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%

Ellington Township$1,080/mo

Typical home $173K (Census) · tax rate 1.22% · or rent about $867/mo · Housing →

Bethany Township$1,050/mo

Typical home $172K (Census) · tax rate 1.04% · or rent about $875/mo · 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.

Health

C−Ellington TownshipHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns C−Bethany TownshipHealthier than 20% 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

Ellington TownshipBethany Township

Snow a year42″39″

January low15°F 15°F

July high82°F 82°F

Growing season (days)154d 164d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)77th 49th

Outdoors & history

Ellington TownshipBethany Township

Trails3 mi 2 mi

Conserved land24.3%0.5%

Settled—1858

Community

Ellington TownshipBethany Township

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.

Where they are

64 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Ellington TownshipTuscola County Bethany TownshipGratiot County

Ellington Township ↔ Bethany Township64 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.

Only big differences vs Michigan average

Ellington TownshipBethany Township

People

Population 1,146Lowest 1,162Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -0.5%Lowest MI: +2% +26%Highest MI: +2%

Median age 51.1±11.2Highest 27% above MI 49.6±6.9Lowest 23% above MI

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

Kids under 18 19.5%±5.6Lowest MI: 21.2% 19.8%±4.3Highest MI: 21.2%

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

Age 65+ 27.1%±7.5Highest MI: 18.6% 23.8%±4Lowest MI: 18.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.7%Highest MI: 32.4% 17.4%Lowest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.1%±2.3Highest MI: 6.1% 3%±1.8Lowest MI: 6.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $82,250±$13kHighest 13% above MI $80,461±$16kLowest 10% above MI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $172,900±$17kHighest 25% below MI $172,400±$25kLowest 26% below MI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $867±$69Lowest 23% below MI $875±$111Highest 22% below MI

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,117Highest 27% below MI $1,800Lowest 38% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±73.3Lowest MI: 50.4% 34.4%±52.5Highest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 6.6%Highest MI: 13.2% 3.8%Lowest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 89.8%Lowest MI: 73.2% 92.3%Highest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1977Highest 5 yrs newer than MI 1966Lowest 6 yrs older than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 6% above MI 23 minLowest 3% below MI

Work from home 7.8%±4.2Highest MI: 13.5% 4.7%±2.1Lowest MI: 13.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 3.1% 3.1%

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.3 miHighest 15.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.93Highest 0.77Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Caro (17%)Alma (18%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Bethany TownshipFew work in Ellington Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 24.3%Highest 0.5%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 3.1 miHighest 1.5 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.5Lowest 2.1Highest

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.

Ellington Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ellington Township’s Town Square.

Bethany Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bethany Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Ellington Township

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Almer Township1,928 people · $138K homes

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Wells Township1,547 people · $166K homes

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Novesta Township1,251 people · $169K homes

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Elmwood Township998 people · $147K homes

Towns like Ellington Township

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Ogemaw Township1,126 people · $207K homes

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Albion Township985 people · $170K homes

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Vernon Township1,271 people · $204K homes

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Branch Township1,311 people · $160K 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.

Ellington Township vs Bethany Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs about the same each month

Grades and rankings, side by side

What daily life feels like in each

64 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Ellington Township and Bethany Township

Bordering Ellington Township

Towns like Ellington Township

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