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

–Irving TownshipNot graded ABowne TownshipBetter than 94% of districts in the state

Health

BIrving TownshipHealthier than 63% of U.S. towns ABowne TownshipHealthier than 89% of U.S. towns

7Irving Township

10Bowne Township

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

Cheapest rentCost of living · 687 towns #120#686 Most conserved landOutdoors · 712 towns #53#581 Highest incomeIncome · 723 towns #366#41 Most trailsOutdoors · 601 towns #315#527 Fewest smokersHealth · 723 towns #307#55 Lowest obesityHealth · 723 towns #344#106 Most activeHealth · 723 towns #237#34 HealthiestHealth · 723 towns #248#55

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

Where they are

Irving Township and Bowne Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Irving TownshipBowne Township

Irving Township ↔ Bowne Township7.0 miles apart · They share a border

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%

Irving Township$2,210/mo

Typical home $366K (Census) · tax rate 0.95% · or rent about $834/mo · Housing →

Bowne Township$2,180/mo

Typical home $361K (Census) · tax rate 0.98% · or rent about $3,033/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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.

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

Irving TownshipBowne Township

Snow a year68″66″

January low16°F —

July high82°F —

Growing season (days)158d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)29th 23rd

Outdoors & history

Irving TownshipBowne Township

Trails15 mi 3 mi

Conserved land17.8%1.4%

Community

Irving TownshipBowne Township

Library hours a week30 hrs 37 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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.

Only big differences vs Michigan average

Irving TownshipBowne Township

People

Population 3,807Highest 3,308Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +14.9%Highest MI: +2% +6.6%Lowest MI: +2%

Median age 34.3±3.5Lowest 15% below MI 37.6±5.6Highest 6% below MI

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

Kids under 18 35.4%±7.4Highest MI: 21.2% 28.1%±5.8Lowest MI: 21.2%

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

Age 65+ 12.8%±3.7Highest MI: 18.6% 9.9%±2.1Lowest MI: 18.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 32.2%Lowest MI: 32.4% 37.3%Highest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.7%±1.6Lowest MI: 6.1% 5%±2.5Highest MI: 6.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $76,367±$24kLowest 5% above MI $120,859±$10kHighest 66% above MI

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $365,800±$39kHighest 58% above MI $360,500±$14kLowest 56% above MI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $834±$62Lowest 26% below MI $3,033±$344Highest 169% above MI

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,492Lowest 20% above MI $3,522Highest 21% above MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 14.6%±47.6Lowest MI: 50.4% 28.6%±77.1Highest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 2.4%Highest MI: 13.2% 0.8%Lowest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 96.8% MI: 73.2% 96.8% MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1997Highest 25 yrs newer than MI 1987Lowest 15 yrs newer than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 12% above MI 26 minLowest 8% above MI

Work from home 15.1%±6.6Highest MI: 13.5% 11.6%±3.6Lowest MI: 13.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 2.5%Lowest 3.6%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.8 miHighest 15.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.19Lowest 1.34Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Grand Rapids (13%)Grand Rapids (18%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Bowne TownshipFew work in Irving Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 17.8%Highest 1.4%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 14.8 miHighest 2.8 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 4Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 4.9Highest 2.6Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#11 of 493 in MI

School district —Lowell Area 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.

Irving Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Irving Township’s Town Square.

Bowne Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bowne Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Irving Township

+ Compare

Carlton Township2,092 people · $256K homes

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Thornapple Township9,514 people · $281K homes

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Rutland Township4,224 people · $274K homes

Towns like Irving Township

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Conway Township3,607 people · $286K homes

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Heath Township3,966 people · $332K homes

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Hanover Township3,669 people · $228K homes

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Eagle Township2,785 people · $257K 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.

Irving Township vs Bowne Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Bowne Township places higher on 10 of 18 MI lists

Irving Township and Bowne Township share a border

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Irving Township and Bowne Township

Bordering Irving Township

Towns like Irving Township

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