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Orange Township vs Berlin Township

Next-door neighbors in Ionia County. The biggest differences: trails (57× in Berlin Township) and conserved land (+16 pts in Berlin Township).

O ×
Orange Township, MIA small town of 1,170Ionia County · 1,170 people
B ×
Berlin Township, MIKnown for its schoolsIonia County · 1,819 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.

Orange TownshipA small town of 1,170
Quiet strengthsOrange Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Orange Township →
Berlin TownshipKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 70%of MI districts Outdoors16.6% conserved land34 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves HistorySettled in 18391 place on the National Register All about Berlin 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.

Trails57×
Berlin Township has more miles of trail
Berlin Township 34.2 miOrange Township 0.6 mi
Conserved land+16 pts
Berlin Township has more conserved land
Berlin Township 16.6%Orange Township 0.6%
Street grid+69%
Berlin Township has the more walkable street grid
Berlin Township 2.2Orange Township 1.3
Bachelor’s degree++9.6 pts
More adults in Berlin Township have a degree
Berlin Township 25.6%Orange Township 16%
Jobs per worker+53%
Berlin Township is more of a job hub
Berlin Township 1.21Orange Township 0.79
★ What stands out · Where they are

Orange Township and Berlin Township share a border

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

Orange TownshipBerlin TownshipOrange TownshipBerlin Township
Orange Township ↔ Berlin Township5.2 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
15 Orange Township residents work in Berlin Township (3.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Orange 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
–Orange TownshipNot graded B+Berlin TownshipBetter than 70% of districts in the state
Health
B−Orange TownshipHealthier than 48% of U.S. towns C+Berlin TownshipHealthier than 38% of 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.

Orange Township$1,430/mo
Typical home $240K (Census) · tax rate 0.85% · or rent about $1,133/mo · Housing →
Berlin Township$1,420/mo
Typical home $238K (Census) · tax rate 0.88% · or rent about $1,212/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.

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
Orange TownshipBerlin Township
Snow a year54″54″
January low16°F16°F
July high81°F81°F
Growing season (days)161d161d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)28th36th
Outdoors & history
Orange TownshipBerlin Township
Trails—34 mi
Conserved land—16.6%
Settled—1839
National Register places—1
Famous people born here—1
Community
Orange TownshipBerlin 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.

Orange TownshipBerlin Township
People
Population 1,170Lowest 1,819Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.5%Highest MI: +2% +1%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 34.3±6.3Lowest 15% below MI 42.4±4.5Highest 5% above MI
Berlin Township and Orange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.4%±2.5Lowest MI: 21.2% 22.3%±4.6Highest MI: 21.2%
Berlin Township and Orange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.9%±5.3Lowest MI: 18.6% 21.7%±3.3Highest MI: 18.6%
Berlin Township and Orange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16%Lowest MI: 32.4% 25.6%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.7%±5.6Highest MI: 6.1% 1.9%±1.1Lowest MI: 6.1%
Orange Township and Berlin Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $91,667±$28kHighest 26% above MI $74,250±$17kLowest about the MI average
Orange Township and Berlin Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $240,200±$13kHighest 4% above MI $237,600±$25kLowest about the MI average
Orange Township and Berlin Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,133±$101Lowest about the MI average $1,212±$525Highest 7% above MI
Berlin Township and Orange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,034Lowest 30% below MI $2,094Highest 28% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 22.9%±44.8Lowest MI: 50.4% 52%±22.5Highest MI: 50.4%
Berlin Township and Orange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7.4%Highest MI: 13.2% 3.7%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 87.5%Highest MI: 73.2% 81.2%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1972Lowest same as MI 1973Highest 1 yr newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 10% below MI 22 minHighest 10% below MI
Work from home 11.4%±2.3Highest MI: 13.5% 9.9%±4.5Lowest MI: 13.5%
Orange Township and Berlin Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.7%Lowest 2.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 23.8 miHighest 23.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.79Lowest 1.21Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Ionia (14%)Ionia (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 3% work in Berlin TownshipFew work in Orange Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.6%Lowest 16.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miLowest 34.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.8 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.3Lowest 2.2Highest
Schools
School district —Berlin Township S/D #3
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.

Orange Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Orange Township’s Town Square.

Berlin Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Berlin Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Orange Township

S
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Sebewa Township1,615 people · $213K homes
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Ionia12,753 people · $165K homes
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Ionia Township4,032 people · $159K homes
+ Compare
Portland Township3,928 people · $258K homes

Towns like Orange Township

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Newark Township1,198 people · $235K homes
B
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Bronson Township1,426 people · $184K homes
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Excelsior Township1,046 people · $212K homes
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+ Compare
New Haven Township1,012 people · $208K 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.

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