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

APlainfield TownshipBetter than 89% of districts in the state B+Alpine TownshipBetter than 70% of districts in the state

Health

A−Plainfield TownshipHealthier than 83% of U.S. towns B+Alpine TownshipHealthier than 68% of U.S. towns

16Plainfield Township

3Alpine Township

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Fewest uninsuredHealth · 723 towns #163#529 Most trailsOutdoors · 601 towns #173#469 Most conserved landOutdoors · 712 towns #82#419 Best schoolsSchools · 493 towns #119#348 Most remote workersWork · 714 towns #213#534 Highest incomeIncome · 723 towns #175#474 Most affordableCost of living · 723 towns #586#374 Most educatedPeople · 723 towns #139#324

Left end = #1 in Michigan. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Plainfield Township’s rankings →

Where they are

Plainfield Township and Alpine Township share a border

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

Plainfield TownshipAlpine Township

Plainfield Township ↔ Alpine Township6.4 miles apart · They share a border · Same county

Who commutes between them

294 Alpine Township residents work in Plainfield Township (4.7% of its workers)

Work & commute in Alpine Township →

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%

Plainfield Township$2,540/mo

Typical home $413K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.10% · or rent about $1,269/mo · Housing →

Alpine Township$2,520/mo

Typical home $404K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.20% · or rent about $1,172/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

Plainfield TownshipAlpine Township

Snow a year75″75″

January low17°F 17°F

July high82°F 82°F

Growing season (days)157d 157d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)39th 5th

Outdoors & history

Plainfield TownshipAlpine Township

Trails32 mi 5 mi

Conserved land13.8%3.2%

Settled—1847

Famous people born here2 —

Community

Plainfield TownshipAlpine Township

Library hours a week58 hrs 38 hrs

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.

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

Plainfield TownshipAlpine Township

People

Population 34,040Highest 14,040Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +8.3%Highest MI: +2% +5.6%Lowest MI: +2%

Median age 40.9±2.3Highest about the MI average 36.9±2.3Lowest 8% below MI

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

Kids under 18 23.5%±2Highest MI: 21.2% 21.9%±3Lowest MI: 21.2%

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

Age 65+ 20.5%±2Highest MI: 18.6% 15.4%±2.9Lowest MI: 18.6%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 41.2%Highest MI: 32.4% 27.3%Lowest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.7%±0.7Lowest MI: 6.1% 5.1%±1.4Highest MI: 6.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $94,218±$7kHighest 29% above MI $67,807±$13kLowest 7% below MI

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $326,900±$13kHighest 41% above MI $233,900±$12kLowest about the MI average

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,269±$125Highest 12% above MI $1,172±$45Lowest 4% above MI

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,590Highest 24% above MI $2,807Lowest 3% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 47.3%±12.5Lowest MI: 50.4% 52.4%±12Highest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 6.5%Lowest MI: 13.2% 11.2%Highest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 87.8%Highest MI: 73.2% 60.1%Lowest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1985 13 yrs newer than MI 1985 13 yrs newer than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 17% below MI 21 minHighest 12% below MI

Work from home 13.4%±1.8Highest MI: 13.5% 7.2%±3.3Lowest MI: 13.5%

Work in townworking residents 8.4%Highest 5.1%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 mi 9.8 mi

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.75Highest 0.73Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Grand Rapids (26%)Grand Rapids (24%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Alpine Township5% work in Plainfield Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 13.8%Highest 3.2%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 32.3 miHighest 4.8 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 21Highest 3Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 29.4Highest 7.7Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #119 of 493 in MI #348 of 493 in MI

School district Comstock Park Public Schools · Northview Public SchoolsComstock Park Public Schools · Kenowa Hills Public Schools

High school in town Rockford High SchoolKenowa Hills High School

Students per teacherat that high school 19.5Highest 18.0Lowest

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.

Plainfield Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Plainfield Township’s Town Square.

Alpine Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alpine Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Plainfield Township

+ Compare

Cannon Township14,450 people · $461K homes

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Northview15,268 people · $289K homes

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Grand Rapids Township19,053 people · $427K homes

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Rockford6,218 people · $334K homes

Towns like Plainfield Township

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Byron Township27,691 people · $340K homes

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Oxford Township22,593 people · $370K homes

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Commerce Township43,840 people · $366K homes

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White Lake Township31,046 people · $327K 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.

Plainfield Township vs Alpine Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Plainfield Township places higher on 16 of 19 MI lists

Plainfield Township and Alpine Township share a border

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Plainfield Township and Alpine Township

Bordering Plainfield Township

Towns like Plainfield Township

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