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%

Hope Township$1,380/mo

Typical home $232K (Census) · tax rate 0.81% · Housing →

Waterloo Township$1,520/mo

Typical home $244K (Census) · tax rate 1.20% · or rent about $1,446/mo · Housing →

The difference: $150 a month, about $1,800 a year, between Waterloo Township and Hope 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

Waterloo Township places higher on 12 of 18 MI lists

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−Hope TownshipBetter than 47% of districts in the state –Waterloo TownshipNot graded

Health

B−Hope TownshipHealthier than 54% of U.S. towns BWaterloo TownshipHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns

6Hope Township

12Waterloo Township

Lists won, of 18 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most trailsOutdoors · 601 towns #506#132 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 723 towns #523#194 Lowest property taxCost of living · 723 towns #132#436 Fastest growingGrowth · 723 towns #576#295 Highest incomeIncome · 723 towns #133#389 Most conserved landOutdoors · 712 towns #242#43 Fewest smokersHealth · 723 towns #307#144 Lowest depressionHealth · 723 towns #116#233

Left end = #1 in Michigan. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Hope Township’s rankings →

Where they are

61 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Hope TownshipBarry County Waterloo TownshipJackson County

Hope Township ↔ Waterloo Township61 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

Hope TownshipWaterloo Township

People

Population 3,187Highest 2,964Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2.6%Lowest MI: +2% +2.6%Highest MI: +2%

Median age 57±6.1Highest 42% above MI 54.6±5.6Lowest 36% above MI

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

Kids under 18 11.5%±5.1Lowest MI: 21.2% 14.5%±4.1Highest MI: 21.2%

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

Age 65+ 26.9%±6.2Lowest MI: 18.6% 30.9%±7.4Highest MI: 18.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 26.1%Lowest MI: 32.4% 27.5%Highest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.6%±2.6Highest MI: 6.1% 2.6%±1.7Lowest MI: 6.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $99,427±$18kHighest 36% above MI $74,500±$17kLowest about the MI average

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $232,300±$27kLowest about the MI average $243,600±$27kHighest 5% above MI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly — $1,446±$839 28% above MI

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,893Lowest 35% below MI $2,932Highest about the MI average

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±81.5Lowest MI: 50.4% 13.1%±27.2Highest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 5.6%Lowest MI: 13.2% 7.4%Highest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 98%Highest MI: 73.2% 91.6%Lowest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1969Lowest 3 yrs older than MI 1982Highest 10 yrs newer than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 42 minHighest 73% above MI 32 minLowest 33% above MI

Work from home 14.5%±8.4Lowest MI: 13.5% 15.8%±6Highest MI: 13.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 3.6%Highest 3.4%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.3 miHighest 17.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.16Lowest 0.20Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Kalamazoo (8%)Chelsea (14%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Waterloo TownshipFew work in Hope Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 6.5%Lowest 19.4%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 3.7 miLowest 54.4 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 1.1 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 4Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 4.3Highest 3.2Lowest

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.

Hope Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hope Township’s Town Square.

Waterloo Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Waterloo Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Hope Township and Waterloo Township

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

Bordering Hope Township

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Rutland Township4,224 people · $274K homes

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Barry Township3,466 people · $344K homes

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Baltimore Township1,857 people · $242K homes

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Orangeville Township3,465 people · $298K homes

Towns like Hope Township

+ Compare

Bennington Township3,110 people · $188K homes

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Fabius Township3,317 people · $271K homes

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Norvell Township2,801 people · $279K homes

+ Compare

Hamlin Township3,750 people · $281K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Michigan towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

Hope Township vs Waterloo Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Hope Township gets 35 more inches of snow a year

A typical home costs about the same each month

Waterloo Township places higher on 12 of 18 MI lists

61 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Hope Township and Waterloo Township

Bordering Hope Township

Towns like Hope Township

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