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Aurora vs White Township

2 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (12.4× in Aurora) and trails (6.6× in White Township).

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Aurora, MNHomes around $164KMinnesota · 1,792 people
W ×
White Township, MNAn outdoors townSt. Louis County · 3,109 people
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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.

AuroraHomes around $164K
Housing$164K typical home53% below the MN typical home Health85% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Aurora →
White TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors#62 most conserved land in MN50 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves Health68% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 44%of MN districts All about White 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.

Street grid12.4×
Aurora has the more walkable street grid
Aurora 28.6White Township 2.3
Trails6.6×
White Township has more miles of trail
White Township 49.8 miAurora 7.6 mi
Property tax bill+25%
Tax bills are bigger in White Township
White Township $1,216Aurora $972
Jobs per worker+83%
Aurora is more of a job hub
Aurora 1.41White Township 0.77
Conserved land+9.1 pts
White Township has more conserved land
White Township 9.6%Aurora 0.5%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $250 more a month in Aurora

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.

Aurora$1,000/mo
Typical home $164K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.00% · or rent about $509/mo · Housing →
White Township$750/mo
Typical home $124K (Census) · tax rate 0.98% · or rent about $509/mo · Housing →

The difference: $250 a month, about $3,000 a year, between Aurora and White 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.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Minnesota ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
–AuroraNot graded C+White TownshipBetter than 44% of districts in the state
Health
C−AuroraHealthier than 15% of U.S. towns CWhite TownshipHealthier than 32% of U.S. towns
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
AuroraWhite Township
Snow a year69″69″
January low-7°F-7°F
July high77°F77°F
Growing season (days)89d89d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)6th28th
Outdoors & history
AuroraWhite Township
Trails8 mi50 mi
Conserved land0.5%9.6%
National Register places—1
Archive photos—1
Community
AuroraWhite Township
Library hours a week37 hrs37 hrs
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

2 miles apart

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

AuroraWhite TownshipAuroraWhite Township
Aurora ↔ White Township2.3 miles apart
Who commutes between them
93 Aurora residents work in White Township (14.8% of its workers)
Work & commute in Aurora →
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.

AuroraWhite Township
People
Population 1,792Lowest 3,109Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -0.2%Highest MN: +7.6% -2.9%Lowest MN: +7.6%
Median age 57.4±7.7Lowest 48% above MN 58.2±3.6Highest 50% above MN
White Township and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 15.8%±3.4Highest MN: 22.9% 12.2%±3Lowest MN: 22.9%
Aurora and White Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 30%±7.3Lowest MN: 17.3% 30.6%±5.6Highest MN: 17.3%
White Township and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.9%Lowest MN: 39.4% 17.9%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.9%±1.2Highest MN: 5.8% 1.8%±1.2Lowest MN: 5.8%
Aurora and White Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $42,083±$10kLowest 53% below MN $55,293±$8kHighest 38% below MN
White Township and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $97,600±$13kLowest 70% below MN $123,600±$24kHighest 62% below MN
White Township and Aurora are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $509±$138 60% below MN $509±$138 60% below MN
Property taxmedian, yearly $972Lowest 71% below MN $1,216Highest 64% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 25.9%±11.9 MN: 48.1% 25.9%±11 MN: 48.1%
Below poverty line 20.1%Highest MN: 9.3% 14%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 80%Lowest MN: 72.2% 87.5%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1954Lowest 25 yrs older than MN 1958Highest 21 yrs older than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minLowest 14% above MN 30 minHighest 31% above MN
Work from home 9.2%±3Highest MN: 17.6% 7%±2.4Lowest MN: 17.6%
Aurora and White Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 13.7%Highest 13.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.3 miLowest 17.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.41Highest 0.77Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Virginia (17%)Virginia (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 15% work in White TownshipFew work in Aurora
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.5%Lowest 9.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 7.6 miLowest 49.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.9 miHighest 0.5 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3 3
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 28.6Highest 2.3Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#211 of 230 in MN
School district —NORTHLAND LEARNING CENTER · MESABI EAST SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town —Mesabi East Secondary
Students per teacherat that high school — 17.5
Minnesota 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.

Aurora neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Aurora’s Town Square.

White Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to White Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Aurora

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Hallock829 people · $140K homes

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.

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