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Michigan›Kalkaska County
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Garfield TownshipMI

A town of 1,027.

Population
1,027
2025 Census estimate · +5.1% since 2020
Median home value
$183K
Census ACS
Household income
$70K
median
Median age
37.7
years
Jobs based here
23
A commuter town

Is Garfield Township a good place to live?

Garfield Township’s best subject grades are a B+ for the outdoors and civic life; its weakest is a D− for walkability. Garfield Township’s density of trails is 2.9 miles per square mile, above both the Michigan town median (0.3) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Only 109 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score lower on history. The biggest park or preserve is Veterans park, at 66 acres. Garfield Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

StrongestA−Hazard riskWeakestD−WalkabilityDJobs & incomeC−Health

What makes Garfield Township stand out

Where Garfield Township beats most towns.

24Low riskLowerHigher
Natural hazardsA−
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Small town

1,027 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Oliver Township · 6 miNorwich Township · 6 miOrange Township · 9 miPioneer Township · 9 miBear Lake Township · 11 miExcelsior Township · 11 mi
Beaver Creek TownshipSpringfield TownshipNorwich TownshipOrange TownshipPioneer TownshipBear Lake TownshipBeaver Creek TownshipSpringfield TownshipNorwich TownshipOrange TownshipPioneer TownshipBear Lake TownshipGarfield Township

How Garfield Township grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Garfield Township is from typical.

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 2.3 of 20; 3.3% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitD−Open →Jobs & income$70K median household income; 23 jobs based hereDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 24% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →HealthKalkaska Memorial Health Center 14.6 miles awayC−Open →Cost of livingTypical home $183K, 2.3 years of the Traverse City metro’s $81K median household incomeBOpen →SchoolsBehind 59% of Michigan districts on tests and graduationC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors4% conserved landB+Open →HistoryC−Open →Civic life2.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 37.7; 15% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Garfield Township: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Garfield Township, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet5 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Garfield Township’s trash rules yet
SchoolsKalkaska Public SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereGarfield Township ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes49633, 4968049633 98% · 49680 1%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 Garfield Township.

HealthC−

On CDC estimates, Garfield Township is less healthy than three in four U.S. towns

In Garfield Township, 39% of adults have obesity, against 37% in Michigan’s towns and 35% across U.S. towns. 16% of Garfield Township adults report frequent physical distress. Among adults here, 18% smoke cigarettes and 40% have high blood pressure.

24%healthier than U.S. townsC−Health Grade
Garfield TownshipMichigan townsU.S. towns
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)16%14%14%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)18%15%14%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)40%36%35%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)13%12%12%
32 measures vs. Michigan
0 better22 too close to call10 worse
What stands outGarfield TownshipMI
More older adults who have lost all their teeth16%10.2%
More adults with COPD10.5%8.1%
More adults with heart disease8.7%7%
Kalkaska Memorial Health Center
14.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
Full pageGarfield Township’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsMore smokersHospitals & doctors nearby14.6 miles to an ER · Kalkaska Memorial Health CenterHow adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distressEvery CDC estimateBetter than MI on 0 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D

The average trip to work in Garfield Township is longer than in the typical Michigan or U.S. town

0.3% of working residents work locally in Garfield Township. Half commute less than 26 miles. The top destinations are Traverse City (21%), Kalkaska Township (15%) and Garfield Township (10%).

0%work in town
Garfield TownshipMichigan townsU.S. towns
Average trip to work40 minutes25 minutes25 minutes
Below the poverty line16%8.9%9.6%
Working residents who work in town0.3%5.9%8%
Median household income$70,000$77,000$80,000

Where working residents work

In Garfield Township0%
Traverse City21%
Kalkaska Township15%
Garfield Township10%
East Bay Township3%
26 mi
median commute distance
23
jobs based in Garfield Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 0% of U.S. towns
Full pageGarfield Township’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here23 jobs based here · A commuter townWhere people work0% work in Garfield TownshipCommute times40 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 26 miles

Census LEHD 2021 · ACS

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−

Low risk in Garfield Township, with inland flooding at the top

Compared with just over three quarters of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Garfield Township is lower. Of the losses FEMA expects here, 52% come from inland flooding and 29% from cold waves.

24risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
24Low riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
Full pageGarfield Township’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesLow riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters5 disaster declarations · Declared for the countyGet ready0.1 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Garfield Township

Garfield Township’s peak summer temperature is 81°F.

126″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter14–30°
Spring30–54°
Summer53–79°
Fall37–57°
Sep 22
typical first frost
May 27
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageGarfield Township’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 81°, January lows 12°Rain & snow126″ of snow a winter · 34 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+2.0° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

OutdoorsB+

Protected land: 3.5% of Garfield Township

Trails total 308 miles in 4 parks and preserves.

3.5%conserved
3.5%
conserved · 2,373 of 67,848 acres
308 mi
of trails · 2.9 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Pere Marquette State Forest - Traverse City Unit267.8 mi45,224
2. Pere Marquette State Forest - Cadillac Unit1.1 mi41
3. Au Sable State Forest - Grayling Unit0.7 mi10
Full pageGarfield Township’s outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map308 miles of trail, mappedPick a walk267.8 miles of trail · Pere Marquette State Forest - Traverse City UnitConserved land3.5% conserved · 2,373 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Garfield Township?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Garfield Township

17pages on Garfield Township
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 59% of MI districtsHealthC−Better than MI on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingBWork & commuteD$70K median household income · 23 jobs hereNatural hazardsA−FEMA risk higher than 24% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
OutdoorsB+308 mi of trails · 4% conserved landPlacesAttractions4 nearby · Higgins Lake 17 miLibraryB+Lyon Township Branch LibraryColleges
The story
Town Hall & politicsClimate81° summer highs · 126″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Garfield Township; the nearest are

Kirtland Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Grayling16.2 mi$5,190 in-state tuitionFerris State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Big Rapids64 mi$14,778 in-state tuition

About 1 of every 100 Garfield Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

100% of working residents leave Garfield Township for work

Where Garfield Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

21% → Traverse City Traverse City 21% 15% → Kalkaska Township Kalkaska Township 15% 10% → Garfield Township Garfield Township 10% 3% → East Bay Township East Bay Township 3% 3% → Boardman Township Boardman Township 3% 3% → Fife Lake Township Fife Lake Township 3% Garfield Township · 0% stay
23jobs based in Garfield Township
0%of working residents work in town
26 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2021

About Garfield Township

Civil township in Michigan, United States

Garfield Township is a civil township of Kalkaska County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the township population was 984.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
107 sq mi
Elevation
1,099 ft

Questions about Garfield Township

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Garfield 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.