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Resort Township vs Bay Township

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (5.2× in Resort Township) and age 65+ (+11.2 pts in Bay Township).

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Resort Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsEmmet County · 2,839 people

B ×

Bay Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsCharlevoix County · 1,198 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.

Resort TownshipOne of the healthiest towns

HealthHealthier than 81%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates

Outdoors#209 most trails in MI16 miles of trails across 13 parks and preserves SchoolsBetter than 83%of MI districts All about Resort Township →

Bay TownshipOne of the healthiest towns

HealthHealthier than 73%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Bay 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.

Jobs per worker5.2×

Resort Township is more of a job hub

Resort Township 0.93Bay Township 0.18

Age 65++11.2 pts

Bay Township has more people 65 and up

Bay Township 31.6%Resort Township 20.4%

Resort Township is the bigger place

Resort Township 2,839Bay Township 1,198

Rent runs higher in Bay Township

Bay Township $968Resort Township $844

Bachelor’s degree++8.8 pts

More adults in Resort Township have a degree

Resort Township 51%Bay Township 42.2%

★ 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%

Resort Township$2,310/mo

Typical home $395K (Census) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $844/mo · Housing →

Bay Township$2,170/mo

Typical home $368K (Census) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $968/mo · Housing →

The difference: $140 a month, about $1,700 a year, between Resort Township and Bay 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

Resort Township and Bay Township share a border

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

Resort TownshipBay Township

Resort Township ↔ Bay Township2.6 miles apart · They share a border

Who commutes between them

16 Bay Township residents work in Resort Township (3.6% of its workers)

Work & commute in Bay 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

A−Resort TownshipBetter than 83% of districts in the state –Bay TownshipNot graded

Health

A−Resort TownshipHealthier than 81% of U.S. towns B+Bay TownshipHealthier than 73% 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

Resort TownshipBay Township

Snow a year124″124″

January low15°F 15°F

July high75°F 75°F

Growing season (days)166d 166d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)3rd 3rd

Outdoors & history

Resort TownshipBay Township

Trails16 mi 14 mi

Conserved land4.5%3.9%

Settled—1887

National Register places1 3

Community

Resort TownshipBay 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.

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

Resort TownshipBay Township

People

Population 2,839Highest 1,198Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +5.1%Highest MI: +2% +1.8%Lowest MI: +2%

Median age 43.9±7Lowest 9% above MI 52.9±4.8Highest 32% above MI

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

Kids under 18 20.1%±3.7Highest MI: 21.2% 19.5%±4.3Lowest MI: 21.2%

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

Age 65+ 20.4%±4.1Lowest MI: 18.6% 31.6%±6.5Highest MI: 18.6%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 51%Highest MI: 32.4% 42.2%Lowest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.4%±4Highest MI: 6.1% 2.3%±1.3Lowest MI: 6.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $103,929±$22kHighest 43% above MI $80,833±$10kLowest 11% above MI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $394,500±$40kHighest 70% above MI $368,000±$33kLowest 59% above MI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $844±$19Lowest 25% below MI $968±$65Highest 14% below MI

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,946Highest about the MI average $2,877Lowest about the MI average

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 17%±23.4Highest MI: 50.4% 0%±100Lowest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 4.2%Lowest MI: 13.2% 4.4%Highest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 90.3%Lowest MI: 73.2% 96.8%Highest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1992Highest 20 yrs newer than MI 1985Lowest 13 yrs newer than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 18% below MI 21 minHighest 12% below MI

Work from home 12.8%±4.9Lowest MI: 13.5% 15.3%±4.7Highest MI: 13.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 6.4%Highest 2.3%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 7.3 miLowest 9.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.93Highest 0.18Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Petoskey (29%)Boyne City (17%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Bay Township4% work in Resort Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 4.5%Highest 3.9%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 15.8 miHighest 13.8 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 mi 0.7 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 13Highest 9Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 6.3Highest 5.1Lowest

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.

Resort Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Resort Township’s Town Square.

Bay Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bay Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Resort Township and Bay Township

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

Bordering Resort Township

Petoskey5,856 people · $364K homes

Melrose Township1,413 people · $263K homes

Bear Creek Township6,544 people · $365K homes

Bay Shore697 people · $154K homes

Towns like Resort Township

Sylvan Township3,451 people · $396K homes

Alaiedon Township2,919 people · $291K homes

Lima Township4,058 people · $405K homes

Acme Township4,474 people · $338K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Michigan towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.