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Heath Township vs Valley Township

Next-door neighbors in Allegan County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (5× in Heath Township) and median age (12 yrs in Valley Township).

H ×
Heath Township, MIAn outdoors townAllegan County · 3,966 people
V ×
Valley Township, MIAn outdoors townAllegan County · 2,033 people
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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.

Heath TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors#10 most conserved land in MI29 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves Schools#104 for schools in MIof 493 towns HealthHealthier than 50%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Heath Township →
Valley TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors64% conserved land41 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves Health70% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Valley 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 worker5×
Heath Township is more of a job hub
Heath Township 0.35Valley Township 0.07
Median age12 yrs
Valley Township skews older
Valley Township 49.8Heath Township 37.8
Kids under 18+11.5 pts
Heath Township has more kids
Heath Township 28.7%Valley Township 17.2%
Conserved land+17.2 pts
Valley Township has more conserved land
Valley Township 64%Heath Township 46.8%
Growth since 2010+8.6 pts
Heath Township has grown faster since 2010
Heath Township +18.7%Valley Township +10.1%
Age 65++7.2 pts
Valley Township has more people 65 and up
Valley Township 20.9%Heath Township 13.7%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $320 more a month in Heath 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.

Heath Township$2,000/mo
Typical home $332K (Census) · tax rate 0.95% · Housing →
Valley Township$1,680/mo
Typical home $272K (Census) · tax rate 1.14% · Housing →

The difference: $320 a month, about $3,800 a year, between Heath Township and Valley 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.

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
B+Heath TownshipBetter than 69% of districts in the state –Valley TownshipNot graded
Health
B−Heath TownshipHealthier than 50% of U.S. towns CValley TownshipHealthier than 30% of U.S. towns
Where they are

Heath Township and Valley Township share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

Heath TownshipValley TownshipHeath TownshipValley Township
Heath Township ↔ Valley Township6.7 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
54 Valley Township residents work in Heath Township (5.2% of its workers)
Work & commute in Valley Township →
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
Heath TownshipValley Township
Snow a year109″109″
January low17°F17°F
July high83°F83°F
Growing season (days)156d156d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)35th35th
Outdoors & history
Heath TownshipValley Township
Trails29 mi41 mi
Conserved land46.8%64%
Community
Heath TownshipValley 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.

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.

Heath TownshipValley Township
People
Population 3,966Highest 2,033Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +18.7%Highest MI: +2% +10.1%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 37.8±3.8Lowest 6% below MI 49.8±6Highest 24% above MI
Kids under 18 28.7%±4.6Highest MI: 21.2% 17.2%±5.1Lowest MI: 21.2%
Age 65+ 13.7%±3.3Lowest MI: 18.6% 20.9%±3.7Highest MI: 18.6%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 30.4%Highest MI: 32.4% 19.6%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.2%±0.4Lowest MI: 6.1% 2.3%±2.5Highest MI: 6.1%
Valley Township and Heath Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $105,491±$15kHighest 45% above MI $87,100±$21kLowest 20% above MI
Heath Township and Valley Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $332,400±$33kHighest 44% above MI $271,800±$48kLowest 17% above MI
Heath Township and Valley Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,142Highest 8% above MI $3,110Lowest 7% above MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100 MI: 50.4% 0%±73.3 MI: 50.4%
Below poverty line 1.3%Lowest MI: 13.2% 8.3%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 95.2%Highest MI: 73.2% 93.6%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1994Highest 22 yrs newer than MI 1988Lowest 16 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minLowest 10% above MI 28 minHighest 14% above MI
Work from home 9.1%±4.7Lowest MI: 13.5% 9.5%±4.6Highest MI: 13.5%
Valley Township and Heath Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 3.8%Highest 1.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.8 miLowest 18.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.35Highest 0.07Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Holland (15%)Holland (16%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Valley Township5% work in Heath Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 46.8%Lowest 64%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 29.1 miLowest 40.7 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miLowest 1.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 4.4 4.4
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #104 of 493 in MI—
School district Hamilton Community Schools—
High school in town None in town—
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.

Heath Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Heath Township’s Town Square.

Valley Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Valley Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Heath Township

M
+ Compare
Manlius Township3,359 people · $283K homes
O
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Overisel Township3,154 people · $344K homes
M
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Monterey Township2,489 people · $187K homes

Towns like Heath Township

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+ Compare
Vevay Township3,616 people · $269K homes
R
+ Compare
Richmond Township3,577 people · $379K homes
D
+ Compare
Deerfield Township4,145 people · $327K homes
L
+ Compare
Liberty Township3,067 people · $250K 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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