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Emerson Township vs Bethany Township

Next-door neighbors in Gratiot County. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+36.8 pts in Bethany Township) and trails (3× in Bethany Township).

E ×
Emerson Township, MIA small town of 751Gratiot County · 751 people
B ×
Bethany Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsGratiot County · 1,162 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.

Emerson TownshipA small town of 751
Quiet strengthsEmerson Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Emerson Township →
Bethany TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health80% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Bethany 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.

Growth since 2010+36.8 pts
Bethany Township has grown faster since 2010
Bethany Township +26%Emerson Township -10.8%
Trails3×
Bethany Township has more miles of trail
Bethany Township 1.5 miEmerson Township 0.5 mi
Jobs per worker2.1×
Bethany Township is more of a job hub
Bethany Township 0.77Emerson Township 0.37
★ What stands out · Where they are

Emerson Township and Bethany Township share a border

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

Emerson TownshipBethany TownshipEmerson TownshipBethany Township
Emerson Township ↔ Bethany Township6.1 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
12 Emerson Township residents work in Bethany Township (3.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Emerson 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.

Emerson Township$1,110/mo
Typical home $184K (Census) · tax rate 0.96% · or rent about $825/mo · Housing →
Bethany Township$1,050/mo
Typical home $172K (Census) · tax rate 1.04% · or rent about $875/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between Emerson Township and Bethany 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
–Emerson TownshipNot graded 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
Emerson TownshipBethany Township
Snow a year39″39″
January low15°F15°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)164d164d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)49th49th
Outdoors & history
Emerson TownshipBethany Township
Trails—2 mi
Conserved land—0.5%
Settled—1858
Community
Emerson TownshipBethany 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.

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.

Emerson TownshipBethany Township
People
Population 751Lowest 1,162Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -10.8%Lowest MI: +2% +26%Highest MI: +2%
Median age 47.2±5Lowest 17% above MI 49.6±6.9Highest 23% above MI
Bethany Township and Emerson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 16.9%±4Lowest MI: 21.2% 19.8%±4.3Highest MI: 21.2%
Bethany Township and Emerson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.2%±3.2Lowest MI: 18.6% 23.8%±4Highest MI: 18.6%
Bethany Township and Emerson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.4%Lowest MI: 32.4% 17.4%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.4%±1.8Highest MI: 6.1% 3%±1.8Lowest MI: 6.1%
Emerson 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 $78,000±$13kLowest 7% above MI $80,461±$16kHighest 10% above MI
Bethany Township and Emerson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $183,700±$22kHighest 21% below MI $172,400±$25kLowest 26% below MI
Emerson Township and Bethany Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $825±$222Lowest 27% below MI $875±$111Highest 22% below MI
Bethany Township and Emerson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,771Lowest 39% below MI $1,800Highest 38% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 15.8%±100Lowest MI: 50.4% 34.4%±52.5Highest MI: 50.4%
Bethany Township and Emerson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.5%Highest MI: 13.2% 3.8%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 88.4%Lowest MI: 73.2% 92.3%Highest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1958Lowest 14 yrs older than MI 1966Highest 6 yrs older than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest about the MI average 23 minLowest 3% below MI
Work from home 10.6%±4.5Highest MI: 13.5% 4.7%±2.1Lowest MI: 13.5%
Emerson 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 1.6%Lowest 3.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.8 miHighest 15.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.37Lowest 0.77Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Alma (17%)Alma (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 3% work in Bethany TownshipFew work in Emerson Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1%Highest 0.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.5 miLowest 1.5 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.9Lowest 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.

Emerson Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Emerson Township’s Town Square.

Bethany Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bethany Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Emerson Township and Bethany Township

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Bordering Emerson Township

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+ Compare
Ithaca2,817 people · $133K homes
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Lafayette Township573 people · $164K homes
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Arcada Township1,684 people · $219K homes
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North Star Township867 people · $184K homes

Towns like Emerson Township

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Norwich Township712 people · $170K homes
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Grant Township746 people · $183K homes
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Litchfield Township873 people · $199K homes
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+ Compare
Jordan Township907 people · $206K 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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