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.

Down paymentRate%

Bluffton$1,090/mo

Typical home $182K (Census) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $825/mo · Housing →

Monroe Township$1,060/mo

Typical home $173K (Census) · tax rate 1.06% · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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

BlufftonMonroe Township

Snow a year51″49″

January low-2°F 5°F

July high78°F 82°F

Growing season (days)141d 156d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)48th 60th

Outdoors & history

BlufftonMonroe Township

Trails—0 mi

Conserved land—0.9%

Settled1880 1874

Archive photos2 —

Community

BlufftonMonroe Township

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

155 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BlufftonMN Monroe TownshipLyon County

Bluffton ↔ Monroe Township155 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.

Only big differences vs Minnesota average

BlufftonMonroe Township

People

Population 263Highest 261Lowest

Median age 24.8±6.6Lowest 36% below MN 29.4±20.3Highest 24% below MN

Monroe Township and Bluffton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 33.5%±6.6Lowest MN: 22.9% 44.1%±23.6Highest MN: 22.9%

Monroe Township and Bluffton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 8.4%±8.5Lowest MN: 17.3% 11.5%±6.1Highest MN: 17.3%

Monroe Township and Bluffton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.6%Lowest MN: 39.4% 20%Highest MN: 39.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.8%±4Highest MN: 5.8% 0%±5.4Lowest MN: 5.8%

Bluffton and Monroe Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $100,417±$17kHighest 13% above MN $78,000±$24kLowest 12% below MN

Bluffton and Monroe Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $182,300±$21kHighest 45% below MN $172,900±$57kLowest 47% below MN

Bluffton and Monroe Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $825±$97 36% below MN —

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,650Lowest 51% below MN $1,833Highest 45% below MN

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 42.9%±100Highest MN: 48.1% 0%±100Lowest MN: 48.1%

Bluffton and Monroe Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 2.3%Lowest MN: 9.3% 5.8%Highest MN: 9.3%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 83.1%Lowest MN: 72.2% 87.5%Highest MN: 72.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1975Highest 4 yrs older than MN 1957Lowest 22 yrs older than MN

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 19 minHighest 15% below MN 18 minLowest 21% below MN

Work from home 2.7%±4Lowest MN: 17.6% 8.8%±8.5Highest MN: 17.6%

Monroe Township and Bluffton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 1%Highest 0%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.8 miHighest 17.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.35Highest 0.03Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Perham (22%)Marshall (32%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Monroe TownshipFew work in Bluffton

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 0.9%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miLowest 0.3 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 9.8Highest 1.5Lowest

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.

Bluffton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bluffton’s Town Square.

Monroe Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Monroe Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Bluffton and Monroe Township

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

Bordering Bluffton

+ Compare

Bluffton Township677 people · $217K homes

Towns like Bluffton

+ Compare

Brandrup Township195 people · $188K homes

+ Compare

Island Lake Township358 people · $228K homes

+ Compare

Louriston Township308 people · $316K homes

+ Compare

Horton Township171 people · $314K 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.

Bluffton vs Monroe Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

155 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Bluffton and Monroe Township

Bordering Bluffton

Towns like Bluffton

Post to Bluffton

Check your email