Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Spaulding Township vs James Township

Next-door neighbors in Saginaw County. The biggest differences: home values (+40% in James Township) and jobs per worker (2.6× in Spaulding Township).

×
Spaulding Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsSaginaw County · 1,986 people
×
James Township, MIAn outdoors townSaginaw County · 1,712 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.

Spaulding TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health99% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Outdoors43.5% conserved land15 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves All about Spaulding Township →
James TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors45.6% conserved land22 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves SchoolsBetter than 85%of MI districts All about James 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.

Home values+40%
Homes cost more in James Township
James Township $165,100Spaulding Township $117,600
Jobs per worker2.6×
Spaulding Township is more of a job hub
Spaulding Township 0.41James Township 0.16
Property tax bill+29%
Tax bills are bigger in James Township
James Township $2,347Spaulding Township $1,820
Average commute7 min
Spaulding Township has the shorter commute
James Township 28 minSpaulding Township 22 min
Typical home built14 yrs
Spaulding Township’s homes are older
James Township 1968Spaulding Township 1954
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $290 more a month in James 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.

Spaulding Township$770/mo
Typical home $118K (Census) · tax rate 1.55% · or rent about $692/mo · Housing →
James Township$1,060/mo
Typical home $165K (Census) · tax rate 1.42% · or rent about $910/mo · Housing →

The difference: $290 a month, about $3,500 a year, between James Township and Spaulding 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

Grades and rankings, side by side

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
–Spaulding TownshipNot graded AJames TownshipBetter than 85% of districts in the state
Health
D−Spaulding TownshipHealthier than under 1% of U.S. towns B−James TownshipHealthier than 47% of U.S. towns
Where they are

Spaulding Township and James Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Spaulding TownshipJames TownshipSpaulding TownshipJames Township
Spaulding Township ↔ James Township3.8 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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
Spaulding TownshipJames Township
Snow a year41″41″
January low16°F16°F
July high83°F83°F
Growing season (days)175d175d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)67th84th
Outdoors & history
Spaulding TownshipJames Township
Trails15 mi22 mi
Conserved land43.5%45.6%
National Register places1—
Archive photos2—
Famous people born here1—
Community
Spaulding TownshipJames 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.

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.

Spaulding TownshipJames Township
People
Population 1,986Highest 1,712Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -8.3%Highest MI: +2% -11.4%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 58.1±8.4Highest 45% above MI 50.5±3.1Lowest 26% above MI
Spaulding Township and James Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 16.7%±4.5Lowest MI: 21.2% 19.1%±3.4Highest MI: 21.2%
James Township and Spaulding Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 35.7%±8.9Highest MI: 18.6% 24.9%±3.1Lowest MI: 18.6%
Spaulding Township and James Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.2%Lowest MI: 32.4% 17.6%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1%±1Lowest MI: 6.1% 2.3%±1.4Highest MI: 6.1%
James Township and Spaulding Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $61,518±$3kLowest 16% below MI $70,000±$9kHighest 4% below MI
James Township and Spaulding Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $117,600±$13kLowest 49% below MI $165,100±$9kHighest 29% below MI
Rentmedian gross, monthly $692±$99Lowest 39% below MI $910±$146Highest 19% below MI
James Township and Spaulding Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,820Lowest 37% below MI $2,347Highest 19% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 100%±100Highest MI: 50.4% 23.5%±34.2Lowest MI: 50.4%
Spaulding Township and James Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11.4% MI: 13.2% 11.4% MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 95.4%Highest MI: 73.2% 93.2%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1954Lowest 18 yrs older than MI 1968Highest 4 yrs older than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 10% below MI 28 minHighest 17% above MI
Work from home 4.4%±3.4Lowest MI: 13.5% 5%±2Highest MI: 13.5%
James Township and Spaulding Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.9%Highest 2.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.3 miHighest 8.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.41Highest 0.16Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Saginaw (21%)Saginaw (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in James TownshipFew work in Spaulding Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 43.5%Lowest 45.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 14.9 miLowest 21.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miLowest 1.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2 2
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.9Highest 2.7Lowest
Schools
School district —Swan Valley 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.

Spaulding Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Spaulding Township’s Town Square.

James Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to James Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Spaulding Township and James Township

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

Bordering Spaulding Township

+ Compare
Saginaw43,536 people · $60K homes
A
+ Compare
Albee Township1,645 people · $160K homes
B
+ Compare
Bridgeport Township9,967 people · $110K homes

Towns like Spaulding Township

L
+ Compare
Lincoln Township1,410 people · $144K homes
S
+ Compare
South Branch Township1,839 people · $146K homes
M
+ Compare
Martiny Township1,701 people · $176K homes
B
+ Compare
Billings Township2,086 people · $166K 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 Spaulding Township

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