Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,313, settled in 1878.
The best of Custer Township’s subject grades is an A for civic life; the weakest is a C− for walkability. On hazard risk, just 76 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns do better. Custer Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Custer Township beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Custer Township is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 269 in 1900, a peak of 365 in 1960, 272 in 2020. The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 1915 and 3 maps from 1931 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Custer Township, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Custer Township.
Most working residents leave Custer Township for work: only 1% work in town. At 21 minutes, Custer Township’s average trip to work is where Michigan’s towns sit at 25 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. 4.5% of residents live below the poverty line in Custer Township.
| Custer Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.6% | 5.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Mason County Eastern Schools. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mason County Eastern Elem SchLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 181 | C+ |
| Mason County Eastern Junior HighHigh SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 176 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
Custer Township beats the Michigan average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 41% of Custer Township adults have obesity, above both Michigan’s towns (37%) and U.S. towns (35%). 16% of Custer Township adults report frequent physical distress.
| Custer Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 37% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 27% | 23% |
| What stands out | Custer Township | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.5% | 10.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 10% | 8.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.4% | 7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 75% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Custer Township has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Custer Township is 81°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The typical Custer Township home is worth about $225,000, up 8.7% in a year, 15% below the Michigan typical home. Custer Township’s median rent is $788 a month.
| Custer Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 90% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $788 a month | $1,046 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
| Custer Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 6.5% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Manistee National Forest - Baldwin Ranger District | 2.3 mi | 1,132 |
| 2. Riverside Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Custer Township
About 3 of every 100 Custer Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
Where Custer Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2021
Village in Michigan, United States
Custer is a village in Mason County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 272 at the 2020 census. The village is located within Custer Township.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.