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Sylvan Township vs Orient Township

Next-door neighbors in Osceola County. The biggest differences: household income (+67% in Orient Township) and average commute (10 min in Sylvan Township).

S ×
Sylvan Township, MIAn outdoors townOsceola County · 1,104 people
O ×
Orient Township, MIA small town of 632Osceola County · 632 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.

Sylvan TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors#79 most conserved land in MI4.4 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves Health81% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Sylvan Township →
Orient TownshipA small town of 632
Quiet strengthsOrient Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Orient 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.

Household income+67%
Households in Orient Township earn more
Orient Township $72,596Sylvan Township $43,583
Average commute10 min
Sylvan Township has the shorter commute
Orient Township 35 minSylvan Township 25 min
Property tax bill+26%
Tax bills are bigger in Orient Township
Orient Township $1,815Sylvan Township $1,440
Growth since 2010+6.8 pts
Orient Township has grown faster since 2010
Orient Township -5.2%Sylvan Township -12%
Trails+63%
Sylvan Township has more miles of trail
Sylvan Township 4.4 miOrient Township 2.7 mi
Jobs per worker+62%
Orient Township is more of a job hub
Orient Township 0.42Sylvan Township 0.26
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $320 more a month in Orient 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.

Sylvan Township$740/mo
Typical home $119K (Census) · tax rate 1.21% · or rent about $1,067/mo · Housing →
Orient Township$1,060/mo
Typical home $173K (Census) · tax rate 1.05% · or rent about $883/mo · Housing →

The difference: $320 a month, about $3,800 a year, between Orient Township and Sylvan 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.

Where they are

Sylvan Township and Orient Township share a border

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

Sylvan TownshipOrient TownshipSylvan TownshipOrient Township
Sylvan Township ↔ Orient Township4.6 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
6 Sylvan Township residents work in Orient Township (1.8% of its workers)
4 Orient Township residents work in Sylvan Township (1.9% of its workers)
Work & commute in Sylvan Township →
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.

Health
C−Sylvan TownshipHealthier than 19% of U.S. towns –Orient TownshipNot graded
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
Sylvan TownshipOrient Township
Snow a year61″61″
January low13°F13°F
July high81°F81°F
Growing season (days)142d142d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)44th44th
Outdoors & history
Sylvan TownshipOrient Township
Trails4 mi3 mi
Conserved land8.9%3.6%
Community
Sylvan TownshipOrient 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.

Sylvan TownshipOrient Township
People
Population 1,104Highest 632Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -12%Lowest MI: +2% -5.2%Highest MI: +2%
Median age 45.6±5.4Lowest 13% above MI 51±10.8Highest 27% above MI
Orient Township and Sylvan Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.7%±4.5Highest MI: 21.2% 16%±4.5Lowest MI: 21.2%
Sylvan Township and Orient Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 24.4%±4.3Highest MI: 18.6% 23.4%±2.4Lowest MI: 18.6%
Sylvan Township and Orient Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12.5%Lowest MI: 32.4% 17.8%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.1%±0.8Highest MI: 6.1% 0.9%±1.3Lowest MI: 6.1%
Sylvan Township and Orient Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $43,583±$5kLowest 40% below MI $72,596±$12kHighest about the MI average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $119,000±$14kLowest 49% below MI $173,400±$46kHighest 25% below MI
Orient Township and Sylvan Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,067±$109Highest 5% below MI $883±$510Lowest 22% below MI
Sylvan Township and Orient Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,440Lowest 50% below MI $1,815Highest 38% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 48.1%±25.2Lowest MI: 50.4% 72.7%±100Highest MI: 50.4%
Orient Township and Sylvan Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 20.5%Highest MI: 13.2% 10.8%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 91.2%Lowest MI: 73.2% 95.1%Highest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979 7 yrs newer than MI 1979 7 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minLowest about the MI average 35 minHighest 46% above MI
Work from home 2.6%±2Lowest MI: 13.5% 4.4%±3.3Highest MI: 13.5%
Orient Township and Sylvan Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.5%Lowest 1.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.3 miHighest 21.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.26Lowest 0.42Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Evart (17%)Evart (21%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 2% work in Orient Township2% work in Sylvan Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 8.9%Highest 3.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 4.4 miHighest 2.7 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 mi 0.1 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2 2
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.9Highest 1.6Lowest
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.

Sylvan Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sylvan Township’s Town Square.

Orient Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Orient Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Sylvan Township and Orient Township

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Bordering Sylvan Township

M
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Middle Branch Township849 people · $139K homes
O
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Osceola Township1,072 people · $154K homes
F
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Freeman Township1,431 people · $151K homes

Towns like Sylvan Township

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Richland Township1,062 people · $107K homes
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Fairgrove Township1,428 people · $103K homes
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+ Compare
Arenac Township891 people · $142K homes
+ Compare
Nadeau Township1,152 people · $158K 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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