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%

Wakefield$750/mo

Typical home $115K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.58% · or rent about $649/mo · Housing →

Higgins Township$660/mo

Typical home $103K (Census) · tax rate 1.40% · or rent about $668/mo · Housing →

The difference: $90 a month, about $1,100 a year, between Wakefield and Higgins 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

C+WakefieldBetter than 41% of districts in the state –Higgins TownshipNot graded

Health

C−WakefieldHealthier than 24% of U.S. towns C−Higgins TownshipHealthier than 23% of U.S. towns

Where they are

297 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WakefieldMI Higgins TownshipRoscommon County

Wakefield ↔ Higgins Township297 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

WakefieldHiggins Township

People

Population 1,683Lowest 2,054Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -8%Lowest MI: +2% -3.5%Highest MI: +2%

Median age 52.8±8.7Lowest 31% above MI 53.4±5.7Highest 33% above MI

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

Kids under 18 15.7%±4.3Highest MI: 21.2% 13.1%±3.4Lowest MI: 21.2%

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

Age 65+ 28.8%±2.8Highest MI: 18.6% 23.2%±4Lowest MI: 18.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.4%Lowest MI: 32.4% 17.5%Highest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2%±1.2Lowest MI: 6.1% 2.5%±1.2Highest MI: 6.1%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $55,759±$8kHighest 23% below MI $55,313±$12kLowest 24% below MI

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $79,100±$10kLowest 66% below MI $103,000±$20kHighest 56% below MI

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $649±$59Lowest 43% below MI $668±$91Highest 41% below MI

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,248Lowest 57% below MI $1,442Highest 50% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 38.2%±15.7Lowest MI: 50.4% 38.8%±11.6Highest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 15%Highest MI: 13.2% 9.9%Lowest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 82.1%Highest MI: 73.2% 79.6%Lowest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1948Lowest 24 yrs older than MI 1976Highest 4 yrs newer than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 22 minHighest 10% below MI 20 minLowest 19% below MI

Work from home 2.8%±1.7Lowest MI: 13.5% 8.2%±3.2Highest MI: 13.5%

Work in townworking residents 17.7%Highest 14.9%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.3 miLowest 21.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.81Lowest 1.67Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Ironwood (15%)Grayling (9%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Higgins TownshipFew work in Wakefield

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 14.8%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 6.2 miLowest 130.0 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miLowest 1.8 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 4Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 20.9Highest 2.3Lowest

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.

Wakefield neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wakefield’s Town Square.

Higgins Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Higgins Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Wakefield and Higgins Township

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

Bordering Wakefield

+ Compare

Wakefield Township446 people · $143K homes

+ Compare

Bessemer Township1,225 people · $104K homes

Towns like Wakefield

+ Compare

Briley Township1,840 people · $122K homes

+ Compare

Fork Township1,556 people · $145K homes

+ Compare

Sebewaing Township2,648 people · $111K homes

+ Compare

Hillman Township2,054 people · $132K 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.

Wakefield vs Higgins Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Wakefield gets 120 more inches of snow a year

A typical home costs about the same each month

Grades and rankings, side by side

297 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Wakefield and Higgins Township

Bordering Wakefield

Towns like Wakefield

Post to Wakefield

Check your email