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Harris Township vs Ferris Township

210 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (22.3× in Harris Township) and jobs per worker (7.9× in Harris Township).

H ×
Harris Township, MIA regional job hubMenominee County · 1,831 people
F ×
Ferris Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsMontcalm County · 1,428 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.

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 →
Ferris TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health87% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Ferris 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.

Trails22.3×
Harris Township has more miles of trail
Harris Township 71.4 miFerris Township 3.2 mi
Jobs per worker7.9×
Harris Township is more of a job hub
Harris Township 1.58Ferris Township 0.20
Rent+73%
Rent runs higher in Ferris Township
Ferris Township $733Harris Township $424
Property tax bill+56%
Tax bills are bigger in Ferris Township
Ferris Township $1,975Harris Township $1,269
Growth since 2010+13.8 pts
Harris Township has grown faster since 2010
Harris Township +7.4%Ferris Township -6.4%
Average commute11 min
Harris Township has the shorter commute
Ferris Township 37 minHarris Township 26 min
★ What stands out · Life in each

Harris Township gets 31 more inches of snow a year

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
Harris TownshipFerris Township
Snow a year70″39″
January low—15°F
July high—82°F
Growing season (days)—164d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)12th24th
Outdoors & history
Harris TownshipFerris Township
Trails71 mi3 mi
Conserved land1.2%9.4%
Settled—1857
Famous people born here—1
Community
Harris TownshipFerris 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.

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
AHarris TownshipBetter than 85% of districts in the state –Ferris TownshipNot graded
Health
CHarris TownshipHealthier than 29% of U.S. towns DFerris TownshipHealthier than 13% of U.S. towns
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.

Harris Township$990/mo
Typical home $169K (Census) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $424/mo · Housing →
Ferris Township$1,080/mo
Typical home $175K (Census) · tax rate 1.13% · or rent about $733/mo · Housing →

The difference: $90 a month, about $1,100 a year, between Ferris Township and Harris 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

210 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Harris TownshipMenominee CountyFerris TownshipMontcalm County
Harris Township ↔ Ferris Township210 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.

Harris TownshipFerris Township
People
Population 1,831Highest 1,428Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.4%Highest MI: +2% -6.4%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 41.5±5.1Highest 3% above MI 40.8±5.1Lowest about the MI average
Harris Township and Ferris Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.9%±3.7 MI: 21.2% 23.9%±3.3 MI: 21.2%
Age 65+ 21.2%±2Highest MI: 18.6% 20.3%±3.2Lowest MI: 18.6%
Harris Township and Ferris Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.3%Highest MI: 32.4% 13.4%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.9%±1.5Highest MI: 6.1% 1.1%±1.2Lowest MI: 6.1%
Harris Township and Ferris Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $55,104±$12kLowest 24% below MI $58,929±$16kHighest 19% below MI
Ferris 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 $168,800±$13kLowest 27% below MI $174,800±$39kHighest 25% below MI
Ferris Township and Harris Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $424±$36Lowest 62% below MI $733±$126Highest 35% below MI
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,269Lowest 56% below MI $1,975Highest 32% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 16.8%±6.6Lowest MI: 50.4% 61.8%±12.1Highest MI: 50.4%
Below poverty line 15.4%Highest MI: 13.2% 13.2%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 78.3%Lowest MI: 73.2% 81.3%Highest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1987Lowest 15 yrs newer than MI 1989Highest 17 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minLowest 6% above MI 37 minHighest 53% above MI
Work from home 6%±4.1Highest MI: 13.5% 4.4%±2.9Lowest MI: 13.5%
Harris Township and Ferris Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 23.1%Highest 2.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.8 miLowest 20.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.58Highest 0.20Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Spalding Township (9%)Alma (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Ferris TownshipFew work in Harris Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.2%Lowest 9.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 71.4 miHighest 3.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.9Lowest 1.5Highest
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.

Harris Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Harris Township’s Town Square.

Ferris Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ferris Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Harris Township and Ferris Township

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Bordering Harris Township

S
+ Compare
Spalding Township1,558 people · $188K homes
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Gourley Township436 people · $219K homes
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Bark River Township1,550 people · $178K homes
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Cornell Township856 people · $171K homes

Towns like Harris Township

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Fairplain Township1,896 people · $162K 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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+ Compare
Springville Township1,559 people · $132K 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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