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.

Safety

D−JacksonSafer than 3% of U.S. towns –Leoni TownshipNot graded

Schools

CJacksonBetter than 25% of districts in the state C+Leoni TownshipBetter than 40% of districts in the state

Health

D−JacksonHealthier than 3% of U.S. towns CLeoni TownshipHealthier than 31% of U.S. towns

7Jackson

13Leoni Township

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest depressionHealth · 723 towns #691#233 Most trailsOutdoors · 601 towns #92#462 Highest incomeIncome · 723 towns #691#360 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 723 towns #679#353 Fewest smokersHealth · 723 towns #702#394 Most walkableOutdoors · 723 towns #49#350 Fastest growingGrowth · 723 towns #677#426 Most affordableCost of living · 723 towns #25#256

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

Where they are

Jackson and Leoni Township share a border

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

JacksonLeoni Township

Jackson ↔ Leoni Township5.7 miles apart · They share a border

Who commutes between them

1,083 Leoni Township residents work in Jackson (20.7% of its workers)

496 Jackson residents work in Leoni Township (4.5% of its workers)

Work & commute in Leoni Township →

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%

Jackson$1,280/mo

Typical home $192K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.70% · or rent about $898/mo · Housing →

Leoni Township$1,190/mo

Typical home $196K (Census) · tax rate 1.00% · or rent about $910/mo · Housing →

The difference: $80 a month, about $1,000 a year, between Jackson and Leoni 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.

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

JacksonLeoni Township

Snow a year33″33″

January low16°F 16°F

July high82°F 82°F

Growing season (days)163d 163d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)28th 24th

Outdoors & history

JacksonLeoni Township

Trails16 mi 7 mi

Conserved land10.2%10.7%

Settled1829 —

National Register places15 —

Archive photos18 —

Famous people born here77 —

Community

JacksonLeoni Township

Library hours a week63 hrs 60 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 1

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

JacksonLeoni Township

People

Population 31,058Highest 13,794Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -6.6%Lowest MI: +2% +0.3%Highest MI: +2%

Median age 35.3±1.7Lowest 12% below MI 44.1±2.8Highest 10% above MI

Kids under 18 23.9%±1.9Highest MI: 21.2% 21.4%±3.1Lowest MI: 21.2%

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

Age 65+ 13.3%±1.2Lowest MI: 18.6% 18.5%±2.5Highest MI: 18.6%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.1%Lowest MI: 32.4% 23.3%Highest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.2%±0.9Highest MI: 6.1% 2.9%±1.3Lowest MI: 6.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $44,558±$2kLowest 39% below MI $76,605±$8kHighest 5% above MI

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $103,200±$7kLowest 55% below MI $196,200±$15kHighest 15% below MI

Rentmedian gross, monthly $898±$47Lowest 20% below MI $910±$156Highest 19% below MI

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,753Lowest 40% below MI $1,964Highest 32% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55%±5.8Highest MI: 50.4% 49.9%±17.1Lowest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 24.6%Highest MI: 13.2% 10.4%Lowest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 54.7%Lowest MI: 73.2% 84.7%Highest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1938Lowest 34 yrs older than MI 1967Highest 5 yrs older than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 30% below MI 23 minHighest 7% below MI

Work from home 9%±1.7Lowest MI: 13.5% 11%±3.9Highest MI: 13.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 29.6%Highest 10.3%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 5.3 miLowest 9.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.27Highest 0.81Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Blackman Township (12%)Jackson (21%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others 5% work in Leoni Township21% work in Jackson

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 10.2%Lowest 10.7%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 15.6 miHighest 7.2 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.4 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 20Highest 5Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 96.2Highest 9.6Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #424 of 493 in MI #417 of 493 in MI

School district Jackson Public Schools · Jackson ISDEast Jackson Community Schools · Michigan Center School District

High school in town Jackson High SchoolMichigan Center JrSr High School

Students per teacherat that high school 17.3Lowest 21.0Highest

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.

Jackson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jackson’s Town Square.

Leoni Township neighborsTown Square →

1 neighbor in Leoni Township can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Jackson and Leoni Township

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

Bordering Jackson

+ Compare

Summit Township22,817 people · $197K homes

+ Compare

Blackman Township25,605 people · $169K homes

+ Compare

Vandercook Lake4,375 people · $137K homes

Towns like Jackson

+ Compare

Muskegon37,226 people · $142K homes

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Adrian20,395 people · $138K homes

+ Compare

Inkster25,428 people · $80K homes

+ Compare

Port Huron28,620 people · $149K 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.

Jackson vs Leoni Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Leoni Township places higher on 13 of 20 MI lists

Jackson and Leoni 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 Jackson and Leoni Township

Bordering Jackson

Towns like Jackson

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