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Dover Township vs Center Township

108 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4.7× in Dover Township) and conserved land (+52.7 pts in Dover Township).

D ×
Dover Township, MIAn outdoors townLake County · 460 people
C ×
Center Township, MIA small town of 522Emmet County · 522 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.

Dover TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors53.2% conserved land56 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves Health75% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Dover Township →
Center TownshipA small town of 522
Quiet strengthsCenter Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Center 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.

Trails4.7×
Dover Township has more miles of trail
Dover Township 56.1 miCenter Township 12.0 mi
Conserved land+52.7 pts
Dover Township has more conserved land
Dover Township 53.2%Center Township 0.5%
Jobs per worker3.2×
Center Township is more of a job hub
Center Township 0.29Dover Township 0.09
Street grid+86%
Center Township has the more walkable street grid
Center Township 1.3Dover Township 0.7
Average commute7 min
Center Township has the shorter commute
Dover Township 33 minCenter Township 26 min
Age 65++8 pts
Dover Township has more people 65 and up
Dover Township 27.2%Center Township 19.2%
★ What stands out · Life in each

Dover Township gets 40 more inches of snow a year

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
Dover TownshipCenter Township
Snow a year120″80″
January low12°F13°F
July high81°F74°F
Growing season (days)119d152d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)39th64th
Outdoors & history
Dover TownshipCenter Township
Trails56 mi12 mi
Conserved land53.2%0.5%
Famous people born here1—
Community
Dover TownshipCenter Township
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.

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.

Dover Township$1,210/mo
Typical home $199K (Census) · tax rate 1.03% · Housing →
Center Township$1,300/mo
Typical home $220K (Census) · tax rate 0.80% · Housing →

The difference: $80 a month, about $1,000 a year, between Center Township and Dover 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.

Health
C−Dover TownshipHealthier than 25% of U.S. towns –Center TownshipNot graded
Where they are

108 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Dover TownshipLake CountyCenter TownshipEmmet County
Dover Township ↔ Center Township108 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.

Dover TownshipCenter Township
People
Population 460Lowest 522Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -7.6% MI: +2%
Median age 46.4±13.2Lowest 15% above MI 46.7±4.3Highest 16% above MI
Center Township and Dover Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.6%±3.8Highest MI: 21.2% 17.4%±4.6Lowest MI: 21.2%
Dover Township and Center Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 27.2%±3.1Highest MI: 18.6% 19.2%±4.4Lowest MI: 18.6%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.8%Lowest MI: 32.4% 17.5%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.7%±2.8Lowest MI: 6.1% 3.4%±2.3Highest MI: 6.1%
Center Township and Dover Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $55,714±$10kLowest 24% below MI $68,636±$8kHighest 6% below MI
Center Township and Dover Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $199,000±$35kLowest 14% below MI $219,500±$26kHighest 5% below MI
Center Township and Dover Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,040Highest 30% below MI $1,759Lowest 39% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 100%±100Highest MI: 50.4% 22.2%±100Lowest MI: 50.4%
Dover Township and Center Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 21.7%Highest MI: 13.2% 4%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 90.9%Lowest MI: 73.2% 92.7%Highest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1978 6 yrs newer than MI 1978 6 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 33 minHighest 38% above MI 26 minLowest 7% above MI
Work from home 1.8%±1.7Lowest MI: 13.5% 4.5%±3.2Highest MI: 13.5%
Center Township and Dover Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 2.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.3 miHighest 15.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.09Lowest 0.29Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Cadillac (9%)Petoskey (13%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Center TownshipFew work in Dover Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 53.2%Highest 0.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 56.1 miHighest 12.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.5 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 4Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.7Lowest 1.3Highest
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.

Dover Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dover Township’s Town Square.

Center Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Center Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Dover Township

E
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Ellsworth Township722 people · $131K homes
N
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Newkirk Township909 people · $111K homes
B
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Burdell Township1,060 people · $188K homes
H
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Henderson Township219 people · $166K homes

Towns like Dover Township

G
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Goodwell Township556 people · $219K homes
S
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Sherman Township399 people · $187K homes
C
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Chandler Township471 people · $149K homes
L
+ Compare
Logan Township575 people · $154K 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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