What stands out worked out from the figures below

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Walker has the most trails (24.8 mi).

Alpine has the most affordable homes ($234k median).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing townOutdoorsyWalkable streets

Measure	Walker	Alpine
People
Population	25,386Highest	14,040Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Highest MI: +2%	+5.6%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age	36.9±2.1 8% below MI	36.9±2.3 8% below MI
Kids under 18	20.4%±2.2Lowest MI: 21.2%	21.9%±3Highest MI: 21.2%
	Alpine and Walker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.3%±2.2Highest MI: 18.6%	15.4%±2.9Lowest MI: 18.6%
	Walker and Alpine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38.6%Highest MI: 32.4%	27.3%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6%±1.2Highest MI: 6.1%	5.1%±1.4Lowest MI: 6.1%
	Walker and Alpine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$76,360±$5kHighest 5% above MI	$67,807±$13kLowest 7% below MI
	Walker and Alpine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$295,200±$14kHighest 27% above MI	$233,900±$12kLowest about the MI average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,202±$40Highest 6% above MI	$1,172±$45Lowest 4% above MI
	Walker and Alpine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,698Lowest 7% below MI	$2,807Highest 3% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	43.4%±9.5Lowest MI: 50.4%	52.4%±12Highest MI: 50.4%
	Alpine and Walker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.6%Lowest MI: 13.2%	11.2%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	65.2%Highest MI: 73.2%	60.1%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Lowest 12 yrs newer than MI	1985Highest 13 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 17% below MI	21 minHighest 12% below MI
Work from home	10%±2.1Highest MI: 13.5%	7.2%±3.3Lowest MI: 13.5%
	Walker and Alpine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents	10.8%Highest	5.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line	8.3 miLowest	9.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub	2.12Highest	0.73Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town	Grand Rapids (28%)	Grand Rapids (24%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others	2% work in Alpine	10% work in Walker
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town	9.9%Highest	3.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles	24.8 miHighest	4.8 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi	1.0 miHighest	0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map	12Highest	3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure	27.0Highest	7.7Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#99 of 490 in MI	#347 of 490 in MI
School district	Grand Rapids Public Schools · Grandville Public Schools	Comstock Park Public Schools · Kenowa Hills Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	Kenowa Hills High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	18.0
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MI average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data; commute flows: Census LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.