Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Riverview vs Alpine Township

143 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (9.3× in Riverview) and trails (3× in Alpine Township).

×
Riverview, MIAn outdoors townMichigan · 12,186 people
A ×
Alpine Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsKent County · 14,040 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.

RiverviewAn outdoors town
Outdoors#62 most conserved land in MI1.6 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 61%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 69%of MI districts All about Riverview →
Alpine TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 68%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$404K typical home52% above the MI typical home SchoolsBetter than 70%of MI districts All about Alpine 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.

Street grid9.3×
Riverview has the more walkable street grid
Riverview 71.8Alpine Township 7.7
Trails3×
Alpine Township has more miles of trail
Alpine Township 4.8 miRiverview 1.6 mi
Property tax bill+45%
Tax bills are bigger in Riverview
Riverview $4,079Alpine Township $2,807
Age 65++9.9 pts
Riverview has more people 65 and up
Riverview 25.3%Alpine Township 15.4%
Conserved land+13.8 pts
Riverview has more conserved land
Riverview 17%Alpine Township 3.2%
Growth since 2010+5.6 pts
Alpine Township has grown faster since 2010
Alpine Township +5.6%Riverview 0%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $830 more a month in Alpine Township

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.

Riverview$1,690/mo
Typical home $248K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.90% · or rent about $1,101/mo · Housing →
Alpine Township$2,520/mo
Typical home $404K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.20% · or rent about $1,172/mo · Housing →

The difference: $830 a month, about $10,000 a year, between Alpine Township and Riverview.

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.

Report cards

Riverview places higher on 13 of 21 MI lists

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.

Safety
BRiverviewSafer than 56% of U.S. towns –Alpine TownshipNot graded
Schools
B+RiverviewBetter than 69% of districts in the state B+Alpine TownshipBetter than 70% of districts in the state
Health
BRiverviewHealthier than 61% of U.S. towns B+Alpine TownshipHealthier than 68% of U.S. towns
13Riverview
8Alpine Township

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Lowest depressionHealth · 723 towns #77#610 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 723 towns #163#529 Most conserved landOutdoors · 712 towns #62#419 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 142 towns #32#98 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 723 towns #467#165 Most walkableOutdoors · 723 towns #106#387 Fastest growingGrowth · 723 towns #445#183 Lowest property taxCost of living · 723 towns #629#393

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

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
RiverviewAlpine Township
Snow a year54″75″
January low—17°F
July high—82°F
Growing season (days)—157d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)12th5th
Outdoors & history
RiverviewAlpine Township
Trails2 mi5 mi
Conserved land17%3.2%
Settled19231847
Archive photos6—
Community
RiverviewAlpine Township
Library hours a week38 hrs38 hrs
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.

Where they are

143 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

RiverviewMIAlpine TownshipKent County
Riverview ↔ Alpine Township143 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.

RiverviewAlpine Township
People
Population 12,186Lowest 14,040Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census 0%Lowest MI: +2% +5.6%Highest MI: +2%
Median age 40.6±4.4Highest about the MI average 36.9±2.3Lowest 8% below MI
Riverview and Alpine Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21.7%±3.8Lowest MI: 21.2% 21.9%±3Highest MI: 21.2%
Alpine Township and Riverview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 25.3%±2.9Highest MI: 18.6% 15.4%±2.9Lowest MI: 18.6%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 21.3%Lowest MI: 32.4% 27.3%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.3%±1.1Lowest MI: 6.1% 5.1%±1.4Highest MI: 6.1%
Alpine Township and Riverview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $73,468±$5kHighest about the MI average $67,807±$13kLowest 7% below MI
Riverview and Alpine Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $215,100±$14kLowest 7% below MI $233,900±$12kHighest about the MI average
Alpine Township and Riverview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,101±$64Lowest about the MI average $1,172±$45Highest 4% above MI
Alpine Township and Riverview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,079Highest 40% above MI $2,807Lowest 3% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 40.9%±8.9Lowest MI: 50.4% 52.4%±12Highest MI: 50.4%
Alpine Township and Riverview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7.3%Lowest MI: 13.2% 11.2%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 64.3%Highest MI: 73.2% 60.1%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1969Lowest 3 yrs older than MI 1985Highest 13 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minHighest about the MI average 21 minLowest 12% below MI
Work from home 9.7%±2.7Highest MI: 13.5% 7.2%±3.3Lowest MI: 13.5%
Riverview and Alpine Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.8%Highest 5.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.8 miHighest 9.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.75Highest 0.73Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Detroit (12%)Grand Rapids (24%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Alpine TownshipFew work in Riverview
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 17%Highest 3.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.6 miLowest 4.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 71.8Highest 7.7Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #280 of 493 in MI#348 of 493 in MI
School district Riverview Community School DistrictComstock Park Public Schools · Kenowa Hills Public Schools
High school in town Riverview Community High SchoolKenowa Hills High School
Students per teacherat that high school 22.2Highest 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.

Riverview neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Riverview’s Town Square.

Alpine Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alpine Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Riverview and Alpine Township

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

Bordering Riverview

+ Compare
Brownstown Township32,889 people · $273K homes
T
+ Compare
Trenton18,125 people · $211K homes
+ Compare
Grosse Ile Township10,344 people · $356K homes

Towns like Riverview

P
+ Compare
Port Huron Township10,722 people · $196K homes
+ Compare
Greenville8,995 people · $184K homes
+ Compare
Tecumseh8,646 people · $217K homes
+ Compare
Mount Clemens15,511 people · $179K 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.

Post to Riverview

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in