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 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%

McBain$1,510/mo

Typical home $242K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.16% · or rent about $298/mo · Housing →

Sunfield$1,510/mo

Typical home $239K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.26% · or rent about $896/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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−McBainBetter than 84% of districts in the state –SunfieldNot graded

Where they are

100 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

McBainMI SunfieldMI

McBain ↔ Sunfield100 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

McBainSunfield

People

Population 706Highest 658Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2.9%Highest MI: +2% -10.4%Lowest MI: +2%

Median age 37.8±8.1Lowest 6% below MI 40.5±6.4Highest about the MI average

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

Kids under 18 19%±3.4Highest MI: 21.2% 17.5%±4.1Lowest MI: 21.2%

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

Age 65+ 24.1%±7Highest MI: 18.6% 14.6%±4.3Lowest MI: 18.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 9.6%Highest MI: 32.4% 6.1%Lowest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.3%±2.7 MI: 6.1% 3.3%±2.6 MI: 6.1%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $47,083±$18kLowest 35% below MI $69,821±$9kHighest 4% below MI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $141,700±$36kLowest 39% below MI $156,000±$8kHighest 33% below MI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $298±$101Lowest 74% below MI $896±$321Highest 21% below MI

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,643Lowest 43% below MI $1,973Highest 32% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 62.6%±47.2Highest MI: 50.4% 31.3%±17.3Lowest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 12.3%Lowest MI: 13.2% 16%Highest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 62.1%Highest MI: 73.2% 61.8%Lowest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 10 yrs older than MI 1966Highest 6 yrs older than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 25% below MI 29 minHighest 20% above MI

Work from home 3.7%±2.9Highest MI: 13.5% 3.2%±2Lowest MI: 13.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 12.1%Highest 0%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.8 miLowest 20.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.56Highest 0.80Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Cadillac (20%)Lansing (15%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SunfieldFew work in McBain

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2.3%Highest 1.1%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.6 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.8 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 22.4Lowest 31.7Highest

Schools

School district McBain Rural Agricultural Schools—

High school in town McBain High School—

Students per teacherat that high school 17.1 —

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.

McBain neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to McBain’s Town Square.

Sunfield neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sunfield’s Town Square.

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Bordering McBain

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Richland Township1,779 people · $197K homes

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Riverside Township1,306 people · $207K homes

Towns like McBain

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Addison534 people · $137K homes

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Augusta776 people · $141K homes

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Lakeview1,030 people · $166K homes

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Maple Rapids727 people · $131K 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.

McBain vs Sunfield

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

McBain gets 37 more inches of snow a year

A typical home costs about the same each month

Grades and rankings, side by side

100 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside McBain and Sunfield

Bordering McBain

Towns like McBain

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