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Laurel Township vs Benton Township

Next-door neighbors in Hocking County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (3.7× in Benton Township) and average commute (18 min in Benton Township).

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Laurel Township, OHAn outdoors townHocking County · 840 people
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Benton Township, OHOne of the healthiest townsHocking County · 973 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.

Laurel TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors23.6% conserved land33 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Laurel Township →
Benton TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health96% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Outdoors27.5% conserved land37 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves All about Benton 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 worker3.7×
Benton Township is more of a job hub
Benton Township 0.93Laurel Township 0.25
Average commute18 min
Benton Township has the shorter commute
Laurel Township 51 minBenton Township 33 min
Growth since 2010+7.7 pts
Benton Township has grown faster since 2010
Benton Township -2.9%Laurel Township -10.6%
Typical home built17 yrs
Benton Township’s homes are older
Laurel Township 1985Benton Township 1968
Bachelor’s degree++8 pts
More adults in Laurel Township have a degree
Laurel Township 11.1%Benton Township 3.1%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $760 more a month in Laurel 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.

Laurel Township$1,770/mo
Typical home $312K (Census) · tax rate 0.54% · Housing →
Benton Township$1,010/mo
Typical home $166K (Census) · tax rate 1.02% · or rent about $861/mo · Housing →

The difference: $760 a month, about $9,200 a year, between Laurel Township and Benton 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

Laurel Township and Benton Township share a border

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

Laurel TownshipBenton TownshipLaurel TownshipBenton Township
Laurel Township ↔ Benton Township6.6 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
6 Laurel Township residents work in Benton Township (1.8% of its workers)
5 Benton Township residents work in Laurel Township (1.9% of its workers)
Work & commute in Laurel Township →
Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Ohio ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
–Laurel TownshipNot graded B−Benton TownshipBetter than 51% of districts in the state
Health
–Laurel TownshipNot graded D−Benton TownshipHealthier than 4% 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
Laurel TownshipBenton Township
Snow a year15″15″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)58th58th
Outdoors & history
Laurel TownshipBenton Township
Trails33 mi37 mi
Conserved land23.6%27.5%
Archive photos—12
Community
Laurel TownshipBenton 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.

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.

Laurel TownshipBenton Township
People
Population 840Lowest 973Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -10.6%Lowest OH: +2.3% -2.9%Highest OH: +2.3%
Median age 51.9±9.5Highest 31% above OH 47.7±4.1Lowest 20% above OH
Laurel Township and Benton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21.3%±9.9Highest OH: 22% 6.1%±7.8Lowest OH: 22%
Laurel Township and Benton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 25.5%±7.4Highest OH: 18.3% 20.1%±12.6Lowest OH: 18.3%
Laurel Township and Benton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 11.1%Highest OH: 31.5% 3.1%Lowest OH: 31.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.2%±4.4Highest OH: 5.6% 0%±1.9Lowest OH: 5.6%
Laurel Township and Benton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $64,271±$43kLowest 10% below OH $83,333±$65kHighest 17% above OH
Benton Township and Laurel Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $311,600±$127kHighest 45% above OH $165,800±$68kLowest 23% below OH
Laurel Township and Benton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $861±$32 17% below OH
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,688Lowest 40% below OH $1,692Highest 40% below OH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100 OH: 45.9% 0%±43.3 OH: 45.9%
Below poverty line 6.3%Lowest OH: 13.3% 20.3%Highest OH: 13.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 89.1%Highest OH: 67.2% 84.5%Lowest OH: 67.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Highest 15 yrs newer than OH 1968Lowest 2 yrs older than OH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 51 minHighest 116% above OH 33 minLowest 41% above OH
Work from home 4.1%±5.8Lowest OH: 13% 6.1%±3.9Highest OH: 13%
Benton Township and Laurel Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.3%Lowest 2.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.8 miLowest 24.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.25Lowest 0.93Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Logan (20%)Logan (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 2% work in Benton Township2% work in Laurel Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 23.6%Lowest 27.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 33.4 miLowest 37.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miLowest 1.0 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 4Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.5Highest 1.4Lowest
Schools
School district —Logan-Hocking Local
High school in town —None in town
Ohio 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.

Laurel Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Laurel Township’s Town Square.

Benton Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Benton Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Laurel Township

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Perry Township2,549 people · $217K homes
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Falls Township11,724 people · $165K homes
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Good Hope Township1,319 people · $297K homes

Towns like Laurel Township

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Pitt Township946 people · $195K homes
M
+ Compare
Marshall Township944 people · $208K homes
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Washington Township1,030 people · $200K homes
+ Compare
Linton Township802 people

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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