DentonTownshipRoscommonMI, 2009
Denton Township’s story
Denton Township in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2009 and 2 maps from 1963 on.
Explore the history →Population
5,411
2025 Census estimate · +2.2% since 2020
Median home value
$163K
Census ACS
Household income
$46K
median
Median age
57.0
years
Jobs based here
1,106
Balanced
TownGrade
C−
#576 of 697 in MI
Is Denton Township a good place to live?
Denton Township grades C− overall, ranked 576th of 697 in Michigan, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Crime is low: it reports less per resident than 77% of U.S. towns and it has 33 miles of trail. On the other side, the median household income is $46K, and 20% of residents live below the poverty line. 37% of residents are 65 or older in Denton Township, where Michigan’s towns sit at 19% and U.S. towns at 18%. Only 56 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score lower on history.
What makes Denton Township stand out
Where Denton Township beats most towns.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Denton Township0.9
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
SafetyA−
79% less violent crime than MI
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Denton Township3.9
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical MI town3.1
Civic lifeB+
28% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Michigan town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
How Denton Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Denton Township is from typical.
Jobs & incomeDOpen →HealthLess healthy than 84% of U.S. towns; Mymichigan Medical Center West Branch 21.6 miles awayC−Open →SafetyA−Open →SchoolsCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.5 of 20; 12% of households have no car; 3.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $163K, 3 years of the county’s $55K median household incomeB−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 28% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors5% conserved landA−Open →HistoryC−Open →Civic life3.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Denton Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Denton Township, and how to reach them.
PowerDTE20.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterDeerfield Villa water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpMondayTown’s haulerTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Michigan you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDenton Township ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes48651, 4862948651 79% · 48629 21%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Denton Township.
Denton Township is a second-home town and has a shorter frost-free season than nearly all U.S. towns, but it is a long drive from an emergency room.
OutdoorsA−
Denton Township has set aside 5.2% of its land for conservation
The trail density in Denton Township is 0.9 miles per square mile.
#163for trails in MI
| Denton Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.9 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 5.2% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
5.2%
conserved · 1,196 of 22,956 acres
33 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Au Sable State Forest - Roscommon Unit | 19.6 mi | 6,299 |
| 2. Playhouse | — | 2 |
| 3. Denton Township Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsC
Denton Township’s public schools trail 73% of Michigan districts
Its public schools are run by the Houghton Lake Community Schools. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Houghton Lake JrSr High School, with 484 students.
27%of MI districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collins Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 489 | C |
| Houghton Lake JrSr High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 484 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
HealthC−
A larger share of adults have high blood pressure in Denton Township than in most of Michigan or the rest of the country
The nearest emergency room, Mymichigan Medical Center West Branch, is 21.6 miles away in a straight line. Against the 4,243 U.S. towns with household incomes like Denton Township’s, it is less healthy than 51%, so its C− isn’t only a matter of income.
46% of adults have high blood pressure in Denton Township. Denton Township beats the Michigan average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 14. 16% of adults have diabetes in Denton Township.
16%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
| Denton Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 36% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 12% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 16% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 19% | 19% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
2 better16 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Denton Township | MI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 83.2% | 77.6% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 89.3% | 87.4% |
| More adults with COPD | 13.1% | 8.1% |
Mymichigan Medical Center West Branch
21.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
11th
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyA−
Denton Township stands out in Michigan and nationally, with property crime lower than most
Violent crime is rare: 5 reported in 2025, 0.9 per 1,000 residents.
Denton Township’s property crime rate is 1.1 per 1,000 residents.
77%of U.S. towns report more crimeA−Safety Grade
| Denton Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.1 per 1,000 residents | 8 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.9 per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Denton Township0.9
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Denton Township1.1
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
77th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
81st
percentile among MI towns
5
violent crimes reported in 2025
6
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Denton Township
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 72% of U.S. communities. Since 2019, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Denton Township.
28risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
2
paid flood claims since 2019
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Denton Township
The Houghton Lk Roscommon Ap weather station, 5 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 125 days, shorter than in 96% of U.S. towns.
Denton Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 81°, January nights drop to 12° and about 66 inches of snow falls in a winter.
66″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter14–30°
Spring31–54°
Summer54–79°
Fall37–57°
Sep 23
typical first frost
May 19
typical last frost
+2.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
With 0.8 jobs for every working resident, most of Denton Township’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Denton Township for work: only 14% work in town. Jobs based in Denton Township grew to 1,106 in 2021, 135 more than in 2011. The top destinations are Roscommon Township (10%), Grayling (3%) and Higgins Township (3%).
14%work in town
| Denton Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Work from home | 14% | 10% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Denton Township14%
Roscommon Township10%
Grayling3%
Higgins Township3%
Midland3%
41 mi
median commute distance
1,106
jobs based in Denton Township
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 61% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Denton Township
19pages on Denton Township
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 73% of MI districts · 3 schoolsSafetyA−0.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC−Better than MI on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB−Work & commuteD$46K median household income · 1,106 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 28% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Denton Township; the nearest are
Kirtland Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Grayling22.1 mi$5,190 in-state tuitionCentral Michigan UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Mount Pleasant48.1 mi$14,760 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Denton Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
About Denton Township
Civil township in Michigan, United States
Denton Township is a civil township of Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,293 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 36 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,161 ft
Denton Township’s neighbors
3 towns share a border with Denton Township.
Roscommon TownshipBackus TownshipMarkey TownshipDenton Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denton Township | #576 | C− | B− | A− | C | C− |
| Roscommon Township | #607 | C− | B+ | — | C | C− |
| Backus Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Markey Township | — | — | B+ | — | C | C+ |
Markey Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Roscommon Township and Markey Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Backus Township isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Denton Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Denton Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Denton Township, MI a good place to live?
Denton Township grades C− overall, better than 24% of U.S. towns and #576 of 697 in Michigan. It grades C− for health, A− for safety and C for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Denton Township, MI expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.