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%

Salem Township$1,870/mo

Typical home $308K (Census) · tax rate 1.01% · Housing →

Nelson Township$1,540/mo

Typical home $253K (Census) · tax rate 1.02% · or rent about $569/mo · Housing →

The difference: $330 a month, about $3,900 a year, between Salem Township and Nelson 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

Salem Township places higher on 14 of 18 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.

Schools

ASalem TownshipBetter than 85% of districts in the state –Nelson TownshipNot graded

Health

B+Salem TownshipHealthier than 70% of U.S. towns B−Nelson TownshipHealthier than 49% of U.S. towns

14Salem Township

4Nelson Township

Lists won, of 18 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most conserved landOutdoors · 712 towns #650#198 Lowest depressionHealth · 723 towns #233#610 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 723 towns #205#529 Highest incomeIncome · 723 towns #220#493 Fastest growingGrowth · 723 towns #44#288 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 723 towns #163#353 Lowest obesityHealth · 723 towns #157#344 Fewest smokersHealth · 723 towns #217#394

Left end = #1 in Michigan. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Salem 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

Salem TownshipNelson Township

Snow a year78″73″

January low19°F 13°F

July high83°F 84°F

Growing season (days)174d 133d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)39th 11th

Outdoors & history

Salem TownshipNelson Township

Trails5 mi 3 mi

Conserved land0.7%7.6%

Settled—1854

National Register places—1

Famous people born here1 —

Community

Salem TownshipNelson Township

Library hours a week43 hrs 40 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.

Where they are

41 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Salem TownshipAllegan County Nelson TownshipKent County

Salem Township ↔ Nelson Township41 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

Salem TownshipNelson Township

People

Population 5,178Highest 4,940Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +16%Highest MI: +2% +2.7%Lowest MI: +2%

Median age 40.4±4.7Lowest about the MI average 42.7±2.7Highest 6% above MI

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

Kids under 18 19.4%±4.3Lowest MI: 21.2% 19.8%±4.6Highest MI: 21.2%

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

Age 65+ 13.4%±3.7Lowest MI: 18.6% 18.9%±5.1Highest MI: 18.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23.2%Highest MI: 32.4% 23%Lowest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.8%±2.1Lowest MI: 6.1% 4.8%±2.1Highest MI: 6.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $89,034±$20kHighest 22% above MI $66,735±$10kLowest 8% below MI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $307,500±$30kHighest 33% above MI $253,300±$30kLowest 9% above MI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly — $569±$143 50% below MI

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,096Highest 7% above MI $2,596Lowest 11% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±42.1Lowest MI: 50.4% 66.4%±50.6Highest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 2.9%Lowest MI: 13.2% 9.7%Highest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 94.7%Highest MI: 73.2% 93.4%Lowest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1983Lowest 11 yrs newer than MI 1985Highest 13 yrs newer than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 27 minLowest 10% above MI 28 minHighest 16% above MI

Work from home 14.2%±9.2Highest MI: 13.5% 11.6%±4.1Lowest MI: 13.5%

Salem Township and Nelson 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 2.1%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.3 miLowest 21.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.24Highest 0.18Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Grand Rapids (9%)Grand Rapids (20%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Nelson TownshipFew work in Salem Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.7%Lowest 7.6%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 5.0 miHighest 2.6 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 mi 0.1 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 3Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 8.0Highest 4.6Lowest

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.

Salem Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Salem Township’s Town Square.

Nelson Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Nelson Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Salem Township and Nelson Township

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

Bordering Salem Township

+ Compare

Overisel Township3,154 people · $344K homes

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Monterey Township2,489 people · $187K homes

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Jamestown Township10,039 people · $445K homes

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Dorr Township7,934 people · $290K homes

Towns like Salem Township

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Ida Township4,801 people · $317K homes

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Casco Township4,180 people · $303K homes

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Allegan Township4,793 people · $233K homes

+ Compare

Oakfield Township6,122 people · $347K 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.

Salem Township vs Nelson Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $330 more a month in Salem Township

Salem Township places higher on 14 of 18 MI lists

What daily life feels like in each

41 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Salem Township and Nelson Township

Bordering Salem Township

Towns like Salem Township

Post to Salem Township

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