Did You Know Michigan Doesn’t Have Any Towns?

You’ve probably said it a hundred times. I’m heading into town. We all have. But here’s the weird part. If you’re in Michigan, you’re technically not.

As bizarre as it sounds, there’s something about our state’s map that most people have never noticed. I’ve lived in Michigan my entire life, and even I didn’t realize it.

So, here’s the thing. Michigan doesn’t technically have any towns. Yeah, it sounds crazy, but it’s true. We’ve got cities, villages, and townships, but “towns” just aren’t a thing here, at least not in an official sense. You’ll still hear people say they’re heading into town, but legally, Michigan skipped that label entirely.

See Also: Detroit Brothers Save Toddlers Crawling on Neighbor’s Roof

What’s the Difference Between a City, Village, and Township in Michigan?

Michigan’s setup is kinda weird if you’ve never really thought about it. We don’t have towns, just cities, villages, and townships. Cities run everything on their own. Villages are smaller and share stuff with their township. And townships cover all the rest.

According to Wikipedia, as of the 2020 census, Michigan had 1,240 townships, 276 cities, and 257 villages, and zero towns

Which States Actually Use “Towns” as a Legal Classification?

Some states actually use towns as a real official thing. Places like Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, and Connecticut have towns that run local government like cities do. But Michigan? Nope. We stick with cities, villages, and townships.

I don’t think you’ll ever catch me saying I’m running into the city or township. It’s always “I’m running into town.” Unless I’m heading to a major city like Detroit or something like that, it’s just what we all say, even if “town” technically doesn’t exist here.