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Walker Township vs Forest Township

Next-door neighbors in Cheboygan County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (5.1× in Walker Township) and street grid (2.8× in Forest Township).

W ×
Walker Township, MIAn outdoors townCheboygan County · 496 people
F ×
Forest Township, MIAn outdoors townCheboygan County · 1,259 people
Swap order
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.

Walker TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors50.3% conserved land43 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves Work220 jobsbased in Walker Township, a regional job hub All about Walker Township →
Forest TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors#338 most conserved land in MI84 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves Health88% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Forest 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.

Jobs per worker5.1×
Walker Township is more of a job hub
Walker Township 2.16Forest Township 0.42
Street grid2.8×
Forest Township has the more walkable street grid
Forest Township 1.4Walker Township 0.5
Trails+93%
Forest Township has more miles of trail
Forest Township 83.8 miWalker Township 43.4 mi
Size2.5×
Forest Township is the bigger place
Forest Township 1,259Walker Township 496
Property tax bill+17%
Tax bills are bigger in Walker Township
Walker Township $1,233Forest Township $1,050
Homeowners+8.8 pts renters
Forest Township has more renters
Walker Township 86.3%Forest Township 77.5%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $400 more a month in Walker 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.

Walker Township$1,160/mo
Typical home $202K (Census) · tax rate 0.61% · or rent about $719/mo · Housing →
Forest Township$760/mo
Typical home $129K (Census) · tax rate 0.82% · or rent about $675/mo · Housing →

The difference: $400 a month, about $4,800 a year, between Walker Township and Forest 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

Walker Township and Forest Township share a border

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

Walker TownshipForest TownshipWalker TownshipForest Township
Walker Township ↔ Forest Township5.3 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
14 Forest Township residents work in Walker Township (4.1% of its workers)
Work & commute in Forest 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
–Walker TownshipNot graded DForest TownshipHealthier than 12% of U.S. towns
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
Walker TownshipForest Township
Snow a year87″87″
January low12°F12°F
July high80°F80°F
Growing season (days)135d135d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)54th54th
Outdoors & history
Walker TownshipForest Township
Trails43 mi84 mi
Conserved land50.3%49.1%
Community
Walker TownshipForest 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.

Walker TownshipForest Township
People
Population 496Lowest 1,259Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -6.5% MI: +2%
Median age 36.6±6.1Lowest 9% below MI 50.5±11.7Highest 26% above MI
Forest Township and Walker Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 30.2%±8.1Highest MI: 21.2% 19.9%±5Lowest MI: 21.2%
Walker Township and Forest Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 12.3%±3.3Lowest MI: 18.6% 20.3%±5.4Highest MI: 18.6%
Forest Township and Walker Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.8%Highest MI: 32.4% 10.1%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±3.1Lowest MI: 6.1% 2.2%±1.8Highest MI: 6.1%
Forest Township and Walker Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $75,833±$33kHighest 4% above MI $57,292±$15kLowest 21% below MI
Walker Township and Forest Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $202,100±$58kHighest 13% below MI $128,800±$22kLowest 44% below MI
Walker Township and Forest Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $719±$16Highest 36% below MI $675±$329Lowest 40% below MI
Walker Township and Forest Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,233Highest 58% below MI $1,050Lowest 64% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 40%±74.9Highest MI: 50.4% 7.1%±34.1Lowest MI: 50.4%
Walker Township and Forest Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11.9%Lowest MI: 13.2% 23.5%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 86.3%Highest MI: 73.2% 77.5%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Lowest 3 yrs newer than MI 1983Highest 11 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minHighest 18% above MI 26 minLowest 9% above MI
Work from home 5.6%±3.9Lowest MI: 13.5% 10.3%±5.9Highest MI: 13.5%
Forest Township and Walker Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1%Lowest 1.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 27.3 miLowest 31.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.16Highest 0.42Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Mentor Township (10%)Petoskey (6%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Forest Township4% work in Walker Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 50.3%Highest 49.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 43.4 miLowest 83.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.3 miHighest 1.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4 4
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.5Lowest 1.4Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#412 of 493 in MI
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.

Walker Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Walker Township’s Town Square.

Forest Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Forest Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Walker Township and Forest Township

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Bordering Walker Township

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Ellis Township585 people · $244K homes
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Nunda Township976 people · $173K homes
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Waverly Township642 people · $125K homes

Towns like Walker Township

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Bloomfield Township485 people · $193K homes
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Pewamo439 people · $189K homes
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Noble Township551 people · $225K homes
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Byron617 people · $165K 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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