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Fairplain Township vs Harris Township

214 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (7.9× in Harris Township) and rent (2.6× in Fairplain Township).

F ×
Fairplain Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsMontcalm County · 1,896 people
H ×
Harris Township, MIA regional job hubMenominee County · 1,831 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.

Fairplain TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health79% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Outdoors21.7% conserved land10 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves All about Fairplain Township →
Harris TownshipA regional job hub
Work1,054 jobsbased in Harris Township, a regional job hub SchoolsBetter than 85%of MI districts Health71% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Harris 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 worker7.9×
Harris Township is more of a job hub
Harris Township 1.58Fairplain Township 0.20
Rent2.6×
Rent runs higher in Fairplain Township
Fairplain Township $1,103Harris Township $424
Trails7.1×
Harris Township has more miles of trail
Harris Township 71.4 miFairplain Township 10.0 mi
Street grid3.1×
Fairplain Township has the more walkable street grid
Fairplain Township 2.8Harris Township 0.9
Property tax bill+51%
Tax bills are bigger in Fairplain Township
Fairplain Township $1,920Harris Township $1,269
Work in town+21.8 pts
More of Harris Township’s workers stay in town
Harris Township 23.1%Fairplain Township 1.3%
★ What stands out · 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.

Fairplain Township$1,010/mo
Typical home $162K (Census) · tax rate 1.19% · or rent about $1,103/mo · Housing →
Harris Township$990/mo
Typical home $169K (Census) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $424/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
–Fairplain TownshipNot graded AHarris TownshipBetter than 85% of districts in the state
Health
C−Fairplain TownshipHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns CHarris TownshipHealthier than 29% 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
Fairplain TownshipHarris Township
Snow a year73″70″
January low13°F—
July high84°F—
Growing season (days)133d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)13th12th
Outdoors & history
Fairplain TownshipHarris Township
Trails10 mi71 mi
Conserved land21.7%1.2%
Community
Fairplain TownshipHarris 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

214 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Fairplain TownshipMontcalm CountyHarris TownshipMenominee County
Fairplain Township ↔ Harris Township214 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.

Fairplain TownshipHarris Township
People
Population 1,896Highest 1,831Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.9%Lowest MI: +2% +7.4%Highest MI: +2%
Median age 43.2±6.7Highest 7% above MI 41.5±5.1Lowest 3% above MI
Fairplain Township and Harris Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.4%±4.3Lowest MI: 21.2% 23.9%±3.7Highest MI: 21.2%
Harris Township and Fairplain Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.2%±2.4Lowest MI: 18.6% 21.2%±2Highest MI: 18.6%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18%Lowest MI: 32.4% 18.3%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.7%±1.6Lowest MI: 6.1% 2.9%±1.5Highest MI: 6.1%
Harris Township and Fairplain Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $56,406±$9kHighest 23% below MI $55,104±$12kLowest 24% below MI
Fairplain Township and Harris Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $162,000±$27kLowest 30% below MI $168,800±$13kHighest 27% below MI
Harris Township and Fairplain Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,103±$79Highest about the MI average $424±$36Lowest 62% below MI
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,920Highest 34% below MI $1,269Lowest 56% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 50%±34.4Highest MI: 50.4% 16.8%±6.6Lowest MI: 50.4%
Fairplain Township and Harris Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 17.9%Highest MI: 13.2% 15.4%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 78.1%Lowest MI: 73.2% 78.3%Highest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Lowest 13 yrs newer than MI 1987Highest 15 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 10% above MI 26 minLowest 6% above MI
Work from home 5.7%±3.6Lowest MI: 13.5% 6%±4.1Highest MI: 13.5%
Harris Township and Fairplain Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.3%Lowest 23.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 26.8 miHighest 17.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.20Lowest 1.58Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Greenville (14%)Spalding Township (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Harris TownshipFew work in Fairplain Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 21.7%Highest 1.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 10.0 miLowest 71.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 0.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.8Highest 0.9Lowest
Schools
School district —Bark River-Harris School District
High school in town —Bark RiverHarris JrSr High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 16.0
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.

Fairplain Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fairplain Township’s Town Square.

Harris Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Harris Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Fairplain Township

S
+ Compare
Sidney Township2,603 people · $188K homes
E
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Eureka Township4,283 people · $236K homes
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Orleans Township2,704 people · $176K homes
B
+ Compare
Bushnell Township1,516 people · $199K homes

Towns like Fairplain Township

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East Jordan2,023 people · $148K homes
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Sunfield Township1,788 people · $191K homes
S
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Springport Township1,894 people · $144K homes
C
+ Compare
Corwith Township1,680 people · $159K 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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