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Eden Township vs Backus Township

66 miles apart. The biggest differences: conserved land (+44.7 pts in Eden Township) and jobs per worker (3.3× in Backus Township).

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Eden Township, MIAn outdoors townLake County · 351 people
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Backus Township, MIAn outdoors townRoscommon County · 378 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.

Eden TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors58.5% conserved land61 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves All about Eden Township →
Backus TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors13.8% conserved land68 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Backus 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.

Conserved land+44.7 pts
Eden Township has more conserved land
Eden Township 58.5%Backus Township 13.8%
Jobs per worker3.3×
Backus Township is more of a job hub
Backus Township 0.85Eden Township 0.26
Seasonal homes+29.1 pts
Eden Township has more second homes
Eden Township 71.1%Backus Township 42%
Average commute14 min
Backus Township has the shorter commute
Eden Township 37 minBackus Township 24 min
Street grid+80%
Eden Township has the more walkable street grid
Eden Township 1.8Backus Township 1.0
★ What stands out · 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.

Eden Township$970/mo
Typical home $163K (Census) · tax rate 0.88% · or rent about $910/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.

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
Eden TownshipBackus Township
Snow a year93″66″
January low—11°F
July high—81°F
Growing season (days)—125d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)33rd52nd
Outdoors & history
Eden TownshipBackus Township
Trails61 mi68 mi
Conserved land58.5%13.8%
Archive photos—3
Community
Eden TownshipBackus 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.

Where they are

66 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Eden TownshipLake CountyBackus TownshipRoscommon County
Eden Township ↔ Backus Township66 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.

Eden TownshipBackus Township
People
Population 351Lowest 378Highest
Median age 54.6±5.6Highest 36% above MI 53.3±6.7Lowest 33% above MI
Eden Township and Backus Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 4.8%±6.1Lowest MI: 21.2% 8.2%±4.9Highest MI: 21.2%
Backus Township and Eden Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 30.8%±4.4Highest MI: 18.6% 28.6%±4.9Lowest MI: 18.6%
Eden 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+ 12.3%Lowest MI: 32.4% 15.3%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.6%±4Lowest MI: 6.1% 9%±8.4Highest MI: 6.1%
Backus Township and Eden Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $58,750±$15kLowest 19% below MI $62,500±$15kHighest 14% below MI
Backus Township and Eden Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $162,500±$39kLowest 30% below MI $167,900±$40kHighest 28% below MI
Backus Township and Eden Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $910±$317 19% below MI —
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,436Lowest 51% below MI $1,513Highest 48% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 75%±100Lowest MI: 50.4% 85.2%±79.6Highest MI: 50.4%
Backus Township and Eden Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.3%Lowest MI: 13.2% 14.4%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 91%Highest MI: 73.2% 84.1%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1983Highest 11 yrs newer than MI 1979Lowest 7 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 37 minHighest 55% above MI 24 minLowest about the MI average
Work from home 5.9%±5.7Lowest MI: 13.5% 7.6%±6.5Highest MI: 13.5%
Backus Township and Eden Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.8%Lowest 1.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 40.8 miHighest 27.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.26Lowest 0.85Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Webber Township (9%)Denton Township (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Backus TownshipFew work in Eden Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 58.5%Highest 13.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 61.4 miLowest 67.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.7 miLowest 1.9 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.8Highest 1.0Lowest
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.

Eden Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Eden Township’s Town Square.

Backus Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Backus Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Eden Township

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Newkirk Township909 people · $111K homes
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Peacock Township418 people · $144K homes
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Elk Township869 people · $182K homes
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Norman Township1,704 people · $157K homes

Towns like Eden Township

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Eastlake318 people · $122K homes
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McKinley Township350 people · $165K homes
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Lake Township429 people · $161K homes
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Rust Township489 people · $174K 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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