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.

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%

Higgins Township$660/mo

Typical home $103K (Census) · tax rate 1.40% · or rent about $668/mo · Housing →

Wakefield$750/mo

Typical home $115K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.58% · or rent about $649/mo · Housing →

The difference: $90 a month, about $1,100 a year, between Wakefield 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.

Schools

–Higgins TownshipNot graded C+WakefieldBetter than 41% of districts in the state

Health

C−Higgins TownshipHealthier than 23% of U.S. towns C−WakefieldHealthier than 24% of U.S. towns

Where they are

297 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Higgins TownshipRoscommon County WakefieldMI

Higgins Township ↔ Wakefield297 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

Higgins TownshipWakefield

People

Population 2,054Highest 1,683Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3.5%Highest MI: +2% -8%Lowest MI: +2%

Median age 53.4±5.7Highest 33% above MI 52.8±8.7Lowest 31% above MI

Higgins Township and Wakefield 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% 15.7%±4.3Highest MI: 21.2%

Wakefield 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% 28.8%±2.8Highest MI: 18.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.5%Highest MI: 32.4% 13.4%Lowest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.5%±1.2Highest MI: 6.1% 2%±1.2Lowest MI: 6.1%

Higgins Township and Wakefield 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 $55,759±$8kHighest 23% below MI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $103,000±$20kHighest 56% below MI $79,100±$10kLowest 66% below MI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $668±$91Highest 41% below MI $649±$59Lowest 43% below MI

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,442Highest 50% below MI $1,248Lowest 57% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 38.8%±11.6Highest MI: 50.4% 38.2%±15.7Lowest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 9.9%Lowest MI: 13.2% 15%Highest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 79.6%Lowest MI: 73.2% 82.1%Highest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1976Highest 4 yrs newer than MI 1948Lowest 24 yrs older than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 19% below MI 22 minHighest 10% below MI

Work from home 8.2%±3.2Highest MI: 13.5% 2.8%±1.7Lowest MI: 13.5%

Work in townworking residents 14.9%Lowest 17.7%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.8 miHighest 10.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.67Highest 0.81Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Grayling (9%)Ironwood (15%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WakefieldFew work in Higgins Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 14.8%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 130.0 miHighest 6.2 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.8 miHighest 0.7 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.3Lowest 20.9Highest

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.

Wakefield neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wakefield’s Town Square.

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Bordering Higgins Township

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Backus Township378 people · $168K homes

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Au Sable Township209 people · $158K homes

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Gerrish Township2,815 people · $232K homes

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Markey Township2,228 people · $166K homes

Towns like Higgins Township

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Sebewaing Township2,648 people · $111K homes

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Rogers City2,878 people · $110K homes

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Fork Township1,556 people · $145K homes

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Ontonagon Township2,137 people · $121K 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.

Higgins Township vs Wakefield

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Wakefield gets 120 more inches of snow a year

A typical home costs about the same each month

Grades and rankings, side by side

297 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Higgins Township and Wakefield

Bordering Higgins Township

Towns like Higgins Township

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