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Blueberry Township vs Shell River Township

Next-door neighbors in Wadena County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (18× in Blueberry Township) and kids under 18 (+15.5 pts in Blueberry Township).

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Blueberry Township, MNA small town of 706Wadena County · 706 people
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Shell River Township, MNAn outdoors townWadena County · 170 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.

Blueberry TownshipA small town of 706
Quiet strengthsBlueberry Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Blueberry Township →
Shell River TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors24.2% conserved land8.2 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Shell River Township →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

Jobs per worker18×
Blueberry Township is more of a job hub
Blueberry Township 0.18Shell River Township 0.01
Kids under 18+15.5 pts
Blueberry Township has more kids
Blueberry Township 27.3%Shell River Township 11.8%
Size4.2×
Blueberry Township is the bigger place
Blueberry Township 706Shell River Township 170
Conserved land+21.7 pts
Shell River Township has more conserved land
Shell River Township 24.2%Blueberry Township 2.5%
Street grid+90%
Blueberry Township has the more walkable street grid
Blueberry Township 1.9Shell River Township 1.0
Bachelor’s degree++12.4 pts
More adults in Blueberry Township have a degree
Blueberry Township 26.6%Shell River Township 14.2%
★ What stands out · Where they are

Blueberry Township and Shell River Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Blueberry TownshipShell River TownshipBlueberry TownshipShell River Township
Blueberry Township ↔ Shell River Township6.0 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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.

Blueberry Township$1,600/mo
Typical home $266K (Census) · tax rate 0.93% · or rent about $930/mo · Housing →
Shell River Township$1,540/mo
Typical home $254K (Census) · tax rate 0.98% · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between Blueberry Township and Shell River 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
Blueberry TownshipShell River Township
Snow a year46″—
January low-2°F—
July high79°F—
Growing season (days)141d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)46th46th
Outdoors & history
Blueberry TownshipShell River Township
Trails5 mi8 mi
Conserved land2.5%24.2%
Archive photos1—
Community
Blueberry TownshipShell River 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.

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.

Blueberry TownshipShell River Township
People
Population 706Highest 170Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +14.8% MN: +7.6% —
Median age 43.1±6.8Lowest 11% above MN 55.5±6.8Highest 43% above MN
Shell River Township and Blueberry Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 27.3%±3.3Highest MN: 22.9% 11.8%±10Lowest MN: 22.9%
Age 65+ 23.7%±2.9Lowest MN: 17.3% 27.6%±6Highest MN: 17.3%
Shell River Township and Blueberry Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 26.6%Highest MN: 39.4% 14.2%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.1%±1.8Highest MN: 5.8% 1.8%±6.3Lowest MN: 5.8%
Blueberry Township and Shell River Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $94,250±$23kHighest 6% above MN $63,500±$11kLowest 29% below MN
Blueberry Township and Shell River Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $266,000±$44kHighest 19% below MN $254,200±$42kLowest 23% below MN
Blueberry Township and Shell River Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $930±$89 27% below MN —
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,480Lowest 26% below MN $2,484Highest 26% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100Lowest MN: 48.1% 25%±100Highest MN: 48.1%
Shell River Township and Blueberry Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4%Lowest MN: 9.3% 10.7%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 90.5%Lowest MN: 72.2% 95.2%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1984Lowest 5 yrs newer than MN 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minLowest about the MN average 25 minHighest 10% above MN
Work from home 7.7%±3.1Lowest MN: 17.6% 15.6%±9.2Highest MN: 17.6%
Shell River Township and Blueberry Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.3%Highest 0%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.3 miLowest 22.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.18Highest 0.01Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Menahga (21%)Menahga (21%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Shell River TownshipFew work in Blueberry Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.5%Lowest 24.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 5.0 miLowest 8.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 mi 0.2 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.9Highest 1.0Lowest
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.

Blueberry Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Blueberry Township’s Town Square.

Shell River Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Shell River Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Blueberry Township and Shell River Township

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Bordering Blueberry Township

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Straight River Township790 people · $249K homes
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Red Eye Township526 people · $236K homes
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Runeberg Township637 people · $242K homes

Towns like Blueberry Township

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Red Rock Township660 people · $319K homes
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Vernon Township705 people · $371K homes
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Rollingstone620 people · $239K homes
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Manannah Township587 people · $242K 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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