Decatur vs Paw Paw Lake
Decatur, Michigan versus Paw Paw Lake, Michigan: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Decatur and Paw Paw Lake score about the same overall (46 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Decatur | Paw Paw Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $56k | $58k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $115k | $182k |
| Monthly Rent | $714 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $549 | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.82% | 1.19% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 6.00% | 6.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.06% | 9.98% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | 6.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.7 in | 38.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 86.6 in | 77.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 208 days | 208 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 96 days | 95 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 29.9 | 36.1 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 49.0 | 50.5 |
| Violent Crime | 4122/100k | 1492/100k |
| Property Crime | 1971/100k | 1232/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,886 | 3,643 |
| Median Age | 34.2 | 43.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.29 | 0.18 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.11 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | R+12 | R+12 |
| White (%) | 77.2% | 89.9% |
| Black (%) | 2.7% | 1.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 10.6% | 0.5% |
| Asian (%) | 0.7% | 1.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 8.7% | 6.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 30 min |
| Walkability | 5.0/20 | 5.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 58 mi | 60 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.1% | 78.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 26.51 | 35.68 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Decatur or Paw Paw Lake more affordable?
- Paw Paw Lake has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Decatur's $43k and Paw Paw Lake's $43k. Median rent is $714 in Decatur versus $1k in Paw Paw Lake.
- Is Decatur or Paw Paw Lake safer?
- Paw Paw Lake has the lower violent crime rate. Decatur reports 4122/100k and Paw Paw Lake reports 1492/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Decatur or Paw Paw Lake?
- The median home value is $115k in Decatur and $182k in Paw Paw Lake, so homes are more affordable in Decatur.