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.

Safety

A−FlushingSafer than 78% of U.S. towns –Boston TownshipNot graded

Schools

B−FlushingBetter than 54% of districts in the state ABoston TownshipBetter than 88% of districts in the state

Health

BFlushingHealthier than 62% of U.S. towns BBoston TownshipHealthier than 61% of U.S. towns

11Flushing

8Boston Township

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

Most walkableOutdoors · 723 towns #134#472 Most trailsOutdoors · 601 towns #95#372 Most conserved landOutdoors · 712 towns #250#497 Fastest growingGrowth · 723 towns #430#191 Cheapest rentCost of living · 687 towns #247#36 Lowest depressionHealth · 723 towns #233#439 Shortest commuteGetting around · 723 towns #334#531 Fewest smokersHealth · 723 towns #144#307

Left end = #1 in Michigan. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Flushing’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.

Down paymentRate%

Flushing$1,590/mo

Typical home $243K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.55% · or rent about $944/mo · Housing →

Boston Township$1,460/mo

Typical home $235K (Census) · tax rate 1.13% · or rent about $698/mo · Housing →

The difference: $130 a month, about $1,600 a year, between Flushing and Boston 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

FlushingBoston Township

Snow a year40″66″

January low16°F —

July high82°F —

Growing season (days)162d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)41st 57th

Outdoors & history

FlushingBoston Township

Trails5 mi 10 mi

Conserved land6.3%2.4%

Settled1835 —

Community

FlushingBoston Township

Library hours a week40 hrs 48 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

72 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

FlushingMI Boston TownshipIonia County

Flushing ↔ Boston Township72 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.

Only big differences vs Michigan average

FlushingBoston Township

People

Population 8,284Highest 6,065Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.3%Lowest MI: +2% +5.5%Highest MI: +2%

Median age 39.6±6.6Lowest about the MI average 39.9±4Highest about the MI average

Boston Township and Flushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 23.1%±5.9Highest MI: 21.2% 21.6%±3.5Lowest MI: 21.2%

Flushing and Boston Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 23.3%±4.3Highest MI: 18.6% 17.8%±3.5Lowest MI: 18.6%

Flushing and Boston Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 30.3%Highest MI: 32.4% 27.5%Lowest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.5%±2.5Lowest MI: 6.1% 6.6%±3.3Highest MI: 6.1%

Boston Township and Flushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $80,025±$9kLowest 10% above MI $83,977±$11kHighest 15% above MI

Boston Township and Flushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $204,500±$13kLowest 12% below MI $235,400±$22kHighest about the MI average

Boston Township and Flushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $944±$81Highest 16% below MI $698±$184Lowest 38% below MI

Flushing and Boston Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,168Highest 9% above MI $2,654Lowest 9% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 46.5%±19.6Highest MI: 50.4% 46.1%±11.6Lowest MI: 50.4%

Flushing and Boston Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 7%Lowest MI: 13.2% 12.4%Highest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 78.4%Lowest MI: 73.2% 81.2%Highest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1965Lowest 7 yrs older than MI 1986Highest 14 yrs newer than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 24 minLowest about the MI average 28 minHighest 16% above MI

Work from home 12.9%±4.2Lowest MI: 13.5% 13.5%±8.1Highest MI: 13.5%

Boston Township and Flushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 5.4% 5.4%

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miHighest 18.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.44Lowest 0.46Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Flint (14%)Grand Rapids (13%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Boston TownshipFew work in Flushing

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 6.3%Highest 2.4%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 5.3 miLowest 10.4 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.4 miHighest 0.3 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 6 6

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 62.1Highest 5.2Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #389 of 493 in MI #289 of 493 in MI

School district Flushing Community SchoolsSaranac Community Schools

High school in town None in townSaranac JrSr 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.

Flushing neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Flushing’s Town Square.

Boston Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Boston Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Flushing and Boston Township

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

Bordering Flushing

+ Compare

Flushing Township10,604 people · $214K homes

Towns like Flushing

+ Compare

Flat Rock10,340 people · $229K homes

+ Compare

Spring Arbor Township8,498 people · $218K homes

+ Compare

Sparta Township9,494 people · $232K homes

+ Compare

Richmond5,855 people · $238K 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.

Flushing vs Boston Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Flushing places higher on 11 of 19 MI lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

72 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Flushing and Boston Township

Bordering Flushing

Towns like Flushing

Post to Flushing

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