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Compare towns

Flat Rock vs Spring Arbor Township

65 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (6.5× in Flat Rock) and property tax bill (+87% in Flat Rock).

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Flat Rock, MIAn outdoors townMichigan · 10,340 people
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Spring Arbor Township, MIKnown for its schoolsJackson County · 8,498 people
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.

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.

★ What stands out · Report cards

Spring Arbor Township places higher on 11 of 21 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.

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.

Flat Rock$1,940/mo
Typical home $268K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.38% · or rent about $919/mo · Housing →
Spring Arbor Township$1,790/mo
Typical home $281K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.34% · or rent about $1,078/mo · Housing →

The difference: $150 a month, about $1,800 a year, between Flat Rock and Spring Arbor 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
Flat RockSpring Arbor Township
Snow a year45″40″
January low19°F—
July high84°F—
Growing season (days)188d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)21st17th
Outdoors & history
Flat RockSpring Arbor Township
Trails4 mi2 mi
Conserved land4.1%2.5%
Archive photos12—
Famous people born here4—
Community
Flat RockSpring Arbor Township
Library hours a week44 hrs45 hrs
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.

Where they are

65 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Flat Rock ↔ Spring Arbor Township65 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.

Flat RockSpring Arbor Township
People
Population 10,340Highest 8,498Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.7%Highest MI: +2% +3.2%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 39.3±1.9Highest about the MI average 38.9±4.9Lowest 3% below MI
Flat Rock and Spring Arbor Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.7%±4Highest MI: 21.2% 21.3%±4.2Lowest MI: 21.2%
Flat Rock and Spring Arbor Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.3%±2.8Lowest MI: 18.6% 17.5%±3.8Highest MI: 18.6%
Spring Arbor Township and Flat Rock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 29.5%Lowest MI: 32.4% 35.3%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.3%±2.5Lowest MI: 6.1% 14.7%±2.3Highest MI: 6.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $81,585±$10kLowest 12% above MI $87,316±$10kHighest 20% above MI
Spring Arbor Township and Flat Rock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $228,800±$22kHighest about the MI average $217,700±$27kLowest 6% below MI
Flat Rock and Spring Arbor Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $919±$125Lowest 19% below MI $1,078±$309Highest 5% below MI
Spring Arbor Township and Flat Rock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,455Highest 88% above MI $2,915Lowest about the MI average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 38.4%±17.3Highest MI: 50.4% 13.5%±8.6Lowest MI: 50.4%
Flat Rock and Spring Arbor Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 10.3%Highest MI: 13.2% 6.5%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 83.2%Highest MI: 73.2% 81.7%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Highest 13 yrs newer than MI 1977Lowest 5 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minHighest 20% above MI 21 minLowest 15% below MI
Work from home 9.1%±2.6Highest MI: 13.5% 7.3%±2.1Lowest MI: 13.5%
Flat Rock and Spring Arbor Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.8%Lowest 7.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.8 miHighest 9.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.39Lowest 0.59Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Detroit (9%)Jackson (20%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Spring Arbor TownshipFew work in Flat Rock
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.1%Highest 2.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 3.7 miHighest 2.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3 3
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 48.2Highest 7.4Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #382 of 493 in MI#168 of 493 in MI
School district Flat Rock Community Schools · Huron School DistrictWestern School District
High school in town Flat Rock Community High SchoolWestern High School
Students per teacherat that high school 17.3Lowest 19.8Highest
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.

Flat Rock neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Flat Rock’s Town Square.

Spring Arbor Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Spring Arbor Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Flat Rock

Towns like Flat Rock

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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