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Compare towns

Badger vs Oklee

65 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+60% in Badger) and average commute (13 min in Badger).

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Badger, MNHomes around $204KMinnesota · 391 people
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Oklee, MNHomes around $198KMinnesota · 383 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.

BadgerHomes around $204K
Housing$204K typical home42% below the MN typical home All about Badger →
OkleeHomes around $198K
Housing$198K typical home44% below the MN typical home SchoolsBetter than 79%of MN districts All about Oklee →
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.

Property tax bill+60%
Tax bills are bigger in Badger
Badger $2,114Oklee $1,318
Average commute13 min
Badger has the shorter commute
Oklee 30 minBadger 16 min
Street grid+40%
Oklee has the more walkable street grid
Oklee 59.1Badger 42.2
★ What stands out · 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
BBadgerBetter than 61% of districts in the state A−OkleeBetter than 79% of districts in the state
Monthly cost

A typical home costs $180 more a month in Badger

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.

Badger$1,400/mo
Typical home $204K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.92% · or rent about $1,013/mo · Housing →
Oklee$1,220/mo
Typical home $198K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.08% · or rent about $604/mo · Housing →

The difference: $180 a month, about $2,200 a year, between Badger and Oklee.

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
BadgerOklee
Snow a year—50″
January low—-3°F
July high—79°F
Growing season (days)—142d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)74th80th
Outdoors & history
BadgerOklee
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—0%
Community
BadgerOklee
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

65 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BadgerMNOkleeMN
Badger ↔ Oklee65 miles apart
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.

BadgerOklee
People
Population 391Highest 383Lowest
Median age 39.7±6.4Lowest about the MN average 42.2±14.2Highest 9% above MN
Oklee and Badger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 27.6%±6.7Highest MN: 22.9% 23.8%±5.6Lowest MN: 22.9%
Badger and Oklee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.7%±4Highest MN: 17.3% 18.3%±6Lowest MN: 17.3%
Badger and Oklee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.6%Lowest MN: 39.4% 22%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.5%±3.1Lowest MN: 5.8% 4.7%±2Highest MN: 5.8%
Oklee and Badger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $64,167±$16kHighest 28% below MN $62,188±$25kLowest 30% below MN
Badger and Oklee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $110,000±$19kLowest 67% below MN $122,000±$17kHighest 63% below MN
Oklee and Badger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,013±$462Highest 21% below MN $604±$154Lowest 53% below MN
Badger and Oklee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,114Highest 37% below MN $1,318Lowest 61% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 21.1%±28Lowest MN: 48.1% 83.9%±16.1Highest MN: 48.1%
Below poverty line 14.9%Lowest MN: 9.3% 15.2%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 76.3%Lowest MN: 72.2% 79.8%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Highest 3 yrs older than MN 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 16 minLowest 28% below MN 30 minHighest 31% above MN
Work from home 6.5%±5.3Highest MN: 17.6% 2%±2Lowest MN: 17.6%
Badger and Oklee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 9.1%Highest 7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.8 miLowest 24.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.01Lowest 1.23Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Roseau (37%)Thief River Falls (33%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in OkleeFew work in Badger
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.4 mi 0.4 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 0.6 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 3Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 42.2Lowest 59.1Highest
Schools
School district BADGER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTRED LAKE COUNTY CENTRAL PUBLIC SCH
High school in town Badger SecondaryRed Lake County Central High School
Students per teacherat that high school 10.4Lowest 11.1Highest
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.

Badger neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Badger’s Town Square.

Oklee neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Oklee’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Badger and Oklee

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

Bordering Badger

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Skagen Township226 people · $160K homes
S
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Stokes Township189 people · $182K homes

Towns like Badger

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Middle River319 people · $102K homes
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Comfrey338 people · $96K homes
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Morton384 people · $78K homes
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Ostrander313 people · $147K 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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