Norvell Township Hall, 2010
Norvell Township’s story
188 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2010 and 2 maps from 1948 on.
- 1838Norvell Township is settled
Norvell TownshipMI
6 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Dwight Burdette · CC BY 3.0
Population
2,822
2025 Census estimate · +0.5% since 2020
Median home value
$279K
Census ACS
Household income
$99K
median
Median age
59.0
years
Jobs based here
66
A commuter town
TownGrade
B−
#360 of 697 in MI
Is Norvell Township a good place to live?
Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 100% of U.S. towns. Overall it grades B−, 360th among Michigan's 697 graded towns. The median household earns $99K and it has 10 miles of trail. 8.6% of residents are under 18 in Norvell Township, below both Michigan’s towns (21%) and U.S. towns (22%). Sharonville State Game Area, at 2,374 acres with 4.9 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Only 4 of the 701 Michigan towns we compare have a higher median age than Norvell Township.
What makes Norvell Township stand out
Where Norvell Township beats most towns.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Norvell Township for work
Where Norvell Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
66jobs based in Norvell Township
3%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
How Norvell Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Norvell Township is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 2.7 of 20; 1.1% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitD−Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 36% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →SchoolsBeat 62% of Michigan districts on tests and graduationBOpen →HealthPromedica Charles and Virginia Hickman Hospital 14 miles awayB−Open →Cost of livingTypical home $279K, 4.2 years of the Jackson metro’s $66K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsA−Open →History2 notable people born hereBOpen →Civic life3.4 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 Norvell Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Norvell Township, and how to reach them.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHillanlake Village water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Norvell Township’s trash rules yet
SchoolsColumbia School DistrictNapoleon Community Schools2 districts serve Norvell Township; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 hereNorvell Township ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes49230, 49240, 49263, 4815849230 89% · 49240 7% · 49263 3% · 48158 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 Norvell Township.
Norvell Township is a second-home town, sends most of its workers to Jackson and beyond and owes part of its health edge to its incomes.
Who lives here
Older than Michigan overall
22.8% of homes are seasonal or vacation homes, against 5.5% statewide, which helps explain the older median age.
People 65 and older are 33% of residents (19% statewide); children under 18 are 9% of residents (21% statewide). 23% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across Michigan.
59median age · MI 40.2
Norvell TownshipMichiganUnited States
Ages · share of residents
23%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school27%
Some college33%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate6%
Women and men · all residents
44% women, 56% men
About 126 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±5 points). Across Michigan, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Norvell Township | MI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 4.8% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 3.7% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.2% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 4.6% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.3% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.6% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 23% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 21.2% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.4% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.4% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 26.5% | 28% | 26% |
| Some college | 33.2% | 21.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.5% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.4% | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6% | 12.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,800, single groups can be off by several points
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Most working residents commute out of Norvell Township
Norvell Township has 66 jobs for its 795 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 32 minutes, against 24.2 across Michigan.
Most working residents leave Norvell Township for work: only 3% work in town. Norvell Township’s average trip to work is 32 minutes. Jobs based in Norvell Township grew to 66 in 2021, 33 more than in 2011.
3%work in town
| Norvell Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $99,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.5% | 5.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Norvell Township3%
Jackson12%
Columbia Township8%
Chelsea5%
Ann Arbor4%
17 mi
median commute distance
66
jobs based in Norvell Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 0% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
#356for trails in MI
| Norvell Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 13% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
13%
conserved · 2,665 of 20,474 acres
9.5 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sharonville State Game Area | 4.9 mi | 2,374 |
| 2. Watkins Lake State Park | 3 mi | 701 |
| 3. Lefglen Nature Sanctuary | 0.6 mi | 46 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Norvell Township has four seasons and pleasant summers
Norvell Township has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 16° and about 33 inches of snow falls in a winter.
33″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–34°
Spring36–58°
Summer58–81°
Fall40–61°
Oct 14
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Low risk in Norvell Township, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 64% of U.S. communities. Since 2008, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Norvell Township.
36risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
2
paid flood claims since 2008
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB−
Norvell Township is healthier than 52% of U.S. towns
Against the 8,730 U.S. towns with household incomes like Norvell Township’s, it is less healthy than 70%: its national edge comes with its incomes.
Norvell Township beats the Michigan average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 41% of Norvell Township adults have high blood pressure.
52%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Norvell Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 36% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 17% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 12% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
8 better19 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Norvell Township | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.5% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 8.3% | 11.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.7% | 8.9% |
Promedica Charles and Virginia Hickman Hospital
14 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
52nd
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Norvell Township
19pages on Norvell Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Norvell Township
About 3 of every 100 Norvell Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
About Norvell Township
Civil township in Michigan, United States
Norvell Township is a civil township of Jackson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,800 at the 2020 census. The township is named after John Norvell, one of Michigan's first U.S. senators.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 32 sq mi
- Elevation
- 925 ft
Norvell Township’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Norvell Township.
Columbia TownshipNapoleon TownshipManchester TownshipSharon TownshipCambridge TownshipGrass Lake TownshipNorvell Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norvell Township | #360 | B− | B− | — | B | B− |
| Columbia Township | #462 | C+ | C− | — | B+ | B− |
| Napoleon Township | #403 | B− | B | — | B | C |
| Manchester Township | #121 | A− | B | — | A− | A− |
| Sharon Township | — | — | C | — | A− | A− |
| Cambridge Township | #294 | B | B− | A− | B | B− |
| Grass Lake Township | #138 | A− | C+ | — | B+ | B+ |
Sharon Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Norvell Township, Columbia Township, Napoleon Township, Manchester Township, Sharon Township and Grass Lake Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Norvell Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Norvell Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Norvell Township, MI a good place to live?
Norvell Township grades B− overall, better than 55% of U.S. towns and #360 of 697 in Michigan. It grades B− for health and B for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Norvell 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−.
What is Norvell Township, MI known for?
2 notable people were born here, including L. Whitney Watkins and Murl K. Aten.