John J. and Eva Reynier Porter Estate · National Register of Historic Places
South Arm Township’s story
South Arm Township in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →South Arm TownshipMI
A town of 1,932.
4 bordering townsMap →
John J. and Eva Reynier Porter Estate · Photo: rossograph · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,932
2025 Census estimate · +0% since 2020
Median home value
$262K
Census ACS
Household income
$84K
median
Median age
49.3
years
Jobs based here
715
Balanced
Is South Arm Township a good place to live?
The best of South Arm Township’s subject grades is an A+ for civic life; the weakest is a C for walkability. Only 30 of Michigan’s 1,279 towns score higher on hazard risk. 26% of residents are 65 or older in South Arm Township, above both Michigan’s towns (19%) and U.S. towns (18%). Only 45 of Michigan’s 1,265 towns score higher on civic life. The biggest park or preserve is Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit, at 261 acres. South Arm Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes South Arm Township stand out
Where South Arm Township beats most towns.
Natural hazardsA+
Lower risk than 97% of U.S. communities
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
South Arm Township7
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical MI town3.1
Civic lifeA+
2.3 times the nonprofits per person
than the typical Michigan town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
How South Arm Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far South Arm Township is from typical.
Hazard riskcold waves tops the listA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.4 of 20; 7.8% of households have no car; 2.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →SchoolsBeat 66% of Michigan districts on tests and graduationB+Open →Jobs & income$84K median household incomeC+Open →Cost of livingTypical home $262K, 3.4 years of the county’s $77K median household incomeB−Open →HealthCharlevoix Area Hospital 9 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors7 miles of trails; 3% conserved landB−Open →History1 place on the National RegisterB+Open →Civic life7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA+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 South Arm Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in South Arm Township, and how to reach them.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of East Jordan water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers93% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have South Arm Township’s trash rules yet
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 hereSouth Arm Township ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2021
ZIP codes49727, 4972949727 88% · 49729 12%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 South Arm Township.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A+
The FEMA risk score in South Arm Township is lower than in most of Michigan or the rest of the country
South Arm Township’s FEMA risk score is 3 of 100, where Michigan’s towns sit at 25 of 100 and U.S. towns at 44 of 100. Since 2010, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in South Arm Township.
3risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland flooding
3
paid flood claims since 2010
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in South Arm Township
South Arm Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. South Arm Township’s July high is 81°F.
122″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–30°
Spring31–53°
Summer55–79°
Fall39–57°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 23
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Older than Michigan overall
The median age in South Arm Township is 49.3 years. 30% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 32% across Michigan. 17% of South Arm Township residents are under 18.
49.3median age · MI 40.2
| South Arm Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.3 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 17% | 21% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 30% | 26% | 29% |
South Arm TownshipMichiganUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma7%
High school32%
Some college19%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s20%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
About 85 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.6 points). Across Michigan, 50.4% of residents are women.
| South Arm Township | MI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 5.4% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.2% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.5% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.8% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.7% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.6% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 16.5% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.3% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 6.6% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32% | 28% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.8% | 21.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.3% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 19.7% | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.6% | 12.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,900, single groups can be off by several points
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Most working residents commute out of South Arm Township
Most working residents leave South Arm Township for work: only 4% work in town. Since 2011, South Arm Township has added 655 jobs, to 715 in 2021. The top destinations are East Jordan (21%), Charlevoix (6%) and Petoskey (6%).
4%work in town
| South Arm Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 4.3% | 5.9% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $84,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In South Arm Township4%
East Jordan21%
Charlevoix6%
Petoskey6%
Boyne City6%
14 mi
median commute distance
715
jobs based in South Arm Township
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 32% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
OutdoorsB−
Conserved land covers 2.9% of South Arm Township
7.3 miles of trail in 10 parks and preserves.
2.9%conserved
| South Arm Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.9% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
2.9%
conserved · 598 of 20,785 acres
7.3 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Rogers Family Homestead Nature Preserve | 1.1 mi | 139 |
| 2. Charles M Taylor III Nature Preserve | 0.7 mi | 35 |
| 3. Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit | 0.5 mi | 261 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthB−
South Arm Township ranks healthier than 52% of the country’s towns
South Arm Township beats the Michigan average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 30% of adults feel lonely in South Arm Township.
52%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| South Arm Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 36% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 81% | 80% | 79% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
4 better25 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | South Arm Township | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.7% | 8.7% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.2% | 11.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.9% | 8.9% |
Charlevoix Area Hospital
9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about South Arm Township
18pages on South Arm Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of South Arm Township; the nearest are
North Central Michigan CollegeCommunity college · Public · Petoskey17.1 mi$5,430 in-state tuitionBay Mills Community CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Brimley93.2 mi$3,480 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 South Arm Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
About South Arm Township
Civil township in Michigan, United States
South Arm Township is a civil township of Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,939 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 33 sq mi
- Elevation
- 755 ft
South Arm Township’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with South Arm Township.
Wilson TownshipEveline TownshipBanks TownshipEcho TownshipSouth Arm Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Arm Township | — | — | B− | — | B+ | B− |
| Wilson Township | — | — | B+ | — | B+ | B |
| Eveline Township | — | — | C− | — | B+ | B− |
| Banks Township | — | — | B+ | — | A− | B+ |
| Echo Township | — | — | B | — | B | B− |
South Arm Township, Wilson Township, Eveline Township, Banks Township and Echo Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. South Arm Township, Wilson Township, Eveline Township, Banks Township and Echo Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare South Arm Township with a neighbor →
Questions about South Arm Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is South Arm 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−.