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Jefferson Township vs LaGrange Township

Next-door neighbors in Cass County. The biggest differences: home values (2.2× in Jefferson Township) and jobs per worker (4.1× in LaGrange Township).

J ×
Jefferson Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsCass County · 2,578 people
L ×
LaGrange Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsCass County · 3,751 people
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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.

Jefferson TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health72% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 81%of MI districts All about Jefferson Township →
LaGrange TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health74% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates College town1 collegeSouthwestern Michigan College SchoolsBetter than 29%of MI districts All about LaGrange Township →
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.

Home values2.2×
Homes cost more in Jefferson Township
Jefferson Township $268,900LaGrange Township $119,600
Jobs per worker4.1×
LaGrange Township is more of a job hub
LaGrange Township 1.06Jefferson Township 0.26
Trails2.4×
LaGrange Township has more miles of trail
LaGrange Township 3.3 miJefferson Township 1.4 mi
Typical home built30 yrs
LaGrange Township’s homes are older
Jefferson Township 1987LaGrange Township 1957
Street grid2×
LaGrange Township has the more walkable street grid
LaGrange Township 6.2Jefferson Township 3.1
Homeowners+18.4 pts renters
LaGrange Township has more renters
Jefferson Township 86%LaGrange Township 67.6%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $800 more a month in Jefferson Township

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.

Jefferson Township$1,570/mo
Typical home $269K (Census) · tax rate 0.73% · or rent about $869/mo · Housing →
LaGrange Township$770/mo
Typical home $120K (Census) · tax rate 1.44% · or rent about $878/mo · Housing →

The difference: $800 a month, about $9,600 a year, between Jefferson Township and LaGrange 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

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−Jefferson TownshipBetter than 81% of districts in the state CLaGrange TownshipBetter than 29% of districts in the state
Health
CJefferson TownshipHealthier than 28% of U.S. towns CLaGrange TownshipHealthier than 26% of U.S. towns
8Jefferson Township
8LaGrange Township

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

Most affordableCost of living · 723 towns #482#44 Most new homesHousing · 512 towns #204#398 Fastest growingGrowth · 723 towns #337#111 Most walkableOutdoors · 723 towns #644#428 Most educatedPeople · 723 towns #529#320 Highest incomeIncome · 723 towns #423#604 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 723 towns #203#338 Best schoolsSchools · 493 towns #355#445

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

Where they are

Jefferson Township and LaGrange Township share a border

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

Jefferson TownshipLaGrange TownshipJefferson TownshipLaGrange Township
Jefferson Township ↔ LaGrange Township5.4 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
74 Jefferson Township residents work in LaGrange Township (7.5% of its workers)
Work & commute in Jefferson Township →
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
Jefferson TownshipLaGrange Township
Snow a year37″63″
January low—19°F
July high—83°F
Growing season (days)—180d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)7th7th
Outdoors & history
Jefferson TownshipLaGrange Township
Trails1 mi3 mi
Conserved land0.9%1.5%
Community
Jefferson TownshipLaGrange Township
Library hours a week—53 hrs
Colleges in town—1
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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.

Jefferson TownshipLaGrange Township
People
Population 2,578Lowest 3,751Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.9%Lowest MI: +2% +8.2%Highest MI: +2%
Median age 43.9±6.2Lowest 9% above MI 48.5±5.1Highest 21% above MI
LaGrange Township and Jefferson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21.3%±5.3Highest MI: 21.2% 15.1%±3.8Lowest MI: 21.2%
Jefferson Township and LaGrange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22%±4.6Lowest MI: 18.6% 22.4%±5.8Highest MI: 18.6%
LaGrange Township and Jefferson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.4%Lowest MI: 32.4% 27.5%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.5%±1.8Lowest MI: 6.1% 6.6%±1.8Highest MI: 6.1%
LaGrange Township and Jefferson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $72,375±$8kHighest about the MI average $58,786±$7kLowest 19% below MI
Jefferson Township and LaGrange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $268,900±$31kHighest 16% above MI $119,600±$18kLowest 48% below MI
Rentmedian gross, monthly $869±$384Lowest 23% below MI $878±$102Highest 22% below MI
LaGrange Township and Jefferson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,970Highest 32% below MI $1,726Lowest 41% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 36.2%±40.7Lowest MI: 50.4% 52.5%±9.8Highest MI: 50.4%
LaGrange Township and Jefferson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 14.2%Highest MI: 13.2% 13.9%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 86%Highest MI: 73.2% 67.6%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1987Highest 15 yrs newer than MI 1957Lowest 15 yrs older than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 3% above MI 23 minLowest 5% below MI
Work from home 7.7%±3.3Highest MI: 13.5% 6.2%±4.6Lowest MI: 13.5%
Jefferson Township and LaGrange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.4%Lowest 9.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.3 miLowest 18.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.26Lowest 1.06Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Elkhart (14%)Elkhart (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 7% work in LaGrange TownshipFew work in Jefferson Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.9%Lowest 1.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.4 miLowest 3.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 8Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 3.1Lowest 6.2Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #355 of 493 in MI#445 of 493 in MI
School district Cassopolis Public SchoolsCassopolis Public Schools
High school in town Cassopolis High SchoolNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 21.5 —
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.

Jefferson Township neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 3d

New to Jefferson Schools

1 neighbor in Jefferson Township can answer.

LaGrange Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to LaGrange Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Jefferson Township

H
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Howard Township6,278 people · $200K homes
C
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Calvin Township1,593 people · $224K homes
O
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Ontwa Township6,870 people · $250K homes

Towns like Jefferson Township

W
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Woodland Township2,312 people · $298K homes
B
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Blue Lake Township2,423 people · $248K homes
+ Compare
Climax Township2,239 people · $207K homes
P
+ Compare
Park Township2,530 people · $206K 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.

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