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%

Waterloo Township$1,520/mo

Typical home $244K (Census) · tax rate 1.20% · or rent about $1,446/mo · Housing →

Hope Township$1,380/mo

Typical home $232K (Census) · tax rate 0.81% · Housing →

The difference: $150 a month, about $1,800 a year, between Waterloo Township and Hope 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

Waterloo Township places higher on 12 of 18 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−Hope TownshipBetter than 47% of districts in the state

Health

BWaterloo TownshipHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns B−Hope TownshipHealthier than 54% of U.S. towns

12Waterloo Township

6Hope Township

Lists won, of 18 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most trailsOutdoors · 601 towns #132#506 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 723 towns #194#523 Lowest property taxCost of living · 723 towns #436#132 Fastest growingGrowth · 723 towns #295#576 Highest incomeIncome · 723 towns #389#133 Most conserved landOutdoors · 712 towns #43#242 Fewest smokersHealth · 723 towns #144#307 Lowest depressionHealth · 723 towns #233#116

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

Where they are

61 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Waterloo TownshipJackson County Hope TownshipBarry County

Waterloo Township ↔ Hope Township61 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

Waterloo TownshipHope Township

People

Population 2,964Lowest 3,187Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.6%Highest MI: +2% -2.6%Lowest MI: +2%

Median age 54.6±5.6Lowest 36% above MI 57±6.1Highest 42% above MI

Hope 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%±4.1Highest MI: 21.2% 11.5%±5.1Lowest MI: 21.2%

Waterloo Township and Hope 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% 26.9%±6.2Lowest MI: 18.6%

Waterloo Township and Hope 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%Highest MI: 32.4% 26.1%Lowest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.6%±1.7Lowest MI: 6.1% 3.6%±2.6Highest MI: 6.1%

Hope 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 $99,427±$18kHighest 36% above MI

Hope 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±$27kHighest 5% above MI $232,300±$27kLowest about the MI average

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,446±$839 28% above MI —

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,932Highest about the MI average $1,893Lowest 35% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 13.1%±27.2Highest MI: 50.4% 0%±81.5Lowest MI: 50.4%

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

Below poverty line 7.4%Highest MI: 13.2% 5.6%Lowest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 91.6%Lowest MI: 73.2% 98%Highest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1982Highest 10 yrs newer than MI 1969Lowest 3 yrs older than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 32 minLowest 33% above MI 42 minHighest 73% above MI

Work from home 15.8%±6Highest MI: 13.5% 14.5%±8.4Lowest MI: 13.5%

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

Work in townworking residents 3.4%Lowest 3.6%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.3 miLowest 21.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.20Highest 0.16Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Chelsea (14%)Kalamazoo (8%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Hope TownshipFew work in Waterloo Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 19.4%Highest 6.5%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 54.4 miHighest 3.7 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.1 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 3Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 3.2Lowest 4.3Highest

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.

Hope Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hope Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Waterloo Township

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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

+ Compare

Porter Township2,540 people · $307K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Michigan towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

Waterloo Township vs Hope Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Hope Township gets 35 more inches of snow a year

A typical home costs about the same each month

Waterloo Township places higher on 12 of 18 MI lists

61 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Waterloo Township and Hope Township

Bordering Waterloo Township

Towns like Waterloo Township

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