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Waterloo Township vs Fabius Township

83 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4.7× in Waterloo Township) and street grid (+88% in Fabius Township).

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Waterloo Township, MIAn outdoors townJackson County · 2,964 people
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Fabius Township, MIKnown for its schoolsSt. Joseph County · 3,317 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.

Waterloo TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors#43 most conserved land in MI54 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 64%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Waterloo Township →
Fabius TownshipKnown for its schools
Schools#65 for schools in MIof 493 towns Health64% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Fabius 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.

Trails4.7×
Waterloo Township has more miles of trail
Waterloo Township 54.4 miFabius Township 11.5 mi
Street grid+88%
Fabius Township has the more walkable street grid
Fabius Township 6.0Waterloo Township 3.2
Seasonal homes+17 pts
Fabius Township has more second homes
Fabius Township 24.6%Waterloo Township 7.6%
Conserved land+16.6 pts
Waterloo Township has more conserved land
Waterloo Township 19.4%Fabius Township 2.8%
Average commute8 min
Fabius Township has the shorter commute
Waterloo Township 32 minFabius Township 24 min
Property tax bill+22%
Tax bills are bigger in Waterloo Township
Waterloo Township $2,932Fabius Township $2,406
★ What stands out · Report cards

Waterloo Township places higher on 12 of 19 MI lists

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
–Waterloo TownshipNot graded B+Fabius TownshipBetter than 70% of districts in the state
Health
BWaterloo TownshipHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns C+Fabius TownshipHealthier than 36% of U.S. towns
12Waterloo Township
7Fabius Township

Lists won, of 19 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Cheapest rentCost of living · 687 towns #604#29 Most conserved landOutdoors · 712 towns #43#456 Shortest commuteGetting around · 723 towns #646#321 Fewest smokersHealth · 723 towns #144#467 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 723 towns #50#353 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 723 towns #194#495 Most trailsOutdoors · 601 towns #132#344 HealthiestHealth · 723 towns #240#472

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

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.

Waterloo Township$1,520/mo
Typical home $244K (Census) · tax rate 1.20% · or rent about $1,446/mo · Housing →
Fabius Township$1,620/mo
Typical home $271K (Census) · tax rate 0.89% · or rent about $687/mo · Housing →

The difference: $100 a month, about $1,200 a year, between Fabius Township and Waterloo 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.

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
Waterloo TownshipFabius Township
Snow a year33″41″
January low16°F17°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)163d170d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)38th17th
Outdoors & history
Waterloo TownshipFabius Township
Trails54 mi12 mi
Conserved land19.4%2.8%
Settled—1829
National Register places1—
Famous people born here11
Community
Waterloo TownshipFabius Township
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

83 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Waterloo TownshipJackson CountyFabius TownshipSt. Joseph County
Waterloo Township ↔ Fabius Township83 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.

Waterloo TownshipFabius Township
People
Population 2,964Lowest 3,317Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.6%Highest MI: +2% +1.9%Lowest MI: +2%
Median age 54.6±5.6Lowest 36% above MI 55.7±3.8Highest 39% above MI
Fabius Township and Waterloo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 14.5%±4.1Lowest MI: 21.2% 17.5%±4.7Highest MI: 21.2%
Fabius Township and Waterloo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 30.9%±7.4Highest MI: 18.6% 29.6%±5.3Lowest MI: 18.6%
Waterloo Township and Fabius Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 27.5%Lowest MI: 32.4% 31.5%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.6%±1.7Lowest MI: 6.1% 2.9%±1.8Highest MI: 6.1%
Fabius Township and Waterloo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $74,500±$17kLowest about the MI average $95,875±$17kHighest 32% above MI
Fabius Township and Waterloo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $243,600±$27kLowest 5% above MI $270,700±$26kHighest 17% above MI
Fabius Township and Waterloo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,446±$839Highest 28% above MI $687±$163Lowest 39% below MI
Waterloo Township and Fabius Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,932Highest about the MI average $2,406Lowest 17% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 13.1%±27.2Highest MI: 50.4% 3.5%±34Lowest MI: 50.4%
Waterloo Township and Fabius Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7.4%Lowest MI: 13.2% 8.8%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 91.6%Lowest MI: 73.2% 95.3%Highest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1982Highest 10 yrs newer than MI 1974Lowest 2 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 32 minHighest 33% above MI 24 minLowest about the MI average
Work from home 15.8%±6Highest MI: 13.5% 13.8%±8Lowest MI: 13.5%
Waterloo Township and Fabius Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 3.4%Highest 1.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.3 miLowest 19.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.20Lowest 0.23Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Chelsea (14%)Three Rivers (20%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Fabius TownshipFew work in Waterloo Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 19.4%Highest 2.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 54.4 miHighest 11.5 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.1 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 7Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 3.2Lowest 6.0Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#65 of 493 in MI
School district —Three Rivers Community Schools
High school in town —None in town
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.

Waterloo Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Waterloo Township’s Town Square.

Fabius Township neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

First Time Home Buyers

1 neighbor in Fabius Township can answer.

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Bordering Waterloo Township

+ Compare
Grass Lake Township6,177 people · $297K homes
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Lyndon Township2,663 people · $350K homes
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Henrietta Township4,681 people · $205K homes
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Sylvan Township3,451 people · $396K homes

Towns like Waterloo Township

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Lake Township2,837 people · $230K homes
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Ovid Township2,337 people · $249K homes
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Worth Township3,461 people · $220K homes
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Porter Township2,540 people · $307K 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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