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Sandstone Township vs Parma Township

Next-door neighbors in Jackson County. The biggest differences: trails (9× in Parma Township) and jobs per worker (4.3× in Sandstone Township).

S ×
Sandstone Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsJackson County · 3,902 people
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Parma Township, MIHomes around $258KJackson County · 2,651 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.

Sandstone TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health62% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Sandstone Township →
Parma TownshipHomes around $258K
Housing$258K typical home3% below the MI typical home Health78% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Parma 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.

Trails9×
Parma Township has more miles of trail
Parma Township 5.4 miSandstone Township 0.6 mi
Jobs per worker4.3×
Sandstone Township is more of a job hub
Sandstone Township 1.12Parma Township 0.26
Property tax bill+43%
Tax bills are bigger in Sandstone Township
Sandstone Township $3,266Parma Township $2,277
Homeowners+13.4 pts renters
Parma Township has more renters
Sandstone Township 92%Parma Township 78.6%
★ 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.

Sandstone Township$1,480/mo
Typical home $231K (Census) · tax rate 1.42% · or rent about $867/mo · Housing →
Parma Township$1,600/mo
Typical home $258K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.17% · or rent about $869/mo · Housing →

The difference: $120 a month, about $1,400 a year, between Parma Township and Sandstone 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

Sandstone Township places higher on 10 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
B−Sandstone TownshipBetter than 48% of districts in the state –Parma TownshipNot graded
Health
C+Sandstone TownshipHealthier than 38% of U.S. towns C−Parma TownshipHealthier than 22% of U.S. towns
10Sandstone Township
7Parma Township

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

Lowest property taxCost of living · 723 towns #515#230 Highest incomeIncome · 723 towns #145#406 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 723 towns #353#529 HealthiestHealth · 723 towns #444#611 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 723 towns #507#350 Most activeHealth · 723 towns #411#556 Shortest commuteGetting around · 723 towns #433#303 Lowest obesityHealth · 723 towns #478#602

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

Where they are

Sandstone Township and Parma Township share a border

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

Sandstone TownshipParma TownshipSandstone TownshipParma Township
Sandstone Township ↔ Parma Township6.0 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
52 Parma Township residents work in Sandstone Township (5.2% of its workers)
19 Sandstone Township residents work in Parma Township (1.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Parma Township →
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
Sandstone TownshipParma Township
Snow a year40″40″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)20th20th
Outdoors & history
Sandstone TownshipParma Township
Trails—5 mi
Conserved land—1.8%
Archive photos—1
Famous people born here12
Community
Sandstone TownshipParma Township
Library hours a week—20 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.

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.

Sandstone TownshipParma Township
People
Population 3,902Highest 2,651Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.4%Highest MI: +2% -2.1%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 41.9±7.3Highest 4% above MI 36.6±4.3Lowest 9% below MI
Sandstone Township and Parma Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.8%±9.3Lowest MI: 21.2% 27.9%±7.2Highest MI: 21.2%
Parma Township and Sandstone Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.2%±6.7Highest MI: 18.6% 14.4%±3.4Lowest MI: 18.6%
Sandstone Township and Parma Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 22.9%Lowest MI: 32.4% 25.7%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.9%±1.9Lowest MI: 6.1% 4.9%±3Highest MI: 6.1%
Parma Township and Sandstone Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $97,708±$28kHighest 34% above MI $73,590±$8kLowest about the MI average
Sandstone Township and Parma Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $230,600±$31kHighest about the MI average $195,000±$17kLowest 16% below MI
Sandstone Township and Parma Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $867±$175Lowest 23% below MI $869±$166Highest 23% below MI
Parma Township and Sandstone Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,266Highest 12% above MI $2,277Lowest 22% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 28.7%±18.8Lowest MI: 50.4% 40%±30.1Highest MI: 50.4%
Parma Township and Sandstone Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4.9%Lowest MI: 13.2% 16%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 92%Highest MI: 73.2% 78.6%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Highest 3 yrs newer than MI 1972Lowest same as MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 7% above MI 24 minLowest about the MI average
Work from home 8.3%±4.6Highest MI: 13.5% 7.9%±5.5Lowest MI: 13.5%
Sandstone Township and Parma Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.7%Highest 0.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.3 miLowest 15.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.12Highest 0.26Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Jackson (20%)Jackson (20%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 1% work in Parma Township5% work in Sandstone Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.6%Lowest 1.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miLowest 5.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 3.9Highest 3.0Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #260 of 493 in MI—
School district Western School District—
High school in town None in town—
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.

Sandstone Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sandstone Township’s Town Square.

Parma Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Parma Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Sandstone Township

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+ Compare
Tompkins Township2,631 people · $207K homes
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Spring Arbor Township8,498 people · $218K homes
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Blackman Township25,605 people · $169K homes

Towns like Sandstone Township

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Sherman Township3,471 people · $263K homes
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Eaton Rapids Township4,001 people · $235K homes
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+ Compare
Leroy Township3,676 people · $245K homes
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+ Compare
Danby Township2,975 people · $289K 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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