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Fairplain Township vs Sidney Township

Next-door neighbors in Montcalm County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (2.8× in Sidney Township) and age 65+ (+12.1 pts in Sidney Township).

F ×
Fairplain Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsMontcalm County · 1,896 people
S ×
Sidney Township, MIAn outdoors townMontcalm County · 2,603 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 →
Sidney TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors#180 most conserved land in MI12 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves Housing$231K typical home13% below the MI typical home College town1 collegeMontcalm Community College All about Sidney 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.

Jobs per worker2.8×
Sidney Township is more of a job hub
Sidney Township 0.55Fairplain Township 0.20
Age 65++12.1 pts
Sidney Township has more people 65 and up
Sidney Township 27.3%Fairplain Township 15.2%
Conserved land+13.6 pts
Fairplain Township has more conserved land
Fairplain Township 21.7%Sidney Township 8.1%
Homeowners+11.9 pts renters
Fairplain Township has more renters
Sidney Township 90%Fairplain Township 78.1%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $400 more a month in Sidney Township

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 →
Sidney Township$1,410/mo
Typical home $231K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.03% · or rent about $1,294/mo · Housing →

The difference: $400 a month, about $4,800 a year, between Sidney Township and Fairplain 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.

Where they are

Fairplain Township and Sidney Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Fairplain TownshipSidney TownshipFairplain TownshipSidney Township
Fairplain Township ↔ Sidney Township6.3 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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 B−Sidney TownshipBetter than 46% of districts in the state
Health
C−Fairplain TownshipHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns C−Sidney TownshipHealthier than 17% 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 TownshipSidney Township
Snow a year73″73″
January low13°F13°F
July high84°F84°F
Growing season (days)133d133d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)13th15th
Outdoors & history
Fairplain TownshipSidney Township
Trails10 mi12 mi
Conserved land21.7%8.1%
National Register places—1
Community
Fairplain TownshipSidney Township
Colleges in town—1
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.

Fairplain TownshipSidney Township
People
Population 1,896Lowest 2,603Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.9%Lowest MI: +2% -1.4%Highest MI: +2%
Median age 43.2±6.7Lowest 7% above MI 46.9±6.1Highest 17% above MI
Sidney Township and Fairplain 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% 20.9%±3.9Highest MI: 21.2%
Sidney 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% 27.3%±6.3Highest MI: 18.6%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18%Highest MI: 32.4% 15.8%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.7%±1.6Highest MI: 6.1% 1.5%±1Lowest MI: 6.1%
Fairplain Township and Sidney 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±$9kLowest 23% below MI $60,050±$11kHighest 18% below MI
Sidney Township and Fairplain 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 $188,300±$28kHighest 19% below MI
Sidney 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±$79Lowest about the MI average $1,294±$367Highest 15% above MI
Sidney Township and Fairplain Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,920Lowest 34% below MI $1,938Highest 33% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 50%±34.4Lowest MI: 50.4% 69.2%±33.7Highest MI: 50.4%
Sidney Township and Fairplain 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% 14.7%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 78.1%Lowest MI: 73.2% 90%Highest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Highest 13 yrs newer than MI 1976Lowest 4 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 10% above MI 26 minLowest 8% above MI
Work from home 5.7%±3.6Lowest MI: 13.5% 8.3%±3.8Highest MI: 13.5%
Sidney 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 2.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 26.8 mi 26.8 mi
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.20Lowest 0.55Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Greenville (14%)Greenville (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Sidney TownshipFew work in Fairplain Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 21.7%Highest 8.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 10.0 miLowest 11.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 mi 0.3 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 4Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.8Lowest 3.9Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#326 of 493 in MI
School district —Central Montcalm Public Schools · Montcalm Area ISD
High school in town —Central Montcalm Middle High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 19.7
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.

Sidney Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sidney Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Fairplain Township

E
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Eureka Township4,283 people · $236K homes
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Orleans Township2,704 people · $176K homes
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Bushnell Township1,516 people · $199K homes
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Montcalm Township3,452 people · $211K homes

Towns like Fairplain Township

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Harris Township1,831 people · $169K homes
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East Jordan2,023 people · $148K homes
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Sunfield Township1,788 people · $191K homes
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Springport Township1,894 people · $144K 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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