What it’s like living in Maple Valley
In Maple Valley, you can take a step back from the noise and settle down in a quiet community, where most homes come with a mile-long view of corn fields, wheat rows and dairy farms. About 1,100 people live in the township's 35 square miles, making it one of the least populated and most rural communities in Sanilac County – so rural that a large Amish settlement made it their home. With space to spread out, Maple Valley Township is a nice retreat where you can relax after a day of working on your land or in a nearby city.
Home styles and prices you can expect in the township
Most homes come with at least a few acres of land, and prices are slightly lower across the board than those in Lynn Township or Goodland Township to the south. "You get more bang for your buck here than you would elsewhere," says Kim Hart, the owner of Hart Realty and a top-selling agent in Maple Valley. "Home prices have gone up here as they have everywhere else recently, but they're still more affordable than other townships around. And the taxes are very low, too." Properties include:
- Manufactured homes, which range between the mid-$100,000s and low $200,000s
- Single-family homes, including modern Craftsman, split-level and ranch-style homes, that sell from the low $300,000s to the low $400,000s
- Plots of land with anywhere between 2 and 15 acres, selling for well below $100,000 to the mid-$100,000s
- Operational farms with secondary buildings and up to 100 acres of tillable land, though they don't go on the market often
Who lives in Maple Valley and where they work
With fewer retirees and more people in the workforce than in the surrounding communities, Maple Valley has a high number of commuters. "We're more of a bedroom community at the end of the day," Hart says. "So, you can have a job in one of the cities but still have a nice place to come home to, away from the rat race." Michigan Highway 53 and Interstate 69 are the main roads for commuting, connecting the area to Imlay City, Port Huron or Lapeer for work. Each is between 20 and 50 minutes away.
Run a business, build or start a hobby on your acreage
If you're looking to hunt, farm, build or raise livestock on your land, Maple Valley is a good fit. "You'll just go to your local township supervisor, get a land use permit, and start working," Hart says. "If you're building a residential building, you'll also need a building permit." Locals can also run businesses on their property with the proper land-use permits. "There's a large Amish Population here, and they have everything from metal shops, leather shops and wood shops to carpentry crews and farms."
Services, utilities and providers in Maple Valley
Most homes have private wells and septic systems, which are city-inspected and owner-maintained. Sanilac County Road Commission handles road maintenance, snow removal, salting, gravel road grading and anything else related to road safety and conditions. You'll rely on different providers for each of your utilities and services. "But it's very easy and straightforward to set all that up," Hart says:
- SEMCO Energy Gas Company provides natural gas lines to the streets near Brown City, and homes elsewhere order propane from subscription-based providers.
- DTE Energy is the local electricity company.
- Cable, 5G internet, satellite, fixed wireless and DSL are offered by different internet providers, with AT&T and Xfinity being the most popular in the area.
- DirecTV and Frontier are the main options for television.
The closest places to shop, dine and get active
Brown City Park is the place for recreation, with baseball diamonds, sports courts and playground. There are also walking trails at the park's southern end, which wind around a fishing pond. Brown City is where you'll find the local grocery store, Dollar General and a few restaurants, including The Horseshoe Grill and Teardrop Junction. "If you're looking for locally owned shops, restaurants, a bowling alley and a movie theater, you'll go to Sandusky," Hart says. "They also have a Walmart, but more of the big national stores are in Lapeer or Port Huron." Nearby hospitals are McKenzie Health System in Sandusky and Marlette Regional Hospital in Marlette.
Parents can send their children to learn in different districts
The township has many children – a much higher percentage than in nearby Lynn Township, Goodland Township and Brockway Township. "We have new families coming to the area to establish a life here," Hart says. Most children attend Brown City Community Schools, though Michigan's school choice program allows parents to send their kids to the nearby, higher-rated Yale Public Schools. Sanilac Intermediate School District offers a countywide special education program and career and technical programming.
![Heather Haggerty]()
Written By
Heather Haggerty
