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Moran Township vs Mentor Township

51 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (3.7× in Moran Township) and conserved land (+41.3 pts in Moran Township).

M ×

Moran Township, MIAn outdoors townMackinac County · 998 people

M ×

Mentor Township, MIA small town of 866Cheboygan County · 866 people

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.

Moran TownshipAn outdoors town

Outdoors41.3% conserved land237 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves SchoolsBetter than 28%of MI districts Housing$219K typical home18% below the MI typical home All about Moran Township →

Mentor TownshipA small town of 866

Quiet strengthsMentor Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.

All about Mentor 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.

Moran Township has more miles of trail

Moran Township 236.7 miMentor Township 64.3 mi

Conserved land+41.3 pts

Moran Township has more conserved land

Moran Township 41.3%Mentor Township 0%

Street grid2.8×

Mentor Township has the more walkable street grid

Mentor Township 1.4Moran Township 0.5

Seasonal homes+20.8 pts

Moran Township has more second homes

Moran Township 37.7%Mentor Township 16.9%

Age 65++11.9 pts

Moran Township has more people 65 and up

Moran Township 34.4%Mentor Township 22.5%

Average commute9 min

Moran Township has the shorter commute

Mentor Township 29 minMoran Township 20 min

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $220 more a month in Moran 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.

Down paymentRate%

Moran Township$1,280/mo

Typical home $219K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.73% · or rent about $855/mo · Housing →

Mentor Township$1,060/mo

Typical home $180K (Census) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $918/mo · Housing →

The difference: $220 a month, about $2,600 a year, between Moran Township and Mentor 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

CMoran TownshipBetter than 28% of districts in the state –Mentor TownshipNot graded

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

Moran TownshipMentor Township

Snow a year81″84″

January low7°F 8°F

July high77°F 80°F

Growing season (days)130d 95d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)4th 54th

Outdoors & history

Moran TownshipMentor Township

Trails237 mi 64 mi

Conserved land41.3%0%

National Register places4 —

Community

Moran TownshipMentor Township

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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.

Where they are

51 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Moran TownshipMackinac County Mentor TownshipCheboygan County

Moran Township ↔ Mentor Township51 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

Moran TownshipMentor Township

People

Population 998Highest 866Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.5%Lowest MI: +2% +4.8%Highest MI: +2%

Median age 53.4±6.3Highest 33% above MI 51.5±6.2Lowest 28% above MI

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

Kids under 18 14.3%±4.1Lowest MI: 21.2% 20.9%±6.1Highest MI: 21.2%

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

Age 65+ 34.4%±3.7Highest MI: 18.6% 22.5%±3Lowest MI: 18.6%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 27.8%Highest MI: 32.4% 21.6%Lowest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.6%±4.2Highest MI: 6.1% 2.1%±2Lowest MI: 6.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $68,059±$8kHighest 7% below MI $60,208±$13kLowest 17% below MI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $230,300±$51kHighest about the MI average $179,600±$36kLowest 22% below MI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $855±$11Lowest 24% below MI $918±$139Highest 19% below MI

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,685Highest 42% below MI $1,406Lowest 52% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 52.5%±41.4Highest MI: 50.4% 28.3%±35.4Lowest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 9%Lowest MI: 13.2% 16.5%Highest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 79.8%Lowest MI: 73.2% 80.5%Highest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1987Highest 15 yrs newer than MI 1983Lowest 11 yrs newer than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 16% below MI 29 minHighest 20% above MI

Work from home 3.7%±3.1Lowest MI: 13.5% 6.4%±3.7Highest MI: 13.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 8%Highest 4.2%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.3 miLowest 20.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.97Lowest 1.14Highest

Top workplaceoutside town St. Ignace (23%)Petoskey (7%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Mentor TownshipFew work in Moran Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 41.3%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 236.7 miHighest 64.3 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.8 mi 1.8 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 9Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.5Lowest 1.4Highest

Schools

School district St. Ignace Area Schools · Moran Township School District—

High school in town LaSalle High School—

Students per teacherat that high school 14.3 —

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.

Moran Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Moran Township’s Town Square.

Mentor Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mentor Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Moran Township

Brevort Township585 people · $138K homes

Hendricks Township121 people

St. Ignace2,463 people · $132K homes

St. Ignace Township1,093 people · $179K homes

Towns like Moran Township

Garfield Township1,315 people · $176K homes

Ingallston Township853 people · $252K homes

Port Sanilac812 people · $159K homes

Wheatland Township1,153 people · $189K 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.