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Compare towns

Ithaca vs Amber Township

99 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (12× in Amber Township) and street grid (8.3× in Ithaca).

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Ithaca, MIHomes around $199KMichigan · 2,817 people
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Amber Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsMason County · 2,566 people
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.

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.

★ What stands out · Life in each

Amber Township gets 39 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
IthacaAmber Township
Snow a year39″79″
January low15°F16°F
July high82°F80°F
Growing season (days)164d151d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th1st
Outdoors & history
IthacaAmber Township
Trails0 mi2 mi
Conserved land4.5%2.2%
Settled18691867
National Register places2—
Archive photos72
Famous people born here7—
Community
IthacaAmber Township
Library hours a week43 hrs—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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.

Ithaca$1,290/mo
Typical home $199K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.48% · or rent about $819/mo · Housing →
Amber Township$1,390/mo
Typical home $229K (Census) · tax rate 1.00% · or rent about $1,203/mo · Housing →

The difference: $100 a month, about $1,200 a year, between Amber Township and Ithaca.

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

Amber Township places higher on 10 of 17 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.

Where they are

99 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Ithaca ↔ Amber Township99 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.

IthacaAmber Township
People
Population 2,817Highest 2,566Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2%Lowest MI: +2% -0.2%Highest MI: +2%
Median age 42.5±10.6 6% above MI 42.5±4.8 6% above MI
Kids under 18 16.8%±4.6Lowest MI: 21.2% 18.4%±3.9Highest MI: 21.2%
Amber Township and Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.3%±3.8Lowest MI: 18.6% 20.2%±3.6Highest MI: 18.6%
Amber Township and Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 26.3%Highest MI: 32.4% 24.9%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.8%±4.2Highest MI: 6.1% 3%±1.8Lowest MI: 6.1%
Ithaca and Amber Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $63,109±$5kLowest 13% below MI $70,515±$8kHighest 3% below MI
Amber Township and Ithaca are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $133,200±$26kLowest 42% below MI $228,700±$26kHighest about the MI average
Rentmedian gross, monthly $819±$89Lowest 27% below MI $1,203±$88Highest 7% above MI
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,975Lowest 32% below MI $2,298Highest 21% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 46.7%±18.4Highest MI: 50.4% 31.4%±9.5Lowest MI: 50.4%
Ithaca and Amber Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 16.8%Highest MI: 13.2% 9%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 72.3%Highest MI: 73.2% 70.1%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1958Lowest 14 yrs older than MI 1991Highest 19 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minHighest about the MI average 17 minLowest 30% below MI
Work from home 0.7%±0.8Lowest MI: 13.5% 9.1%±3.5Highest MI: 13.5%
Work in townworking residents 19.1%Highest 6.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.3 miLowest 18.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.58Highest 1.02Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Alma (10%)Ludington (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Amber TownshipFew work in Ithaca
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.5%Highest 2.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miLowest 2.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 23.2Highest 2.8Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #243 of 493 in MI—
School district Ithaca Public SchoolsMason County Central Schools · West Shore Educational Service District
High school in town Ithaca High SchoolAcademy of Science Math and Technology Early College High Sc
Students per teacherat that high school 18.6Lowest 50.0Highest
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.

Ithaca neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ithaca’s Town Square.

Amber Township neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Local Favorites in Amber

1 neighbor in Amber Township can answer.

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Bordering Ithaca

Towns like Ithaca

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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