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Elmer Township vs Comins Township

Next-door neighbors in Oscoda County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (2.9× in Comins Township) and home values (+43% in Elmer Township).

E ×
Elmer Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsOscoda County · 1,173 people
C ×
Comins Township, MIKnown for its schoolsOscoda County · 1,861 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.

Elmer TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health87% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Elmer Township →
Comins TownshipKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 85%of MI districts Health82% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$167K typical home37% below the MI typical home All about Comins 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 worker2.9×
Comins Township is more of a job hub
Comins Township 0.97Elmer Township 0.33
Home values+43%
Homes cost more in Elmer Township
Elmer Township $173,200Comins Township $120,800
Property tax bill+42%
Tax bills are bigger in Elmer Township
Elmer Township $1,580Comins Township $1,109
Conserved land+20 pts
Comins Township has more conserved land
Comins Township 20.5%Elmer Township 0.5%
Work in town+19.4 pts
More of Comins Township’s workers stay in town
Comins Township 20.4%Elmer Township 1%
Growth since 2010+7.7 pts
Elmer Township has grown faster since 2010
Elmer Township +1.1%Comins Township -6.6%
★ What stands out · Where they are

Elmer Township and Comins Township share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

Elmer TownshipComins TownshipElmer TownshipComins Township
Elmer Township ↔ Comins Township7.7 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
34 Elmer Township residents work in Comins Township (10.9% of its workers)
26 Comins Township residents work in Elmer Township (4.6% of its workers)
Work & commute in Elmer Township →
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.

Elmer Township$1,040/mo
Typical home $173K (Census) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $678/mo · Housing →
Comins Township$1,000/mo
Typical home $167K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.92% · or rent about $615/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.

Schools
–Elmer TownshipNot graded AComins TownshipBetter than 85% of districts in the state
Health
DElmer TownshipHealthier than 13% of U.S. towns C−Comins TownshipHealthier than 18% 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
Elmer TownshipComins Township
Snow a year57″57″
January low11°F11°F
July high81°F81°F
Growing season (days)133d133d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)9th4th
Outdoors & history
Elmer TownshipComins Township
Trails134 mi87 mi
Conserved land0.5%20.5%
Community
Elmer TownshipComins Township
Library hours a week—24 hrs
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.

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.

Elmer TownshipComins Township
People
Population 1,173Lowest 1,861Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.1%Highest MI: +2% -6.6%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 39.4±12.1Lowest about the MI average 41.6±5.3Highest 3% above MI
Comins Township and Elmer Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 27.7%±4.1Lowest MI: 21.2% 28.2%±3.3Highest MI: 21.2%
Comins Township and Elmer Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 25.1%±7.8Highest MI: 18.6% 24.7%±2.9Lowest MI: 18.6%
Elmer Township and Comins Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 10.1%Lowest MI: 32.4% 13.8%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.7%±1.1Lowest MI: 6.1% 1.4%±1.1Highest MI: 6.1%
Comins Township and Elmer Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $62,386±$5kHighest 14% below MI $52,500±$5kLowest 28% below MI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $173,200±$42kHighest 25% below MI $120,800±$11kLowest 48% below MI
Rentmedian gross, monthly $678±$265Highest 40% below MI $615±$201Lowest 46% below MI
Elmer Township and Comins Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,580Highest 46% below MI $1,109Lowest 62% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 53.8%±58.9Highest MI: 50.4% 35.1%±14.7Lowest MI: 50.4%
Elmer Township and Comins Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 18%Highest MI: 13.2% 14.2%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 93.1%Highest MI: 73.2% 82.9%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1984Highest 12 yrs newer than MI 1976Lowest 4 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 8% below MI 25 minHighest 3% above MI
Work from home 7%±5.7Lowest MI: 13.5% 14.6%±5.2Highest MI: 13.5%
Comins Township and Elmer Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1%Lowest 20.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 30.3 miHighest 27.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.33Lowest 0.97Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Comins Township (11%)Big Creek Township (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 11% work in Comins Township5% work in Elmer Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.5%Lowest 20.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 133.6 miHighest 86.9 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.9 miHighest 1.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 6Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.6Lowest 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.

Elmer Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Elmer Township’s Town Square.

Comins Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Comins Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Elmer Township

C
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Clinton Township406 people · $174K homes
A
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Albert Township2,556 people · $170K homes
B
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Big Creek Township2,679 people · $112K homes
G
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Greenwood Township1,348 people · $143K homes

Towns like Elmer Township

B
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Butler Township1,090 people · $179K homes
O
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Orange Township1,355 people · $201K homes
N
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North Plains Township1,324 people · $184K homes
H
+ Compare
Highland Township1,385 people · $190K 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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