Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Dover Township vs Goodwell Township

36 miles apart. The biggest differences: conserved land (+37.4 pts in Dover Township) and jobs per worker (3× in Dover Township).

D ×
Dover Township, MIAn outdoors townLake County · 460 people
G ×
Goodwell Township, MIAn outdoors townNewaygo County · 556 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.

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 →
Goodwell TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors15.8% conserved land26 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves All about Goodwell 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.

Conserved land+37.4 pts
Dover Township has more conserved land
Dover Township 53.2%Goodwell Township 15.8%
Jobs per worker3×
Dover Township is more of a job hub
Dover Township 0.09Goodwell Township 0.03
Seasonal homes+22.6 pts
Dover Township has more second homes
Dover Township 38.3%Goodwell Township 15.7%
Trails2.2×
Dover Township has more miles of trail
Dover Township 56.1 miGoodwell Township 25.9 mi
Age 65++7.2 pts
Dover Township has more people 65 and up
Dover Township 27.2%Goodwell Township 20%
Street grid+43%
Goodwell Township has the more walkable street grid
Goodwell Township 1.0Dover Township 0.7
★ What stands out · Life in each

Dover Township gets 56 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 TownshipGoodwell Township
Snow a year120″64″
January low12°F—
July high81°F—
Growing season (days)119d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)39th22nd
Outdoors & history
Dover TownshipGoodwell Township
Trails56 mi26 mi
Conserved land53.2%15.8%
Famous people born here1—
Community
Dover TownshipGoodwell 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 →
Goodwell Township$1,330/mo
Typical home $219K (Census) · tax rate 1.02% · or rent about $533/mo · Housing →

The difference: $120 a month, about $1,400 a year, between Goodwell 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 –Goodwell TownshipNot graded
Where they are

36 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Dover TownshipLake CountyGoodwell TownshipNewaygo County
Dover Township ↔ Goodwell Township36 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 TownshipGoodwell Township
People
Population 460Lowest 556Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -2% MI: +2%
Median age 46.4±13.2Highest 15% above MI 44.1±10.5Lowest 10% above MI
Dover Township and Goodwell 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% 21.9%±4.6Lowest MI: 21.2%
Dover Township and Goodwell 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% 20%±2.4Lowest MI: 18.6%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.8%Lowest MI: 32.4% 17.4%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.7%±2.8Highest MI: 6.1% 0.9%±2.2Lowest MI: 6.1%
Dover Township and Goodwell 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 $63,750±$8kHighest 13% below MI
Goodwell 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 $218,800±$36kHighest 6% below MI
Goodwell Township and Dover Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $533±$169 53% below MI
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,040Lowest 30% below MI $2,242Highest 23% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 100%±100Highest MI: 50.4% 0%±100Lowest MI: 50.4%
Dover Township and Goodwell 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% 8.3%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 90.9%Lowest MI: 73.2% 91.2%Highest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1978Lowest 6 yrs newer than MI 1987Highest 15 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 33 minLowest 38% above MI 34 minHighest 38% above MI
Work from home 1.8%±1.7Lowest MI: 13.5% 6.8%±3.8Highest MI: 13.5%
Goodwell 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 0.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.3 miLowest 38.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.09Highest 0.03Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Cadillac (9%)Big Rapids (11%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Goodwell TownshipFew work in Dover Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 53.2%Highest 15.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 56.1 miHighest 25.9 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.5 miHighest 0.7 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.7Lowest 1.0Highest
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.

Dover Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dover Township’s Town Square.

Goodwell Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Goodwell Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Dover Township and Goodwell Township

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

Bordering Dover Township

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

Towns like Dover Township

C
+ Compare
Center Township522 people · $220K homes
S
+ Compare
Sherman Township399 people · $187K homes
C
+ Compare
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.

Post to Dover Township

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