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Waverly Township vs Forest Township

Next-door neighbors in Cheboygan County. The biggest differences: conserved land (+39.2 pts in Forest Township) and seasonal homes (+18.2 pts in Waverly Township).

W ×
Waverly Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsCheboygan County · 642 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.

Waverly TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health72% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Waverly 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.

Conserved land+39.2 pts
Forest Township has more conserved land
Forest Township 49.1%Waverly Township 9.9%
Seasonal homes+18.2 pts
Waverly Township has more second homes
Waverly Township 41.9%Forest Township 23.7%
Homeowners+16.3 pts renters
Forest Township has more renters
Waverly Township 93.8%Forest Township 77.5%
Trails+61%
Waverly Township has more miles of trail
Waverly Township 134.6 miForest Township 83.8 mi
Average commute5 min
Waverly Township has the shorter commute
Forest Township 26 minWaverly Township 22 min
Property tax bill+17%
Tax bills are bigger in Waverly Township
Waverly Township $1,233Forest Township $1,050
★ What stands out · Report cards

Forest Township places higher on 9 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.

Health
CWaverly TownshipHealthier than 28% of U.S. towns DForest TownshipHealthier than 12% of U.S. towns
7Waverly Township
9Forest Township

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

Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 723 towns #93#666 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 723 towns #529#163 Most new homesHousing · 512 towns #187#403 Most conserved landOutdoors · 712 towns #546#338 Highest incomeIncome · 723 towns #268#439 Cheapest rentCost of living · 687 towns #403#252 Fastest growingGrowth · 723 towns #541#661 Highest graduation rateSchools · 540 towns #448#367

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

Where they are

Waverly Township and Forest Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Waverly TownshipForest TownshipWaverly TownshipForest Township
Waverly Township ↔ Forest Township9.7 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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.

Waverly Township$760/mo
Typical home $125K (Census) · tax rate 0.99% · or rent about $850/mo · Housing →
Forest Township$760/mo
Typical home $129K (Census) · tax rate 0.82% · or rent about $675/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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
Waverly TownshipForest Township
Snow a year87″87″
January low12°F12°F
July high80°F80°F
Growing season (days)135d135d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)57th54th
Outdoors & history
Waverly TownshipForest Township
Trails135 mi84 mi
Conserved land9.9%49.1%
Community
Waverly 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.

Waverly TownshipForest Township
People
Population 642Lowest 1,259Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -6.5% MI: +2%
Median age 42.2±6.5Lowest 5% above MI 50.5±11.7Highest 26% above MI
Forest Township and Waverly Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.2%±6.1Highest MI: 21.2% 19.9%±5Lowest MI: 21.2%
Waverly Township and Forest Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.1%±5.6Lowest MI: 18.6% 20.3%±5.4Highest MI: 18.6%
Forest Township and Waverly Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.9%Highest MI: 32.4% 10.1%Lowest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.3%±4.7Highest MI: 6.1% 2.2%±1.8Lowest MI: 6.1%
Waverly Township and Forest Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $67,375±$19kHighest 8% below MI $57,292±$15kLowest 21% below MI
Waverly 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 $125,000±$50kLowest 46% below MI $128,800±$22kHighest 44% below MI
Forest Township and Waverly Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $850±$91Highest 25% below MI $675±$329Lowest 40% below MI
Waverly 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 0%±100Lowest MI: 50.4% 7.1%±34.1Highest MI: 50.4%
Forest Township and Waverly Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 19.9%Lowest MI: 13.2% 23.5%Highest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 93.8%Highest MI: 73.2% 77.5%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1983 11 yrs newer than MI 1983 11 yrs newer than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 11% below MI 26 minHighest 9% above MI
Work from home 11.5%±5.4Highest MI: 13.5% 10.3%±5.9Lowest MI: 13.5%
Waverly Township and Forest Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.8%Lowest 1.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 30.3 miLowest 31.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.33Lowest 0.42Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Cheboygan (11%)Petoskey (6%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Forest TownshipFew work in Waverly Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 9.9%Lowest 49.1%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 134.6 miHighest 83.8 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.6 miHighest 1.2 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 4Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.0Lowest 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.

Waverly Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Waverly Township’s Town Square.

Forest Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Forest Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Waverly Township

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Grant Township927 people · $239K homes
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North Allis Township515 people · $151K homes
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Walker Township496 people · $202K homes
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Koehler Township913 people · $156K homes

Towns like Waverly Township

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Gilford Township813 people · $167K homes
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Wilmot Township764 people · $168K homes
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Klacking Township709 people · $168K homes
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Vernon697 people · $133K 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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