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LaGrange Township vs Penn Township

Next-door neighbors in Cass County. The biggest differences: home values (2.5× in Penn Township) and property tax bill (+74% in Penn Township).

L ×
LaGrange Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsCass County · 3,751 people
P ×
Penn Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsCass County · 2,052 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.

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 →
Penn TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health65% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Penn 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 values2.5×
Homes cost more in Penn Township
Penn Township $304,000LaGrange Township $119,600
Property tax bill+74%
Tax bills are bigger in Penn Township
Penn Township $3,007LaGrange Township $1,726
Seasonal homes+29.2 pts
Penn Township has more second homes
Penn Township 34.2%LaGrange Township 5%
Household income+43%
Households in Penn Township earn more
Penn Township $83,897LaGrange Township $58,786
Rent+36%
Rent runs higher in Penn Township
Penn Township $1,190LaGrange Township $878
Average commute11 min
LaGrange Township has the shorter commute
Penn Township 34 minLaGrange Township 23 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,070 more a month in Penn 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.

LaGrange Township$770/mo
Typical home $120K (Census) · tax rate 1.44% · or rent about $878/mo · Housing →
Penn Township$1,840/mo
Typical home $304K (Census) · tax rate 0.99% · or rent about $1,190/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,070 a month, about $12,900 a year, between Penn 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.

Where they are

LaGrange Township and Penn Township share a border

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

LaGrange TownshipPenn TownshipLaGrange TownshipPenn Township
LaGrange Township ↔ Penn Township5.9 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
32 Penn Township residents work in LaGrange Township (4.4% of its workers)
21 LaGrange Township residents work in Penn Township (1.6% of its workers)
Work & commute in Penn 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
CLaGrange TownshipBetter than 29% of districts in the state –Penn TownshipNot graded
Health
CLaGrange TownshipHealthier than 26% of U.S. towns C+Penn TownshipHealthier than 35% of U.S. towns
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
LaGrange TownshipPenn Township
Snow a year63″41″
January low19°F17°F
July high83°F82°F
Growing season (days)180d170d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)7th13th
Outdoors & history
LaGrange TownshipPenn Township
Trails3 mi2 mi
Conserved land1.5%0.8%
Community
LaGrange TownshipPenn Township
Library hours a week53 hrs—
Colleges in town1—
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.

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.

LaGrange TownshipPenn Township
People
Population 3,751Highest 2,052Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +8.2%Highest MI: +2% -1.1%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 48.5±5.1Lowest 21% above MI 51.1±8.6Highest 27% above MI
Penn Township and LaGrange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 15.1%±3.8Lowest MI: 21.2% 21.6%±3.3Highest MI: 21.2%
Penn 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%±5.8Lowest MI: 18.6% 32.3%±7.6Highest MI: 18.6%
Penn Township and LaGrange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 27.5%Lowest MI: 32.4% 37.4%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.6%±1.8Highest MI: 6.1% 2.4%±2.2Lowest MI: 6.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $58,786±$7kLowest 19% below MI $83,897±$16kHighest 15% above MI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $119,600±$18kLowest 48% below MI $304,000±$98kHighest 31% above MI
Rentmedian gross, monthly $878±$102Lowest 22% below MI $1,190±$139Highest 5% above MI
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,726Lowest 41% below MI $3,007Highest 4% above MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 52.5%±9.8Highest MI: 50.4% 23.7%±15.3Lowest MI: 50.4%
Below poverty line 13.9%Highest MI: 13.2% 9.3%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 67.6%Lowest MI: 73.2% 86.8%Highest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1957Lowest 15 yrs older than MI 1976Highest 4 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 5% below MI 34 minHighest 42% above MI
Work from home 6.2%±4.6Lowest MI: 13.5% 10.5%±2.9Highest MI: 13.5%
Penn 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 9.4%Highest 4.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.3 miLowest 19.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.06Highest 0.57Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Elkhart (9%)Elkhart (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 2% work in Penn Township4% work in LaGrange Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.5%Highest 0.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 3.3 miHighest 2.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 mi 0.1 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 8Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 6.2Highest 5.6Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #445 of 493 in MI—
School district Cassopolis Public 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.

LaGrange Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to LaGrange Township’s Town Square.

Penn Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Penn Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering LaGrange Township

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Dowagiac5,732 people · $131K homes
J
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Jefferson Township2,578 people · $269K homes
P
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Pokagon Township2,157 people · $218K homes
W
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Wayne Township2,660 people · $208K homes

Towns like LaGrange Township

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Munising1,975 people · $117K homes
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Ironwood4,997 people · $83K homes
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Swartz Creek5,853 people · $174K homes
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St. Ignace2,463 people · $132K 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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