Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Alta Township vs Edna Township

22 miles apart in Barnes County. The biggest differences: conserved land (+42.7 pts in Edna Township) and average commute (9 min in Alta Township).

A ×
Alta Township, NDA small town of 103Barnes County · 103 people
E ×
Edna Township, NDAn outdoors townBarnes County · 96 people
Swap order
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Alta TownshipA small town of 103
Quiet strengthsAlta Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Alta Township →
Edna TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors47.4% conserved land11 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Edna Township →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Conserved land+42.7 pts
Edna Township has more conserved land
Edna Township 47.4%Alta Township 4.7%
Average commute9 min
Alta Township has the shorter commute
Edna Township 33 minAlta Township 24 min
Property tax bill+32%
Tax bills are bigger in Edna Township
Edna Township $2,557Alta Township $1,938
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Alta Township$1,390/mo
Typical home $235K (Census) · tax rate 0.82% · Housing →
Edna Township$1,540/mo
Typical home $254K (Census) · tax rate 1.01% · Housing →

The difference: $150 a month, about $1,800 a year, between Edna Township and Alta Township.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Alta TownshipEdna Township
Snow a year35″42″
January low-6°F-3°F
July high81°F79°F
Growing season (days)136d128d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)53rd44th
Outdoors & history
Alta TownshipEdna Township
Trails11 mi11 mi
Conserved land4.7%47.4%
Community
Alta TownshipEdna Township
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

22 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Alta TownshipEdna TownshipAlta TownshipEdna Township
Alta Township ↔ Edna Township22 miles apart · Same county
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Alta TownshipEdna Township
People
Population 103Highest 96Lowest
Median age 39.1±21.7Lowest 9% above ND 41.3±18.7Highest 15% above ND
Edna Township and Alta Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 34%±16.2Highest ND: 23.5% 32.3%±31.4Lowest ND: 23.5%
Alta Township and Edna Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 25.2%±21.8Highest ND: 16.5% 25%±44.7Lowest ND: 16.5%
Alta Township and Edna Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 27.1%Lowest ND: 32.7% 32.8%Highest ND: 32.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 8.7%±16Highest ND: 7.6% 1%±11.2Lowest ND: 7.6%
Alta Township and Edna Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $65,781±$13k 14% below ND —
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $235,000±$143kLowest 6% below ND $253,600±$99kHighest about the ND average
Edna Township and Alta Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,938Lowest 21% below ND $2,557Highest 4% above ND
Below poverty line 0% ND: 10.8% 0% ND: 10.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 100% ND: 62.9% 100% ND: 62.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1980Highest 2 yrs older than ND 1975Lowest 7 yrs older than ND
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minLowest 32% above ND 33 minHighest 83% above ND
Work from home 16.1%±19.8Highest ND: 8.1% 10%±18.1Lowest ND: 8.1%
Alta Township and Edna Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 46.3 miHighest 21.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.37Lowest 0.38Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Valley City (26%)Valley City (35%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Edna TownshipFew work in Alta Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.7%Lowest 47.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 10.7 miLowest 11.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 mi 0.3 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.5Lowest 0.7Highest
North Dakota average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Alta Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alta Township’s Town Square.

Edna Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Edna Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Alta Township and Edna Township

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Alta Township

V
+ Compare
Valley Township589 people · $226K homes
O
+ Compare
Oriska Township96 people · $500K homes
C
+ Compare
Cuba Township50 people · $265K homes

Towns like Alta Township

M
+ Compare
Moraine Township124 people · $234K homes
L
+ Compare
Levant Township125 people · $225K homes
S
+ Compare
Springer Township105 people · $303K homes
M
+ Compare
Mayland Township77 people

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Post to Alta Township

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in