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Spring Arbor Township vs Summit Township

Next-door neighbors in Jackson County. The biggest differences: street grid (3.9× in Summit Township) and trails (4.2× in Summit Township).

S ×
Spring Arbor Township, MIKnown for its schoolsJackson County · 8,498 people
S ×
Summit Township, MIAn outdoors townJackson County · 22,817 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.

Spring Arbor TownshipKnown for its schools
Schools#168 for schools in MIof 493 towns SafetySafer than 91%of U.S. towns we grade HealthHealthier than 57%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Spring Arbor Township →
Summit TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors#254 most walkable in MI9.6 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves Health79% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates College town1 collegeJackson College All about Summit 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.

Street grid3.9×
Summit Township has the more walkable street grid
Summit Township 28.6Spring Arbor Township 7.4
Trails4.2×
Summit Township has more miles of trail
Summit Township 9.6 miSpring Arbor Township 2.3 mi
Household income+32%
Households in Spring Arbor Township earn more
Spring Arbor Township $87,316Summit Township $65,987
Size2.7×
Summit Township is the bigger place
Summit Township 22,817Spring Arbor Township 8,498
Age 65++7 pts
Summit Township has more people 65 and up
Summit Township 24.5%Spring Arbor Township 17.5%
Typical home built15 yrs
Summit Township’s homes are older
Spring Arbor Township 1977Summit Township 1962
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $550 more a month in Spring Arbor 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.

Spring Arbor Township$1,790/mo
Typical home $281K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.34% · or rent about $1,078/mo · Housing →
Summit Township$1,240/mo
Typical home $197K (Census) · tax rate 1.26% · or rent about $1,069/mo · Housing →

The difference: $550 a month, about $6,500 a year, between Spring Arbor Township and Summit 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

Spring Arbor Township places higher on 11 of 20 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.

Safety
ASpring Arbor TownshipSafer than 91% of U.S. towns –Summit TownshipNot graded
Schools
BSpring Arbor TownshipBetter than 63% of districts in the state CSummit TownshipBetter than 25% of districts in the state
Health
BSpring Arbor TownshipHealthier than 57% of U.S. towns C−Summit TownshipHealthier than 21% of U.S. towns
11Spring Arbor Township
8Summit Township

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

Fewest uninsuredHealth · 723 towns #163#529 Lowest obesityHealth · 723 towns #260#602 Fewest smokersHealth · 723 towns #144#467 Most activeHealth · 723 towns #287#610 HealthiestHealth · 723 towns #294#615 Best schoolsSchools · 493 towns #168#372 Highest incomeIncome · 723 towns #234#503 Most trailsOutdoors · 601 towns #544#347

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

Where they are

Spring Arbor Township and Summit Township share a border

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

Spring Arbor TownshipSummit TownshipSpring Arbor TownshipSummit Township
Spring Arbor Township ↔ Summit Township5.6 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
216 Summit Township residents work in Spring Arbor Township (2.4% of its workers)
195 Spring Arbor Township residents work in Summit Township (6.5% of its workers)
Work & commute in Summit 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
Spring Arbor TownshipSummit Township
Snow a year40″44″
January low—15°F
July high—83°F
Growing season (days)—161d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)17th26th
Outdoors & history
Spring Arbor TownshipSummit Township
Trails2 mi10 mi
Conserved land2.5%5.6%
Community
Spring Arbor TownshipSummit Township
Library hours a week45 hrs49 hrs
Colleges in town11
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.

Spring Arbor TownshipSummit Township
People
Population 8,498Lowest 22,817Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.2%Highest MI: +2% +1.8%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 38.9±4.9Lowest 3% below MI 45.8±3.2Highest 14% above MI
Summit Township and Spring Arbor Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 21.3%±4.2Highest MI: 21.2% 19.3%±2.1Lowest MI: 21.2%
Spring Arbor Township and Summit Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.5%±3.8Lowest MI: 18.6% 24.5%±2.3Highest MI: 18.6%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 35.3%Highest MI: 32.4% 30.1%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 14.7%±2.3Highest MI: 6.1% 4.7%±0.8Lowest MI: 6.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $87,316±$10kHighest 20% above MI $65,987±$3kLowest 9% below MI
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $217,700±$27kHighest 6% below MI $197,400±$11kLowest 15% below MI
Spring Arbor Township and Summit Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,078±$309Highest 5% below MI $1,069±$70Lowest 5% below MI
Spring Arbor Township and Summit Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,915Highest about the MI average $2,486Lowest 14% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 13.5%±8.6Lowest MI: 50.4% 38.6%±7.4Highest MI: 50.4%
Below poverty line 6.5%Lowest MI: 13.2% 7.7%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 81.7%Highest MI: 73.2% 81.2%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1977Highest 5 yrs newer than MI 1962Lowest 10 yrs older than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minHighest 15% below MI 19 minLowest 20% below MI
Work from home 7.3%±2.1Lowest MI: 13.5% 9.5%±2.4Highest MI: 13.5%
Summit Township and Spring Arbor Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 7.4%Lowest 9.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 miHighest 5.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.59Lowest 0.69Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Jackson (20%)Jackson (27%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 7% work in Summit Township2% work in Spring Arbor Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.5%Lowest 5.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 2.3 miLowest 9.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 6Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 7.4Lowest 28.6Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #168 of 493 in MI#372 of 493 in MI
School district Western School DistrictJackson Preparatory & Early College · Jackson Public Schools
High school in town Western High SchoolJackson Preparatory Early College
Students per teacherat that high school 19.8 19.8
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.

Spring Arbor Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Spring Arbor Township’s Town Square.

Summit Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Summit Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Spring Arbor Township

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Concord Township2,739 people · $188K homes
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Hanover Township3,669 people · $228K homes
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Sandstone Township3,902 people · $231K homes

Towns like Spring Arbor Township

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Schoolcraft Township9,237 people · $258K homes
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Flushing8,284 people · $205K homes
F
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Flat Rock10,340 people · $229K homes
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Northfield Township8,595 people · $315K 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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