John Timbers House Spring Arbor, 2015
Spring Arbor Township’s story
195 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2015 and 2 maps from 1948 on.
- 1831Spring Arbor Township is settled
Spring Arbor TownshipMI
A town of 8,526, settled in 1831.
Population
8,526
2025 Census estimate · −0.2% since 2020
Typical home
$280K
+2.8% in a year
Household income
$87K
median
Median age
38.9
years
Jobs based here
1,754
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#39 of 697 in MI
Is Spring Arbor Township a good place to live?
Spring Arbor Township is one of the best-graded places in America: an A, 39th of 697 graded towns in Michigan. Crime is low: it reports less per resident than 89% of U.S. towns, the median household earns $87K, and its public schools beat 75% of Michigan towns on state tests and graduation. Its lowest mark, a B−, is in cost of living. Spring Arbor Township is home to Spring Arbor University. Only 6 of the 272 Michigan towns we compare have a lower property crime rate than Spring Arbor Township. The biggest park or preserve is Kate Palmer Wildlife Sanctuary, at 52 acres.
What makes Spring Arbor Township stand out
Where Spring Arbor Township beats most towns.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Spring Arbor Township0.7
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
SafetyA
84% less violent crime than MI
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
Natural hazardsA
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
Western School District
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Bean Elementary School | K–5 | 409 |
| Warner Elementary School | K–5 | 371 |
| Trinity Lutheran School & Childcare Center | PK–8 | 120 |
SchoolsA−
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
College town
15% of Spring Arbor Township is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
How Spring Arbor Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Michigan), ordered by how far Spring Arbor Township is from typical.
SafetyAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 17% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listAOpen →Jobs & incomeA−Open →SchoolsA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.1 of 20; 2.2% of households have no car; 10.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →HealthHenry Ford Allegiance Health 8 miles awayBOpen →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trails; 2% conserved landC+Open →HistoryC+Open →Civic life2.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateSnowy winters, 82° summer afternoons, 40″ of snow–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 38.9–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Spring Arbor Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Spring Arbor Township, and how to reach them.
PowerConsumers Energy20.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterArbor Ridge Condominiums water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers91% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Spring Arbor Township’s trash rules yet
SchoolsWestern School DistrictConcord Community Schools2 districts serve Spring Arbor 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 hereSpring Arbor Township ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes49283, 49201, 49269, 4924649283 51% · 49201 28% · 49269 17% · 49246 3%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 Spring Arbor Township.
Spring Arbor Township is healthier than Hanover Township and its other neighbors, sees little violent crime and gets more snow than most of the country, though not than most of Michigan.
SafetyA
For safety, Spring Arbor Township earns an A
Violent crime is rare: 6 reported in 2025, 0.7 per 1,000 residents.
Spring Arbor Township’s violent crime rate is 0.7 per 1,000 residents, below both the Michigan town median (1.9) and the median of U.S. towns (1.6).
89%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Spring Arbor Township0.7
Michigan4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Spring Arbor Township1.3
Michigan13
U.S.15.5
89th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
93rd
percentile among MI towns
6
violent crimes reported in 2025
11
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsA−
For schools, Spring Arbor Township earns an A−
Its public schools are run by the Western School District. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Western High School, with 809 students.
75%of MI districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 594 | B− |
| Western High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 809 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MI on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Spring Arbor Township faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 83% of U.S. communities.
17risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Most of Spring Arbor Township’s workers commute out: the town has 0.6 jobs for each of them
Jobs based here grew from 1,184 in 2011 to 1,754.
Most working residents leave Spring Arbor Township for work: only 7% work in town. Spring Arbor Township’s average trip to work is 21 minutes, against 25 minutes in Michigan’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Jobs based in Spring Arbor Township grew to 1,754 in 2021, 570 more than in 2011.
7%work in town
| Spring Arbor Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 10% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.5% | 8.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $87,000 | $77,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Spring Arbor Township7%
Jackson20%
Blackman Township10%
Summit Township7%
Ann Arbor4%
10 mi
median commute distance
1,754
jobs based in Spring Arbor Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 71% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2021 · ACS
Climate
Spring Arbor Township has snowy winters and pleasant summers
The Albion weather station, 12 miles away, records that 40 inches of snow fall in a normal winter: more than most of the country, but less than 79% of Michigan places with climate records.
Spring Arbor Township has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82° and January nights drop to 17°.
40″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–33°
Spring36–57°
Summer58–80°
Fall41–60°
Oct 14
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
On CDC estimates, Spring Arbor Township is healthier than 57% of U.S. towns
Its B for health tops all 4 graded neighbors; Hanover Township (B−) comes closest.
Spring Arbor Township beats the Michigan average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 39% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Spring Arbor Township.
57%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Spring Arbor Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 34% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 77% | 80% | 79% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 27% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 18% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Michigan
4 better27 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Spring Arbor Township | MI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 7.1% | 8.7% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12.6% | 15.4% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 74.8% | 77.6% |
Henry Ford Allegiance Health
8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
59th
percentile among MI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsC+
Conserved land covers 2.5% of Spring Arbor Township
2.3 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. The trail density in Spring Arbor Township is 0.1 miles per square mile.
#537for trails in MI
| Spring Arbor Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 2.5% | 4.4% | 4.3% |
2.5%
conserved · 558 of 22,739 acres
2.3 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kate Palmer Wildlife Sanctuary | 0.8 mi | 52 |
| 2. Falling Waters Historical Park | 0.1 mi | 2 |
| 3. Falling Waters Trail Trailhead Parking | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade B−
A typical Spring Arbor Township home is worth about $280K
The typical Spring Arbor Township home is worth about $280,000, up 2.8% in a year, 6% above the Michigan typical home.
$280KZillow home value
| Spring Arbor Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 82% | 84% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,078 a month | $1,045 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Spring Arbor Township$280K
Michigan$264K
+2.8%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Who lives here
An age mix much like Michigan’s
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Michigan average. 35% of Spring Arbor Township adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more.
38.9median age · MI 40.2
| Spring Arbor Township | Michigan towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 35% | 26% | 29% |
| Median age | 38.9 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 18% | 19% | 18% |
Spring Arbor TownshipMichiganUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school29%
Some college22%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s26%
Graduate9%
Women and men · all residents
55% women, 45% men
About 82 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±4.8 points). Across Michigan, 50.4% of residents are women.
| Spring Arbor Township | MI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.5% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.7% | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 17.4% | 9.2% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 7.2% | 13.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.2% | 12.2% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.4% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.2% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.4% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.1% | 7.4% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.9% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.7% | 28% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.3% | 21.9% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.8% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 25.8% | 19.7% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.4% | 12.7% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Nearby attractions
All 39 attractions →Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum and 18 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Spring Arbor Township. Close and well known come first.
37 mi MuseumEli and Edythe Broad Art Museum150K visitors a year
22 mi MuseumAmerican Museum of Magic32 mi Zoo & aquariumBinder Park Zoo
35 mi Zoo & aquariumPotter Park Zoo
36 mi MuseumR. E. Olds Transportation Museum
25 mi GardenHidden Lake GardensSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum: Dj1997, CC BY-SA 3.0 · American Museum of Magic: rossograph, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Potter Park Zoo: Dj1997, CC BY-SA 3.0 · R. E. Olds Transportation Museum: kennethaw88, CC BY 4.0 · Hidden Lake Gardens: Dwight Burdette, CC BY 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Spring Arbor Township
19pages on Spring Arbor Township
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 75% of MI districts · 5 schoolsSafetyA0.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than MI on 4 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$280K typical home · up 2.8% in a yearWork & commuteA−$87K median household income · 1,754 jobs hereNatural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 17% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Spring Arbor Township
Spring Arbor UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Spring Arbor TownshipIn town$34,014 tuitionJackson CollegeCommunity college · Public · Jackson7.4 mi$7,350 in-state tuitionAlbion CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Albion11 mi$56,950 tuition
College town 15 of every 100 Spring Arbor Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Michigan.
A commuter town
93% of working residents leave Spring Arbor Township for work
Where Spring Arbor Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,754jobs based in Spring Arbor Township
7%of working residents work in town
10 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2021
About Spring Arbor Township
Census-designated place & unincorporated community in Michigan, United States
Spring Arbor is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jackson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, Spring Arbor had a population of 2,916. The CDP is located within Spring Arbor Township. Spring Arbor is the home of Spring Arbor University, a liberal arts university affiliated with the Free Methodist Church.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,001 ft
- ZIP code
- 49283
Spring Arbor Township’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Spring Arbor Township.
At #39 in MI, it grades higher overall than all 4 graded towns on its borders; Hanover Township (B+) comes closest.
Summit TownshipConcord TownshipHanover TownshipSandstone TownshipSpring Arbor Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Arbor Township | #39 | A | B− | A | A− | B |
| Summit Township | #647 | D | B− | — | C | C− |
| Concord Township | #463 | C+ | B+ | — | B− | C |
| Hanover Township | #221 | B+ | B | — | A− | B− |
| Sandstone Township | #314 | B | B | — | B | C+ |
Summit Township, Concord Township, Hanover Township and Sandstone Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Spring Arbor Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Spring Arbor Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Spring Arbor Township, MI a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Spring Arbor Township grades A overall, better than 94% of U.S. towns and #39 of 697 in Michigan. It grades B for health, A for safety and A− for schools.
Is Spring Arbor Township, MI expensive?
That is 4.2 years of the area's median household income ($66,073 across the Jackson, MI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.