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Ellington Township vs Riga Township

125 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (5.5× in Ellington Township) and trails (5.2× in Ellington Township).

E ×
Ellington Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsTuscola County · 1,146 people
R ×
Riga Township, MIA small town of 1,079Lenawee County · 1,079 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.

Ellington TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health79% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Outdoors24.3% conserved land3.1 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Ellington Township →
Riga TownshipA small town of 1,079
Quiet strengthsRiga Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Riga 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.

Jobs per worker5.5×
Ellington Township is more of a job hub
Ellington Township 0.93Riga Township 0.17
Trails5.2×
Ellington Township has more miles of trail
Ellington Township 3.1 miRiga Township 0.6 mi
Typical home built39 yrs
Riga Township’s homes are older
Ellington Township 1977Riga Township 1938
Conserved land+24 pts
Ellington Township has more conserved land
Ellington Township 24.3%Riga Township 0.3%
Growth since 2010+8 pts
Ellington Township has grown faster since 2010
Ellington Township -0.5%Riga Township -8.5%
Property tax bill+16%
Tax bills are bigger in Riga Township
Riga Township $2,447Ellington Township $2,117
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $780 more a month in Riga Township

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.

Ellington Township$1,080/mo
Typical home $173K (Census) · tax rate 1.22% · or rent about $867/mo · Housing →
Riga Township$1,860/mo
Typical home $298K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.23% · or rent about $1,104/mo · Housing →

The difference: $780 a month, about $9,400 a year, between Riga Township and Ellington 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−Ellington TownshipHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns BRiga TownshipHealthier than 60% 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 TownshipRiga Township
Snow a year42″26″
January low15°F17°F
July high82°F85°F
Growing season (days)154d164d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)77th66th
Outdoors & history
Ellington TownshipRiga Township
Trails3 mi1 mi
Conserved land24.3%0.3%
Community
Ellington TownshipRiga 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

125 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Ellington TownshipTuscola CountyRiga TownshipLenawee County
Ellington Township ↔ Riga Township125 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.

Ellington TownshipRiga Township
People
Population 1,146Highest 1,079Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -0.5%Highest MI: +2% -8.5%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 51.1±11.2Lowest 27% above MI 53.1±3.5Highest 32% above MI
Riga Township and Ellington Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.5%±5.6Highest MI: 21.2% 18.3%±4.3Lowest MI: 21.2%
Ellington Township and Riga Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 27.1%±7.5Lowest MI: 18.6% 28.3%±4.8Highest MI: 18.6%
Riga Township and Ellington 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%Lowest MI: 32.4% 23.3%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.1%±2.3Lowest MI: 6.1% 3.9%±1.9Highest MI: 6.1%
Riga Township and Ellington 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±$13kLowest 13% above MI $86,131±$15kHighest 18% above MI
Riga Township and Ellington Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $172,900±$17kLowest 25% below MI $199,600±$31kHighest 14% below MI
Riga Township and Ellington 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 $1,104±$631Highest about the MI average
Riga Township and Ellington Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,117Lowest 27% below MI $2,447Highest 16% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±73.3Lowest MI: 50.4% 11.1%±71.6Highest MI: 50.4%
Riga 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% 2.3%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 89.8%Lowest MI: 73.2% 93.7%Highest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1977Highest 5 yrs newer than MI 1938Lowest 34 yrs older than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minLowest 6% above MI 27 minHighest 12% above MI
Work from home 7.8%±4.2Lowest MI: 13.5% 14.8%±4.6Highest MI: 13.5%
Riga Township and Ellington Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 3.1%Highest 0.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.3 miHighest 16.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.93Highest 0.17Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Caro (17%)Blissfield Township (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Riga TownshipFew work in Ellington Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 24.3%Highest 0.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 3.1 miHighest 0.6 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 1.9Highest
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.

Riga Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Riga Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Ellington Township

A
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Almer Township1,928 people · $138K homes
W
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Wells Township1,547 people · $166K homes
N
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Novesta Township1,251 people · $169K homes
E
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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
V
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Vernon Township1,271 people · $204K homes
B
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Bethany Township1,162 people · $172K 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.

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