45,640±$6kLowest 37% below MI $62,500±$15kHighest 14% below MI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $163,200±$13kLowest 30% below MI $167,900±$40kHighest 28% below MI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $794±$156 30% below MI —

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,668Highest 43% below MI $1,513Lowest 48% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 65%±17.7Lowest MI: 50.4% 85.2%±79.6Highest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 19.7%Highest MI: 13.2% 14.4%Lowest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 78%Lowest MI: 73.2% 84.1%Highest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1976Lowest 4 yrs newer than MI 1979Highest 7 yrs newer than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 24 minHighest about the MI average 24 minLowest about the MI average

Work from home 13.5%±5.9Highest MI: 13.5% 7.6%±6.5Lowest MI: 13.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 13.5%Highest 1.4%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 40.8 miHighest 27.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.79Lowest 0.85Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Roscommon Township (10%)Denton Township (14%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Backus Township14% work in Denton Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 5.2%Lowest 13.8%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 32.5 miLowest 67.9 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miLowest 1.9 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3 3

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 12.2Highest 1.0Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #396 of 493 in MI—

School district Houghton Lake Community Schools—

High school in town Houghton Lake JrSr High School—

Students per teacherat that high school 15.2 —

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.

Denton Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Denton Township’s Town Square.

Backus Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Backus Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Denton Township and Backus Township

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

Bordering Denton Township

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Roscommon Township4,456 people · $138K homes

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Markey Township2,228 people · $166K homes

Towns like Denton Township

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South Haven Township4,089 people · $234K homes

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Lexington Township3,462 people · $203K homes

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East China Township3,686 people · $276K homes

+ Compare

Oscoda Township7,176 people · $123K 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.

Denton Township vs Backus Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Denton Township and Backus Township share a border

A typical home costs about the same each month

Grades and rankings, side by side

What daily life feels like in each

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Denton Township and Backus Township

Bordering Denton Township

Towns like Denton Township

Post to Denton Township

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