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Wayne Township vs LaGrange Township

Next-door neighbors in Cass County. The biggest differences: trails (4.1× in LaGrange Township) and home values (+74% in Wayne Township).

W ×
Wayne Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsCass County · 2,660 people
L ×
LaGrange Township, MIOne of the healthiest townsCass County · 3,751 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.

Wayne TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health78% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 33%of MI districts All about Wayne Township →
LaGrange TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health74% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates College town1 collegeSouthwestern Michigan College SchoolsBetter than 29%of MI districts All about LaGrange 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.

Trails4.1×
LaGrange Township has more miles of trail
LaGrange Township 3.3 miWayne Township 0.8 mi
Home values+74%
Homes cost more in Wayne Township
Wayne Township $207,900LaGrange Township $119,600
Growth since 2010+11.1 pts
LaGrange Township has grown faster since 2010
LaGrange Township +8.2%Wayne Township -2.9%
Homeowners+19.5 pts renters
LaGrange Township has more renters
Wayne Township 87.1%LaGrange Township 67.6%
Typical home built16 yrs
LaGrange Township’s homes are older
Wayne Township 1973LaGrange Township 1957
Bachelor’s degree++10.5 pts
More adults in LaGrange Township have a degree
LaGrange Township 27.5%Wayne Township 17%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $470 more a month in Wayne 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.

Wayne Township$1,240/mo
Typical home $208K (Census) · tax rate 0.84% · or rent about $1,080/mo · Housing →
LaGrange Township$770/mo
Typical home $120K (Census) · tax rate 1.44% · or rent about $878/mo · Housing →

The difference: $470 a month, about $5,600 a year, between Wayne Township and LaGrange 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

Wayne Township and LaGrange Township share a border

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

Wayne TownshipLaGrange TownshipWayne TownshipLaGrange Township
Wayne Township ↔ LaGrange Township6.7 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
47 Wayne Township residents work in LaGrange Township (5.3% of its workers)
32 LaGrange Township residents work in Wayne Township (2.4% of its workers)
Work & commute in Wayne Township →
Report cards

LaGrange Township places higher on 14 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
CWayne TownshipBetter than 33% of districts in the state CLaGrange TownshipBetter than 29% of districts in the state
Health
C−Wayne TownshipHealthier than 22% of U.S. towns CLaGrange TownshipHealthier than 26% of U.S. towns
4Wayne Township
14LaGrange Township

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

Fastest growingGrowth · 723 towns #585#111 Most educatedPeople · 723 towns #587#320 Most affordableCost of living · 723 towns #290#44 Cheapest rentCost of living · 687 towns #391#175 Lowest depressionHealth · 723 towns #439#233 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 723 towns #529#353 Most new homesHousing · 512 towns #274#398 Best schoolsSchools · 493 towns #336#445

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

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
Wayne TownshipLaGrange Township
Snow a year87″63″
January low20°F19°F
July high85°F83°F
Growing season (days)189d180d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)10th7th
Outdoors & history
Wayne TownshipLaGrange Township
Trails—3 mi
Conserved land—1.5%
Famous people born here1—
Community
Wayne TownshipLaGrange Township
Library hours a week—53 hrs
Colleges in town—1
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.

Wayne TownshipLaGrange Township
People
Population 2,660Lowest 3,751Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2.9%Lowest MI: +2% +8.2%Highest MI: +2%
Median age 50±10Highest 24% above MI 48.5±5.1Lowest 21% above MI
Wayne Township and LaGrange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.1%±4.7Highest MI: 21.2% 15.1%±3.8Lowest MI: 21.2%
Wayne Township and LaGrange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 26.7%±1.3Highest MI: 18.6% 22.4%±5.8Lowest MI: 18.6%
Wayne Township and LaGrange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17%Lowest MI: 32.4% 27.5%Highest MI: 32.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.5%±1.4Lowest MI: 6.1% 6.6%±1.8Highest MI: 6.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $61,210±$13kHighest 16% below MI $58,786±$7kLowest 19% below MI
Wayne Township and LaGrange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $207,900±$20kHighest 10% below MI $119,600±$18kLowest 48% below MI
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,080±$231Highest 4% below MI $878±$102Lowest 22% below MI
Wayne Township and LaGrange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,755Highest 40% below MI $1,726Lowest 41% below MI
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 45.2%±100Lowest MI: 50.4% 52.5%±9.8Highest MI: 50.4%
LaGrange Township and Wayne Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 21.2%Highest MI: 13.2% 13.9%Lowest MI: 13.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 87.1%Highest MI: 73.2% 67.6%Lowest MI: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1973Highest 1 yr newer than MI 1957Lowest 15 yrs older than MI
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest about the MI average 23 minLowest 5% below MI
Work from home 7.2%±5.6Highest MI: 13.5% 6.2%±4.6Lowest MI: 13.5%
Wayne Township and LaGrange Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.9%Lowest 9.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.8 miHighest 18.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.69Lowest 1.06Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Dowagiac (12%)Elkhart (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 5% work in LaGrange Township2% work in Wayne Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.3%Lowest 1.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.8 miLowest 3.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 8Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 5.2Lowest 6.2Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #336 of 493 in MI#445 of 493 in MI
School district Dowagiac Union School DistrictCassopolis Public Schools
High school in town None in townNone 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.

Wayne Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wayne Township’s Town Square.

LaGrange Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to LaGrange Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Wayne Township and LaGrange Township

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Bordering Wayne Township

+ Compare
Dowagiac5,732 people · $131K homes
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Hamilton Township1,331 people · $214K homes
V
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Volinia Township1,240 people · $224K homes

Towns like Wayne Township

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Venice Township2,278 people · $165K homes
P
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Pipestone Township2,220 people · $210K homes
B
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Belvidere Township1,926 people · $174K homes
S
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Sodus Township2,231 people · $183K 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.

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