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Union Township vs Root Township

64 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (6.6× in Union Township) and growth since 2010 (+35.9 pts in Root Township).

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Union Township, INAn outdoors townMadison County · 8,977 people
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Root Township, INOne of the healthiest townsAdams County · 6,115 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.

Union TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors#108 most trails in IN9.9 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves Health62% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 23%of IN districts All about Union Township →
Root TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health78% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Root 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.

Trails6.6×
Union Township has more miles of trail
Union Township 9.9 miRoot Township 1.5 mi
Growth since 2010+35.9 pts
Root Township has grown faster since 2010
Root Township +35.8%Union Township -0.1%
Jobs per worker4.1×
Root Township is more of a job hub
Root Township 0.86Union Township 0.21
Street grid2.8×
Union Township has the more walkable street grid
Union Township 20.4Root Township 7.2
Household income+19%
Households in Union Township earn more
Union Township $75,795Root Township $63,492
Work in town+9.6 pts
More of Root Township’s workers stay in town
Root Township 13.6%Union Township 4%
★ What stands out · 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.

Union Township$1,010/mo
Typical home $172K (Census) · tax rate 0.73% · or rent about $963/mo · Housing →
Root Township$1,130/mo
Typical home $194K (Census) · tax rate 0.70% · or rent about $992/mo · Housing →

The difference: $120 a month, about $1,500 a year, between Root Township and Union 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

Union Township places higher on 13 of 20 IN lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Indiana ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
C−Union TownshipBetter than 23% of districts in the state C+Root TownshipBetter than 40% of districts in the state
Health
C+Union TownshipHealthier than 38% of U.S. towns C−Root TownshipHealthier than 22% of U.S. towns
13Union Township
6Root Township

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

Most trailsOutdoors · 423 towns #108#387 Fastest growingGrowth · 607 towns #398#20 Lowest obesityHealth · 607 towns #58#379 Most conserved landOutdoors · 529 towns #225#422 Most remote workersWork · 605 towns #238#454 Shortest commuteGetting around · 611 towns #292#115 Highest graduation rateSchools · 563 towns #459#301 Lowest depressionHealth · 607 towns #381#217

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

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
Union TownshipRoot Township
Snow a year26″28″
January low—18°F
July high—84°F
Growing season (days)—178d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)33rd38th
Outdoors & history
Union TownshipRoot Township
Trails10 mi2 mi
Conserved land2.7%0.5%
Settled1830—
National Register places11
Archive photos—1
Famous people born here—1
Community
Union TownshipRoot 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.

Where they are

64 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Union TownshipMadison CountyRoot TownshipAdams County
Union Township ↔ Root Township64 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.

Union TownshipRoot Township
People
Population 8,977Highest 6,115Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -0.1%Lowest IN: +4.7% +35.8%Highest IN: +4.7%
Median age 48.1±3.1Highest 26% above IN 45.4±4Lowest 19% above IN
Union Township and Root Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 16.4%±3.3Lowest IN: 23.3% 19.7%±3.9Highest IN: 23.3%
Root Township and Union Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 25.9%±3.9Highest IN: 16.8% 22.3%±4.1Lowest IN: 16.8%
Union Township and Root Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 24.8%Highest IN: 29.5% 19.2%Lowest IN: 29.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.3%±2.2Lowest IN: 5.8% 5%±2Highest IN: 5.8%
Root Township and Union Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $75,795±$3kHighest 5% above IN $63,492±$7kLowest 12% below IN
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $172,000±$9kLowest 21% below IN $193,800±$25kHighest 11% below IN
Root Township and Union Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $963±$65Lowest 9% below IN $992±$120Highest 7% below IN
Root Township and Union Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,259Lowest 22% below IN $1,349Highest 16% below IN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 51.3%±17.3Lowest IN: 48.1% 62.6%±20Highest IN: 48.1%
Root Township and Union Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4.9%Lowest IN: 12.3% 12.1%Highest IN: 12.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 89.1%Highest IN: 70.6% 86.4%Lowest IN: 70.6%
Typical home builtmedian year 1974Highest 2 yrs older than IN 1971Lowest 5 yrs older than IN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minHighest about the IN average 20 minLowest 18% below IN
Work from home 8.9%±3Highest IN: 10.7% 5.2%±3.1Lowest IN: 10.7%
Union Township and Root Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4%Lowest 13.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.8 miHighest 15.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.21Lowest 0.86Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Anderson (25%)Decatur (31%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Root TownshipFew work in Union Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.7%Highest 0.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 9.9 miHighest 1.5 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 8Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 20.4Highest 7.2Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #348 of 350 in IN#255 of 350 in IN
School district Anderson Community School CorpNorth Adams Community Schools
High school in town None in townBellmont Senior High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 12.6
Indiana 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.

Union Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Union Township’s Town Square.

Root Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Root Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Union Township

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Anderson Township55,620 people · $127K homes
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Fall Creek Township4,674 people · $175K homes
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Richland Township5,101 people · $175K homes
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Anderson55,367 people · $119K homes

Towns like Union Township

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Turkey Creek Township8,629 people · $237K homes
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Tippecanoe Township6,579 people · $235K homes
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Otter Creek Township8,987 people · $162K homes
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Taylor Township9,396 people · $169K 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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