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Higgins Township vs Gerrish Township

Next-door neighbors in Roscommon County. The biggest differences: home values (2.3× in Gerrish Township) and street grid (5× in Gerrish Township).

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Higgins Township, MIA regional job hubRoscommon County · 2,054 people
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Gerrish Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsRoscommon County · 2,815 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.

Higgins TownshipA regional job hub
Work924 jobsbased in Higgins Township, a regional job hub Health77% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Outdoors14.8% conserved land130 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves All about Higgins Township →
Gerrish TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health58% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Outdoors#236 most trails in MI24 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves SafetySafer than 72%of U.S. towns we grade All about Gerrish 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.

Home values2.3×
Homes cost more in Gerrish Township
Gerrish Township $232,100Higgins Township $103,000
Street grid5×
Gerrish Township has the more walkable street grid
Gerrish Township 11.5Higgins Township 2.3
Trails5.5×
Higgins Township has more miles of trail
Higgins Township 130.0 miGerrish Township 23.8 mi
Household income+73%
Households in Gerrish Township earn more
Gerrish Township $95,813Higgins Township $55,313
Property tax bill+74%
Tax bills are bigger in Gerrish Township
Gerrish Township $2,513Higgins Township $1,442
Seasonal homes+38.4 pts
Gerrish Township has more second homes
Gerrish Township 59.5%Higgins Township 21.1%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $770 more a month in Gerrish 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.

Higgins Township$660/mo
Typical home $103K (Census) · tax rate 1.40% · or rent about $668/mo · Housing →
Gerrish Township$1,430/mo
Typical home $232K (Census) · tax rate 1.08% · Housing →

The difference: $770 a month, about $9,200 a year, between Gerrish Township and Higgins 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.

Safety
–Higgins TownshipNot graded B+Gerrish TownshipSafer than 72% of U.S. towns
Schools
–Higgins TownshipNot graded BGerrish TownshipBetter than 58% of districts in the state
Health
C−Higgins TownshipHealthier than 23% of U.S. towns C+Gerrish TownshipHealthier than 42% of U.S. towns
Where they are

Higgins Township and Gerrish Township share a border

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

Higgins TownshipGerrish TownshipHiggins TownshipGerrish Township
Higgins Township ↔ Gerrish Township6.6 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
86 Gerrish Township residents work in Higgins Township (10.3% of its workers)
29 Higgins Township residents work in Gerrish Township (5.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Gerrish 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
Higgins TownshipGerrish Township
Snow a year66″66″
January low11°F11°F
July high81°F81°F
Growing season (days)125d125d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)38th62nd
Outdoors & history
Higgins TownshipGerrish Township
Trails130 mi24 mi
Conserved land14.8%3.5%
Archive photos9—
Community
Higgins TownshipGerrish Township
Library hours a week35 hrs—
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.

Higgins TownshipGerrish Township
People
Population 2,054Lowest 2,815Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3.5%Highest MI: +2% -6.6%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 53.4±5.7Lowest 33% above MI 59.1±2.4Highest 47% above MI
Gerrish Township and Higgins Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 13.1%±3.4Lowest MI: 21.2% 14.7%±3.7Highest MI: 21.2%
Gerrish Township and Higgins Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 23.2%±4Lowest MI: 18.6% 36.4%±6Highest MI: 18.6%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.5%Lowest MI: 32.4% 40.8%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.5%±1.2Highest MI: 6.1% 1.1%±0.8Lowest MI: 6.1%
Higgins Township and Gerrish Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $55,313±$12kLowest 24% below MI $95,813±$17kHighest 31% above MI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $103,000±$20kLowest 56% below MI $232,100±$39kHighest about the MI average
Rentmedian gross, monthly $668±$91 41% below MI —
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,442Lowest 50% below MI $2,513Highest 13% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 38.8%±11.6Highest MI: 50.4% 0%±100Lowest MI: 50.4%
Higgins Township and Gerrish Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 9.9%Highest MI: 13.2% 6.6%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 79.6%Lowest MI: 73.2% 98.8%Highest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Lowest 4 yrs newer than MI 1977Highest 5 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minHighest 19% below MI 18 minLowest 27% below MI
Work from home 8.2%±3.2Lowest MI: 13.5% 10.6%±5Highest MI: 13.5%
Gerrish Township and Higgins Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 14.9%Highest 8.3%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.8 miLowest 36.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.67Highest 0.53Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Grayling (9%)Higgins Township (10%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 5% work in Gerrish Township10% work in Higgins Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 14.8%Highest 3.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 130.0 miHighest 23.8 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.8 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.3Lowest 11.5Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#279 of 493 in MI
School district —Roscommon Area Public Schools · C.O.O.R. ISD
High school in town —Roscommon High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 17.4
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.

Higgins Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Higgins Township’s Town Square.

Gerrish Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Gerrish Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Higgins Township

B
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Backus Township378 people · $168K homes
A
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Au Sable Township209 people · $158K homes
M
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Markey Township2,228 people · $166K homes
R
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Richfield Township3,563 people · $110K homes

Towns like Higgins Township

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Sebewaing Township2,648 people · $111K homes
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Wakefield1,683 people · $79K homes
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Rogers City2,878 people · $110K homes
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Fork Township1,556 people · $145K 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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