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

B−SanduskySafer than 53% of U.S. towns C+MarletteSafer than 43% of U.S. towns

Schools

B+SanduskyBetter than 71% of districts in the state A−MarletteBetter than 84% of districts in the state

Health

CSanduskyHealthier than 29% of U.S. towns C−MarletteHealthier than 16% of U.S. towns

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%

Sandusky$1,110/mo

Typical home $176K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.25% · or rent about $784/mo · Housing →

Marlette$1,110/mo

Typical home $183K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.98% · or rent about $873/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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.

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

SanduskyMarlette

Snow a year43″42″

January low13°F 15°F

July high80°F 82°F

Growing season (days)152d 154d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)24th 17th

Outdoors & history

SanduskyMarlette

Trails0 mi 0 mi

Conserved land12.6%13.7%

Archive photos6 —

Famous people born here3 —

Community

SanduskyMarlette

Library hours a week49 hrs 42 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

14 miles apart

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

SanduskyMarlette

Sandusky ↔ Marlette14 miles apart

Who commutes between them

60 Marlette residents work in Sandusky (9.5% of its workers)

34 Sandusky residents work in Marlette (3.4% of its workers)

Work & commute in Marlette →

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

SanduskyMarlette

People

Population 2,694Highest 1,850Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.1%Highest MI: +2% -1.1%Lowest MI: +2%

Median age 39.1±2.9Highest about the MI average 38.2±3.5Lowest 5% below MI

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

Kids under 18 18.7%±4.6Lowest MI: 21.2% 22.2%±2.5Highest MI: 21.2%

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

Age 65+ 19.7%±4Highest MI: 18.6% 18.2%±2.9Lowest MI: 18.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.6%Highest MI: 32.4% 12.1%Lowest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.4%±1.4Lowest MI: 6.1% 2.6%±1.4Highest MI: 6.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $56,563±$31kHighest 22% below MI $48,571±$6kLowest 33% below MI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $113,800±$12kLowest 51% below MI $132,300±$19kHighest 43% below MI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $784±$41Lowest 31% below MI $873±$81Highest 23% below MI

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,425Highest 51% below MI $1,301Lowest 55% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 45%±11.3Highest MI: 50.4% 40.6%±13.1Lowest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 16.1%Lowest MI: 13.2% 18%Highest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 55.4%Lowest MI: 73.2% 56.1%Highest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1966Highest 6 yrs older than MI 1963Lowest 9 yrs older than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 24 minLowest about the MI average 25 minHighest 5% above MI

Work from home 1.1%±2Lowest MI: 13.5% 3.5%±2Highest MI: 13.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 32.8%Highest 20.4%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.3 miLowest 21.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.71Highest 2.30Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Watertown Township (4%)Sandusky (9%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others 3% work in Marlette9% work in Sandusky

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 12.6%Lowest 13.7%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 65.2Highest 50.4Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #193 of 493 in MI—

School district Sandusky Community School DistrictMarlette Community Schools

High school in town Sandusky JuniorSenior High SchoolMarlette JrSr High School

Students per teacherat that high school 19.2Highest 18.7Lowest

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.

Sandusky neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sandusky’s Town Square.

Marlette neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marlette’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Sandusky and Marlette

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Bordering Sandusky

+ Compare

Watertown Township1,163 people · $175K homes

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Custer Township913 people · $142K homes

Towns like Sandusky

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Reed City2,517 people · $115K homes

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Corunna3,037 people · $151K homes

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Cassopolis1,834 people · $110K homes

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Hart1,924 people · $141K 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.

Sandusky vs Marlette

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Grades and rankings, side by side

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

14 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Sandusky and Marlette

Bordering Sandusky

Towns like Sandusky

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