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Root Township vs Union Township

64 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (6.6× in Union Township) and growth since 2010 (+35.9 pts in Root Township).

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Root Township, INOne of the healthiest townsAdams County · 6,115 people
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Union Township, INAn outdoors townMadison County · 8,977 people
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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.

Root TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health78% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Root Township →
Union TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors#108 most trails in IN9.9 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves Health62% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 23%of IN districts All about Union 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.

Trails6.6×
Union Township has more miles of trail
Union Township 9.9 miRoot Township 1.5 mi
Growth since 2010+35.9 pts
Root Township has grown faster since 2010
Root Township +35.8%Union Township -0.1%
Jobs per worker4.1×
Root Township is more of a job hub
Root Township 0.86Union Township 0.21
Street grid2.8×
Union Township has the more walkable street grid
Union Township 20.4Root Township 7.2
Household income+19%
Households in Union Township earn more
Union Township $75,795Root Township $63,492
Work in town+9.6 pts
More of Root Township’s workers stay in town
Root Township 13.6%Union Township 4%
★ 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.

Root Township$1,130/mo
Typical home $194K (Census) · tax rate 0.70% · or rent about $992/mo · Housing →
Union Township$1,010/mo
Typical home $172K (Census) · tax rate 0.73% · or rent about $963/mo · Housing →

The difference: $120 a month, about $1,500 a year, between Root Township and Union 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.

Report cards

Union Township places higher on 13 of 20 IN lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Indiana ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
C+Root TownshipBetter than 40% of districts in the state C−Union TownshipBetter than 23% of districts in the state
Health
C−Root TownshipHealthier than 22% of U.S. towns C+Union TownshipHealthier than 38% of U.S. towns
6Root Township
13Union Township

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most trailsOutdoors · 423 towns #387#108 Fastest growingGrowth · 607 towns #20#398 Lowest obesityHealth · 607 towns #379#58 Most conserved landOutdoors · 529 towns #422#225 Most remote workersWork · 605 towns #454#238 Shortest commuteGetting around · 611 towns #115#292 Highest graduation rateSchools · 563 towns #301#459 Lowest depressionHealth · 607 towns #217#381

Left end = #1 in Indiana. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Root Township’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
Root TownshipUnion Township
Snow a year28″26″
January low18°F—
July high84°F—
Growing season (days)178d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)38th33rd
Outdoors & history
Root TownshipUnion Township
Trails2 mi10 mi
Conserved land0.5%2.7%
Settled—1830
National Register places11
Archive photos1—
Famous people born here1—
Community
Root TownshipUnion 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.

Where they are

64 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Root TownshipAdams CountyUnion TownshipMadison County
Root Township ↔ Union Township64 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.

Root TownshipUnion Township
People
Population 6,115Lowest 8,977Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +35.8%Highest IN: +4.7% -0.1%Lowest IN: +4.7%
Median age 45.4±4Lowest 19% above IN 48.1±3.1Highest 26% above IN
Union Township and Root Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.7%±3.9Highest IN: 23.3% 16.4%±3.3Lowest IN: 23.3%
Root Township and Union Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.3%±4.1Lowest IN: 16.8% 25.9%±3.9Highest IN: 16.8%
Union Township and Root Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.2%Lowest IN: 29.5% 24.8%Highest IN: 29.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5%±2Highest IN: 5.8% 3.3%±2.2Lowest IN: 5.8%
Root Township and Union Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $63,492±$7kLowest 12% below IN $75,795±$3kHighest 5% above IN
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $193,800±$25kHighest 11% below IN $172,000±$9kLowest 21% below IN
Root Township and Union Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $992±$120Highest 7% below IN $963±$65Lowest 9% below IN
Root Township and Union Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,349Highest 16% below IN $1,259Lowest 22% below IN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 62.6%±20Highest IN: 48.1% 51.3%±17.3Lowest IN: 48.1%
Root Township and Union Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.1%Highest IN: 12.3% 4.9%Lowest IN: 12.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 86.4%Lowest IN: 70.6% 89.1%Highest IN: 70.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than IN 1974Highest 2 yrs older than IN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 18% below IN 24 minHighest about the IN average
Work from home 5.2%±3.1Lowest IN: 10.7% 8.9%±3Highest IN: 10.7%
Union Township and Root Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 13.6%Highest 4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.8 miLowest 17.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.86Highest 0.21Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Decatur (31%)Anderson (25%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Union TownshipFew work in Root Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.5%Lowest 2.7%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.5 miLowest 9.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 8Highest 4Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 7.2Lowest 20.4Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #255 of 350 in IN#348 of 350 in IN
School district North Adams Community SchoolsAnderson Community School Corp
High school in town Bellmont Senior High SchoolNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 12.6 —
Indiana 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.

Root Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Root Township’s Town Square.

Union Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Union Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Root Township

W
+ Compare
Washington Township8,767 people · $145K homes
P
+ Compare
Preble Township1,440 people · $221K homes
M
+ Compare
Madison Township1,651 people · $207K homes
U
+ Compare
Union Township547 people · $214K homes

Towns like Root Township

+ Compare
Wheatfield Township4,490 people · $228K homes
C
+ Compare
Center Township7,378 people · $164K homes
+ Compare
Orange Township3,920 people · $224K homes
T
+ Compare
Taylor Township9,396 people · $169K 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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