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Paris Township vs Backus Township

93 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (34× in Backus Township) and seasonal homes (+39.1 pts in Backus Township).

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Paris Township, MIA small town of 362Huron County · 362 people

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Backus Township, MIAn outdoors townRoscommon County · 378 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.

Paris TownshipA small town of 362

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

All about Paris Township →

Backus TownshipAn outdoors town

Outdoors13.8% conserved land68 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Backus 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.

Backus Township has more miles of trail

Backus Township 67.9 miParis Township 2.0 mi

Seasonal homes+39.1 pts

Backus Township has more second homes

Backus Township 42%Paris Township 2.9%

Jobs per worker+89%

Backus Township is more of a job hub

Backus Township 0.85Paris Township 0.45

Typical home built21 yrs

Paris Township’s homes are older

Backus Township 1979Paris Township 1958

Average commute5 min

Paris Township has the shorter commute

Backus Township 24 minParis Township 19 min

Conserved land+8.3 pts

Backus Township has more conserved land

Backus Township 13.8%Paris Township 5.5%

★ 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.

Down paymentRate%

Paris Township$980/mo

Typical home $165K (Census) · tax rate 0.86% · or rent about $850/mo · Housing →

Backus Township$1,010/mo

Typical home $168K (Census) · tax rate 0.90% · 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

Paris TownshipBackus Township

Snow a year47″66″

January low16°F 11°F

July high77°F 81°F

Growing season (days)173d 125d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)28th 52nd

Outdoors & history

Paris TownshipBackus Township

Trails2 mi 68 mi

Conserved land5.5%13.8%

Archive photos2 3

Community

Paris TownshipBackus 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

93 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Paris TownshipHuron County Backus TownshipRoscommon County

Paris Township ↔ Backus Township93 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

Paris TownshipBackus Township

People

Population 362Lowest 378Highest

Median age 50.7±5.8Lowest 26% above MI 53.3±6.7Highest 33% above MI

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

Kids under 18 16%±4.7Highest MI: 21.2% 8.2%±4.9Lowest MI: 21.2%

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

Age 65+ 22.1%±3.7Lowest MI: 18.6% 28.6%±4.9Highest MI: 18.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14%Lowest MI: 32.4% 15.3%Highest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.5%±1.9Lowest MI: 6.1% 9%±8.4Highest MI: 6.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $62,115±$11kLowest 15% below MI $62,500±$15kHighest 14% below MI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $164,900±$17kLowest 29% below MI $167,900±$40kHighest 28% below MI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $850±$434 25% below MI —

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,420Lowest 51% below MI $1,513Highest 48% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 27.3%±100Lowest MI: 50.4% 85.2%±79.6Highest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 8%Lowest MI: 13.2% 14.4%Highest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 83.7%Lowest MI: 73.2% 84.1%Highest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1958Lowest 14 yrs older than MI 1979Highest 7 yrs newer than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 19 minLowest 22% below MI 24 minHighest about the MI average

Work from home 8.8%±4.8Highest MI: 13.5% 7.6%±6.5Lowest MI: 13.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 1.5%Highest 1.4%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.3 miLowest 27.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.45Lowest 0.85Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Bad Axe (18%)Denton Township (14%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Backus TownshipFew work in Paris Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 5.5%Lowest 13.8%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 2.0 miLowest 67.9 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 1.9 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 3Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.0 1.0

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.

Paris Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Paris Township’s Town Square.

Backus Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Backus Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Paris Township and Backus Township

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Paris Township

Bingham Township1,407 people · $157K homes

Sigel Township391 people · $200K homes

Sherman Township898 people · $180K homes

Minden Township584 people · $163K homes

Towns like Paris Township

Sherman Township399 people · $187K homes

Beaver Township463 people · $168K homes

Germfask Township439 people · $115K homes

Hamilton Township408 people · $174K 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.