Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,111, settled in 1899. 3.2 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Michigan town.
The best of Hawes Township’s subject grades is an A+ for civic life; the weakest is a C− for incomes. 31% of residents are 65 or older in Hawes Township, above both the Michigan town median (19%) and the median of U.S. towns (18%). Among 702 Michigan towns, just 4 have a higher median age than Hawes Township. Only 18 of Michigan’s 1,265 towns score higher on civic life. Hawes Township’s trail density is 0.9 miles per square mile, against 0.3 in Michigan’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Huron National Forest, at 1,613 acres with 3.1 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Hawes Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Hawes 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 Hawes Township is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 624 in 1960, 1,076 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2018 and 2 maps from 1959 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hawes 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 Hawes Township.
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 85% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Hawes Township since 2026.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Hawes Township for work: only 3% work in town. Since 2011, Hawes Township has lost 215 jobs, to 101 in 2021. The top destinations are Alpena (11%), Gustin Township (10%) and Alpena Township (6%).
| Hawes Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.3% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Median household income | $68,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
46% of Hawes Township adults have high blood pressure. Hawes Township beats the Michigan average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 16% of Hawes Township adults have diabetes.
| Hawes Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 36% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 12% | 12% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 84% | 80% | 79% |
| What stands out | Hawes Township | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 8.4% | 11.9% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.4% | 8.7% |
| More adults with heart disease | 11.2% | 7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Hawes Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Hawes Township is 79°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
66 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Huron National Forest | 3.1 mi | 1,613 |
| 2. Lincoln Beach Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Hawes Township; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Hawes Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
Where Hawes Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2021
Civil township in Michigan, United States
Hawes Township is a civil township of Alcona County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,076 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
3.2 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Michigan town.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.