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 $260 more a month in Standish

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%

Lawrence$860/mo

Typical home $134K (Census) · tax rate 1.37% · or rent about $587/mo · Housing →

Standish$1,120/mo

Typical home $163K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.97% · or rent about $689/mo · Housing →

The difference: $260 a month, about $3,200 a year, between Standish and Lawrence.

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.

Safety

B−LawrenceSafer than 52% of U.S. towns –StandishNot graded

Health

–LawrenceNot graded C−StandishHealthier than 22% of U.S. towns

Where they are

161 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

LawrenceMI StandishMI

Lawrence ↔ Standish161 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.

Only big differences vs Michigan average

LawrenceStandish

People

Population 942Lowest 1,554Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3.2%Highest MI: +2% -3.4%Lowest MI: +2%

Median age 36.6±7.3Lowest 9% below MI 37±4.6Highest 8% below MI

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

Kids under 18 26.5%±2.8Highest MI: 21.2% 21.6%±3.7Lowest MI: 21.2%

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

Age 65+ 15.4%±3.4Lowest MI: 18.6% 19.1%±3.8Highest MI: 18.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.8%Highest MI: 32.4% 13.7%Lowest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.4%±3.2Highest MI: 6.1% 3.2%±1.5Lowest MI: 6.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $36,058±$19kHighest 51% below MI $35,395±$6kLowest 51% below MI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $133,900±$22kHighest 42% below MI $97,900±$7kLowest 58% below MI

Rentmedian gross, monthly $587±$119Lowest 48% below MI $689±$101Highest 39% below MI

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,836Lowest 37% below MI $1,925Highest 34% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43.4%±25.4Highest MI: 50.4% 41%±9.6Lowest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 28.9%Highest MI: 13.2% 20.1%Lowest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 51.2%Lowest MI: 73.2% 55.5%Highest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1976Highest 4 yrs newer than MI 1972Lowest same as MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 6% above MI 25 minLowest about the MI average

Work from home 4.3%±3.2Lowest MI: 13.5% 8.6%±3.3Highest MI: 13.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 7.5%Lowest 15.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.8 miLowest 29.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.67Lowest 3.48Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Lawrence Township (9%)Chippewa Township (7%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in StandishFew work in Lawrence

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.3%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.5 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 25.4Lowest 32.4Highest

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.

Lawrence neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lawrence’s Town Square.

Standish neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Standish’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Lawrence and Standish

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Towns like Lawrence

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Birch Run1,439 people · $191K 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.

Lawrence vs Standish

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Lawrence gets 56 more inches of snow a year

A typical home costs $260 more a month in Standish

Grades and rankings, side by side

161 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Lawrence and Standish

Towns like Lawrence

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