What stands out worked out from the figures below

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Ely has the most trails (102.1 mi).

Tilden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.2%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing townOutdoorsyWalkable streets

Measure	Ely	Tilden
People
Population	1,843Highest	1,124Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.7%Lowest MI: +2%	+3.2%Highest MI: +2%
Median age	39.7±5.2Lowest about the MI average	47±8.4Highest 17% above MI
	Tilden and Ely are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.6%±2.1Lowest MI: 21.2%	20.6%±5.5Highest MI: 21.2%
	Tilden and Ely are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.5%±3.8Lowest MI: 18.6%	23.2%±6.2Highest MI: 18.6%
	Tilden and Ely are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.7%Lowest MI: 32.4%	24.1%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.9%±2.9Highest MI: 6.1%	4.4%±2.7Lowest MI: 6.1%
	Ely and Tilden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,104±$13kHighest 37% above MI	$67,596±$15kLowest 7% below MI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$196,300±$19kHighest 15% below MI	$142,500±$47kLowest 38% below MI
	Ely and Tilden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,225±$173 9% above MI
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,496Highest 48% below MI	$918Lowest 68% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	0%±81.5Lowest MI: 50.4%	45.5%±67.7Highest MI: 50.4%
	Tilden and Ely are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5%Lowest MI: 13.2%	12.2%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.1%Highest MI: 73.2%	91.5%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Lowest 1 yr newer than MI	1976Highest 4 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 26% above MI	23 minLowest 7% below MI
Work from home	2.8%±1.2Lowest MI: 13.5%	4.4%±2.5Highest MI: 13.5%
	Tilden and Ely are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents	2.2%Highest	0.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line	16.3 miHighest	10.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub	0.18Highest	0.04Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town	Ishpeming (32%)	Ishpeming (31%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others	Few work in Tilden	4% work in Ely
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town	5.6%Lowest	9.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles	102.1 miHighest	34.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi	0.7 miHighest	0.4 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map	5Highest	3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure	1.3	1.3
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MI average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data; commute flows: Census LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.