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Otto Township vs Ferry Township

Next-door neighbors in Oceana County. The biggest differences: conserved land (+42.9 pts in Otto Township) and trails (2.7× in Otto Township).

O ×
Otto Township, MIAn outdoors townOceana County · 864 people
F ×
Ferry Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsOceana County · 1,302 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.

Otto TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors53% conserved land64 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Otto Township →
Ferry TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health82% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Ferry 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.

Conserved land+42.9 pts
Otto Township has more conserved land
Otto Township 53%Ferry Township 10.1%
Trails2.7×
Otto Township has more miles of trail
Otto Township 63.6 miFerry Township 23.7 mi
Growth since 2010+5.5 pts
Otto Township has grown faster since 2010
Otto Township +3.9%Ferry Township -1.6%
Street grid+53%
Ferry Township has the more walkable street grid
Ferry Township 2.3Otto Township 1.5
Homeowners+10.5 pts renters
Ferry Township has more renters
Otto Township 95.4%Ferry Township 84.9%
Jobs per worker+60%
Ferry Township is more of a job hub
Ferry Township 0.08Otto Township 0.05
★ What stands out · 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.

Otto Township$1,030/mo
Typical home $171K (Census) · tax rate 0.93% · Housing →
Ferry Township$1,170/mo
Typical home $202K (Census) · tax rate 0.67% · or rent about $1,063/mo · Housing →

The difference: $140 a month, about $1,700 a year, between Ferry Township and Otto 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

Otto Township and Ferry Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Otto TownshipFerry TownshipOtto TownshipFerry Township
Otto Township ↔ Ferry Township7.4 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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.

Health
–Otto TownshipNot graded C−Ferry TownshipHealthier than 18% 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
Otto TownshipFerry Township
Snow a year75″75″
January low14°F14°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)137d137d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)45th45th
Outdoors & history
Otto TownshipFerry Township
Trails64 mi24 mi
Conserved land53%10.1%
Settled—1869
Community
Otto TownshipFerry 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.

Otto TownshipFerry Township
People
Population 864Lowest 1,302Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.9%Highest MI: +2% -1.6%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 41.5±6.6Highest 3% above MI 41.3±5.3Lowest about the MI average
Otto Township and Ferry Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.1%±5.6Highest MI: 21.2% 20.8%±2.9Lowest MI: 21.2%
Otto Township and Ferry Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.5%±3.1Lowest MI: 18.6% 18.3%±4.4Highest MI: 18.6%
Ferry Township and Otto Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12.1%Lowest MI: 32.4% 16.9%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.7%±1.6Lowest MI: 6.1% 1.5%±2Highest MI: 6.1%
Ferry Township and Otto Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $69,583±$16kHighest 5% below MI $54,601±$11kLowest 25% below MI
Otto Township and Ferry Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $170,700±$28kLowest 26% below MI $201,800±$65kHighest 13% below MI
Ferry Township and Otto Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $1,063±$248 6% below MI
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,582Highest 46% below MI $1,352Lowest 53% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100Lowest MI: 50.4% 12.5%±32.8Highest MI: 50.4%
Ferry Township and Otto Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 13.4%Highest MI: 13.2% 11.9%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 95.4%Highest MI: 73.2% 84.9%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1996Highest 24 yrs newer than MI 1984Lowest 12 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 32 minHighest 33% above MI 30 minLowest 24% above MI
Work from home 11.9%±7.7Highest MI: 13.5% 5.2%±2.2Lowest MI: 13.5%
Otto Township and Ferry Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.6%Lowest 0.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.8 miLowest 25.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.05Lowest 0.08Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Muskegon (9%)Fremont (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Ferry TownshipFew work in Otto Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 53%Highest 10.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 63.6 miHighest 23.7 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.8 miHighest 0.7 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.5Lowest 2.3Highest
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.

Otto Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Otto Township’s Town Square.

Ferry Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ferry Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Otto Township

G
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Greenwood Township1,222 people · $187K homes
G
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Grant Township3,055 people · $131K homes
B
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Blue Lake Township2,423 people · $248K homes

Towns like Otto Township

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Liberty Township892 people · $169K homes
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Gilford Township813 people · $167K homes
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Bentley Township944 people · $153K homes
K
+ Compare
Klacking Township709 people · $168K 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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