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Ishpeming Township vs Ely Township

Next-door neighbors in Marquette County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (2.8× in Ishpeming Township) and average commute (9 min in Ishpeming Township).

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Ishpeming Township, MIKnown for its schoolsMarquette County · 3,416 people
E ×
Ely Township, MIA small town of 1,843Marquette County · 1,843 people
Swap order
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.

Ishpeming TownshipKnown for its schools
Schools#212 for schools in MIof 493 towns Outdoors#142 most trails in MI95 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 57%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Ishpeming Township →
Ely TownshipA small town of 1,843
Quiet strengthsEly Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Ely Township →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker2.8×
Ishpeming Township is more of a job hub
Ishpeming Township 0.50Ely Township 0.18
Average commute9 min
Ishpeming Township has the shorter commute
Ely Township 31 minIshpeming Township 21 min
Bachelor’s degree++14.7 pts
More adults in Ishpeming Township have a degree
Ishpeming Township 34.4%Ely Township 19.7%
★ What stands out · Life in each

Ishpeming Township gets 79 more inches of snow a year

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
Ishpeming TownshipEly Township
Snow a year197″118″
January low7°F2°F
July high76°F78°F
Growing season (days)129d96d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)11th26th
Outdoors & history
Ishpeming TownshipEly Township
Trails95 mi102 mi
Conserved land1.5%5.6%
National Register places—1
Archive photos30—
Famous people born here13—
Community
Ishpeming TownshipEly 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.

Where they are

Ishpeming Township and Ely Township share a border

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

Ishpeming TownshipEly TownshipIshpeming TownshipEly Township
Ishpeming Township ↔ Ely Township15 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
56 Ely Township residents work in Ishpeming Township (8.1% of its workers)
24 Ishpeming Township residents work in Ely Township (1.8% of its workers)
Work & commute in Ely Township →
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
A−Ishpeming TownshipBetter than 83% of districts in the state –Ely TownshipNot graded
Health
BIshpeming TownshipHealthier than 57% of U.S. towns C+Ely TownshipHealthier than 42% of 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.

Ishpeming Township$1,210/mo
Typical home $206K (Census) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $797/mo · Housing →
Ely Township$1,150/mo
Typical home $196K (Census) · tax rate 0.76% · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between Ishpeming Township and Ely 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.

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.

Ishpeming TownshipEly Township
People
Population 3,416Highest 1,843Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3.4%Lowest MI: +2% -2.7%Highest MI: +2%
Median age 41.7±3.3Highest 4% above MI 39.7±5.2Lowest about the MI average
Ishpeming Township and Ely Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.3%±4.8Highest MI: 21.2% 17.6%±2.1Lowest MI: 21.2%
Ishpeming Township and Ely Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.1%±3.9Lowest MI: 18.6% 19.5%±3.8Highest MI: 18.6%
Ely Township and Ishpeming Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 34.4%Highest MI: 32.4% 19.7%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.5%±4.1Highest MI: 6.1% 5.9%±2.9Lowest MI: 6.1%
Ishpeming Township and Ely Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $94,271±$26kLowest 29% above MI $100,104±$13kHighest 37% above MI
Ely Township and Ishpeming Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $206,400±$18kHighest 11% below MI $196,300±$19kLowest 15% below MI
Ishpeming Township and Ely Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $797±$353 29% below MI —
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,550Highest 47% below MI $1,496Lowest 48% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 8.8%±22.6Highest MI: 50.4% 0%±81.5Lowest MI: 50.4%
Ishpeming Township and Ely Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4.3%Lowest MI: 13.2% 5%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 90.8%Lowest MI: 73.2% 96.1%Highest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1973 1 yr newer than MI 1973 1 yr newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 12% below MI 31 minHighest 26% above MI
Work from home 6.8%±3.6Highest MI: 13.5% 2.8%±1.2Lowest MI: 13.5%
Ishpeming Township and Ely Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 6.4%Highest 2.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miLowest 16.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.50Highest 0.18Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Marquette (28%)Ishpeming (32%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 2% work in Ely Township8% work in Ishpeming Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.5%Lowest 5.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 94.7 miLowest 102.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miHighest 0.7 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 5Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.8Highest 1.3Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #212 of 493 in MI—
School district NICE Community School District—
High school in town Westwood High School—
Students per teacherat that high school 16.7 —
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.

Ishpeming Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ishpeming Township’s Town Square.

Ely Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ely Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Ishpeming Township

P
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Powell Township885 people · $164K homes
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Champion Township154 people · $95K homes
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Ishpeming6,181 people · $112K homes
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Negaunee Township3,255 people · $302K homes

Towns like Ishpeming Township

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Homer Township3,994 people · $191K homes
C
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Clinton Township3,728 people · $199K homes
B
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Brady Township4,455 people · $245K homes
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Richland Township3,921 people · $215K 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.

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