Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Fabius Township vs Waterloo Township

83 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4.7× in Waterloo Township) and street grid (+88% in Fabius Township).

F ×
Fabius Township, MIKnown for its schoolsSt. Joseph County · 3,317 people
×
Waterloo Township, MIAn outdoors townJackson County · 2,964 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.

Fabius TownshipKnown for its schools
Schools#65 for schools in MIof 493 towns Health64% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Fabius Township →
Waterloo TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors#43 most conserved land in MI54 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 64%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Waterloo 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.

Trails4.7×
Waterloo Township has more miles of trail
Waterloo Township 54.4 miFabius Township 11.5 mi
Street grid+88%
Fabius Township has the more walkable street grid
Fabius Township 6.0Waterloo Township 3.2
Seasonal homes+17 pts
Fabius Township has more second homes
Fabius Township 24.6%Waterloo Township 7.6%
Conserved land+16.6 pts
Waterloo Township has more conserved land
Waterloo Township 19.4%Fabius Township 2.8%
Average commute8 min
Fabius Township has the shorter commute
Waterloo Township 32 minFabius Township 24 min
Property tax bill+22%
Tax bills are bigger in Waterloo Township
Waterloo Township $2,932Fabius Township $2,406
★ What stands out · Report cards

Waterloo Township places higher on 12 of 19 MI lists

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
B+Fabius TownshipBetter than 70% of districts in the state –Waterloo TownshipNot graded
Health
C+Fabius TownshipHealthier than 36% of U.S. towns BWaterloo TownshipHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns
7Fabius Township
12Waterloo Township

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Cheapest rentCost of living · 687 towns #29#604 Most conserved landOutdoors · 712 towns #456#43 Shortest commuteGetting around · 723 towns #321#646 Fewest smokersHealth · 723 towns #467#144 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 723 towns #353#50 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 723 towns #495#194 Most trailsOutdoors · 601 towns #344#132 HealthiestHealth · 723 towns #472#240

Left end = #1 in Michigan. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Fabius Township’s rankings →

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.

Fabius Township$1,620/mo
Typical home $271K (Census) · tax rate 0.89% · or rent about $687/mo · Housing →
Waterloo Township$1,520/mo
Typical home $244K (Census) · tax rate 1.20% · or rent about $1,446/mo · Housing →

The difference: $100 a month, about $1,200 a year, between Fabius Township and Waterloo 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.

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
Fabius TownshipWaterloo Township
Snow a year41″33″
January low17°F16°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)170d163d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)17th38th
Outdoors & history
Fabius TownshipWaterloo Township
Trails12 mi54 mi
Conserved land2.8%19.4%
Settled1829—
National Register places—1
Famous people born here11
Community
Fabius TownshipWaterloo Township
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

83 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Fabius TownshipSt. Joseph CountyWaterloo TownshipJackson County
Fabius Township ↔ Waterloo Township83 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.

Fabius TownshipWaterloo Township
People
Population 3,317Highest 2,964Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.9%Lowest MI: +2% +2.6%Highest MI: +2%
Median age 55.7±3.8Highest 39% above MI 54.6±5.6Lowest 36% above MI
Fabius Township and Waterloo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 17.5%±4.7Highest MI: 21.2% 14.5%±4.1Lowest MI: 21.2%
Fabius Township and Waterloo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 29.6%±5.3Lowest MI: 18.6% 30.9%±7.4Highest MI: 18.6%
Waterloo Township and Fabius Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 31.5%Highest MI: 32.4% 27.5%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.9%±1.8Highest MI: 6.1% 2.6%±1.7Lowest MI: 6.1%
Fabius Township and Waterloo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $95,875±$17kHighest 32% above MI $74,500±$17kLowest about the MI average
Fabius Township and Waterloo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $270,700±$26kHighest 17% above MI $243,600±$27kLowest 5% above MI
Fabius Township and Waterloo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $687±$163Lowest 39% below MI $1,446±$839Highest 28% above MI
Waterloo Township and Fabius Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,406Lowest 17% below MI $2,932Highest about the MI average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 3.5%±34Lowest MI: 50.4% 13.1%±27.2Highest MI: 50.4%
Waterloo Township and Fabius Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8.8%Highest MI: 13.2% 7.4%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 95.3%Highest MI: 73.2% 91.6%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1974Lowest 2 yrs newer than MI 1982Highest 10 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minLowest about the MI average 32 minHighest 33% above MI
Work from home 13.8%±8Lowest MI: 13.5% 15.8%±6Highest MI: 13.5%
Waterloo Township and Fabius Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.7%Lowest 3.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.8 miHighest 17.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.23Highest 0.20Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Three Rivers (20%)Chelsea (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Waterloo TownshipFew work in Fabius Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.8%Lowest 19.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 11.5 miLowest 54.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 1.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7Highest 4Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 6.0Highest 3.2Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #65 of 493 in MI—
School district Three Rivers Community Schools—
High school in town None in town—
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.

Fabius Township neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

First Time Home Buyers

1 neighbor in Fabius Township can answer.

Waterloo Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Waterloo Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Fabius Township and Waterloo Township

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Fabius Township

+ Compare
Three Rivers7,943 people · $135K homes
L
+ Compare
Lockport Township3,763 people · $198K homes
F
+ Compare
Flowerfield Township1,412 people · $242K homes
N
+ Compare
Newberg Township1,528 people · $203K homes

Towns like Fabius Township

+ Compare
Hamlin Township3,750 people · $281K homes
C
+ Compare
Casco Township2,856 people · $310K homes
H
+ Compare
Hope Township3,187 people · $232K homes
+ Compare
Worth Township3,461 people · $220K 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.

Post to Fabius Township

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in