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.

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%

Sunfield$1,510/mo

Typical home $239K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.26% · or rent about $896/mo · Housing →

McBain$1,510/mo

Typical home $242K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.16% · or rent about $298/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.

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

–SunfieldNot graded A−McBainBetter than 84% of districts in the state

Where they are

100 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SunfieldMI McBainMI

Sunfield ↔ McBain100 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

SunfieldMcBain

People

Population 658Lowest 706Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -10.4%Lowest MI: +2% -2.9%Highest MI: +2%

Median age 40.5±6.4Highest about the MI average 37.8±8.1Lowest 6% below MI

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

Kids under 18 17.5%±4.1Lowest MI: 21.2% 19%±3.4Highest MI: 21.2%

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

Age 65+ 14.6%±4.3Lowest MI: 18.6% 24.1%±7Highest MI: 18.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 6.1%Lowest MI: 32.4% 9.6%Highest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.3%±2.6 MI: 6.1% 3.3%±2.7 MI: 6.1%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $69,821±$9kHighest 4% below MI $47,083±$18kLowest 35% below MI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $156,000±$8kHighest 33% below MI $141,700±$36kLowest 39% below MI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $896±$321Highest 21% below MI $298±$101Lowest 74% below MI

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,973Highest 32% below MI $1,643Lowest 43% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 31.3%±17.3Lowest MI: 50.4% 62.6%±47.2Highest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 16%Highest MI: 13.2% 12.3%Lowest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 61.8%Lowest MI: 73.2% 62.1%Highest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1966Highest 6 yrs older than MI 1962Lowest 10 yrs older than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 29 minHighest 20% above MI 18 minLowest 25% below MI

Work from home 3.2%±2Lowest MI: 13.5% 3.7%±2.9Highest MI: 13.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 12.1%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.8 miHighest 10.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.80Lowest 2.56Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Lansing (15%)Cadillac (20%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in McBainFew work in Sunfield

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.1%Lowest 2.3%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 3Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 31.7Highest 22.4Lowest

Schools

School district —McBain Rural Agricultural Schools

High school in town —McBain High School

Students per teacherat that high school — 17.1

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.

Sunfield neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sunfield’s Town Square.

McBain neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to McBain’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Sunfield

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Addison534 people · $137K homes

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Newkirk Township909 people · $111K 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.

Sunfield vs McBain

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

McBain gets 37 more inches of snow a year

A typical home costs about the same each month

Grades and rankings, side by side

100 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Sunfield and McBain

Towns like Sunfield

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