Measured against area pay, Branch Township costs less to live in than 68% of U.S. towns
Census 2020–24 home values, rents, tax bills and cost burden, measured against the median household income of the Ludington, MI micro area ($65K). How TownRatings grades cost of living
The grade compares costs with what households across the Ludington-area micro earn ($65K, Census 2020–24). The typical home costs 2.5 years of area income, and 74% of renters pay 30% or more of income for housing.
In dollars
- $1,040a month for a two-bedroom, utilities includedHUD Fair Market Rent, 2026
In paychecks the grade
- 2.5 yrsof area income buys the typical home; the typical U.S. town: 3.3$65K, Ludington-area income
- 18%of area income goes to the median rent; the typical U.S. town: 18%Census 2020–24
- 25%of owners do; the typical U.S. town: 20%Census 2020–24
Housing in Branch Township, in brief
A second-home town
37% of Branch Township’s homes are seasonal or vacation homes, empty for much of the year. Year-round rentals are scarce: there are 49 renter households. Property taxes ↓
Nearly every household owns
91% of Branch Township households own their home, against 73% across Michigan. There are only 49 renter households, so rentals are scarce. Property taxes ↓
Written from the data on this page. There’s no Zillow index for Branch Township, so the typical value is the Census median; incomes, rents paid, taxes and ownership come from the Census American Community Survey.
What’s behind Branch Township’s grade
Measured against what households in the area earn, Branch Township is more affordable than 68% of U.S. towns. Rent pulls the grade down most; home prices hold it up.
A typical home costs 2.5 years of area income
The calculator starts from the area income the grade uses. Switch to Branch Township’s own median, or type yours.
That covers a typical Branch Township home, with $92K to spare.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,040 a month here, $80 more than owning.
An estimate, not a loan offer: payments of up to 28% of income, a 30-year fixed loan, Branch Township’s typical property tax (0.94% of value a year, from the Census) and insurance of about 0.35%. Mortgage insurance, HOA fees and other debts aren’t included.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,040
Renters already here pay a median of $963.
Fair Market Rent a month, utilities included
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (Lake County, MI): the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent and renters: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Property tax runs below the Michigan norm
The median bill is $1,504 (Michigan: $2,904), 0.94% of a home’s value a year, against 1.25% statewide.
Census American Community Survey 2020–24: the median real-estate tax bill homeowners report, and that bill ÷ the median home value. Bills include town, school and county taxes. The Census reports bills over $10,000 only as “$10,000+”.
The rest of a budget near Branch Township
Only figures published free for the whole country, each labeled with the area it covers: Michigan, or Michigan. Groceries follow the goods price level; nobody publishes them town by town.
| Cost | Here | Compared with | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity cents per kWh, homes | 23.1¢ | U.S. 18.3¢ | state | EIA, July 2026 |
Price levels: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024 (metro area and state). Electricity: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, table 5.6.A.
Branch Township vs. its neighbors
Zillow publishes no value for Branch Township. Sheridan Township has no Zillow value, so it is in the table only.
Cost next door · one source per column
| Town | Cost | Typical home Zillow, latest | Median value Census 2020–24 | Tax rate bill ÷ value | 2-bed rent HUD 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Branch Township | B+ | — | $160K | 0.94% | $1,040 |
| Sheridan Township | B+ | — | $173K | 0.84% | $1,080 |
| Custer Township | B+ | $225K | $184K | 0.95% | $970 |
“—” under Zillow: Zillow publishes no value for that town, so it’s left blank rather than mixed with Census figures.
Questions about the cost of living in Branch Township
Is Branch Township expensive to live in?
Measured against what households in the area earn, Branch Township costs less than 68% of U.S. towns: a B+ for cost of living. The typical home costs 2.5 years of the median household income of the Ludington, MI micro area ($65K).
How much is rent in Branch Township?
HUD puts a two-bedroom at about $1,040 a month with utilities, the going rate for someone moving in. Renters already here pay a median of $963 (Census 2020–24).
What are property taxes in Branch Township?
The median bill is $1,504 a year, 0.94% of the median home value (Michigan: $2,904, 1.25%), from the Census 2020–24.
Neighbors talk housing
What Branch Township buyers, sellers and renters are saying.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The calculator is an estimate, not a loan offer. Regional price levels: BEA; electricity: EIA. How TownRatings grades cost of living.