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Buse Township vs Orwell Township

Next-door neighbors in Otter Tail County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (4.1× in Buse Township) and median age (22.3 yrs in Orwell Township).

B ×

Buse Township, MNAn outdoors townOtter Tail County · 612 people

O ×

Orwell Township, MNAn outdoors townOtter Tail County · 199 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.

Buse TownshipAn outdoors town

Outdoors24.5% conserved land5.3 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves All about Buse Township →

Orwell TownshipAn outdoors town

Outdoors22.7% conserved land6.4 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Orwell 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 worker4.1×

Buse Township is more of a job hub

Buse Township 0.45Orwell Township 0.11

Median age22.3 yrs

Orwell Township skews older

Orwell Township 55Buse Township 32.7

Kids under 18+16.3 pts

Buse Township has more kids

Buse Township 36.4%Orwell Township 20.1%

Street grid+86%

Buse Township has the more walkable street grid

Buse Township 1.3Orwell Township 0.7

Size3.1×

Buse Township is the bigger place

Buse Township 612Orwell Township 199

Property tax bill+26%

Tax bills are bigger in Buse Township

Buse Township $1,896Orwell Township $1,500

★ What stands out · Where they are

Buse Township and Orwell Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Buse TownshipOrwell Township

Buse Township ↔ Orwell Township4.9 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.

Down paymentRate%

Buse Township$1,720/mo

Typical home $299K (Census) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $725/mo · Housing →

Orwell Township$1,710/mo

Typical home $303K (Census) · tax rate 0.49% · 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

Buse TownshipOrwell Township

Snow a year50″50″

January low-1°F -1°F

July high80°F 80°F

Growing season (days)149d 149d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)17th 24th

Outdoors & history

Buse TownshipOrwell Township

Trails5 mi 6 mi

Conserved land24.5%22.7%

Settled1870 —

Community

Buse TownshipOrwell 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.

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

Buse TownshipOrwell Township

People

Population 612Highest 199Lowest

Median age 32.7±7Lowest 16% below MN 55±13.6Highest 42% above MN

Kids under 18 36.4%±6.4Highest MN: 22.9% 20.1%±5.9Lowest MN: 22.9%

Age 65+ 16%±0.7Highest MN: 17.3% 14.6%±11.1Lowest MN: 17.3%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.3%Lowest MN: 39.4% 33.8%Highest MN: 39.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.8%±2.1Highest MN: 5.8% 1%±5.2Lowest MN: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $92,500±$10kHighest 4% above MN $91,154±$3kLowest about the MN average

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $298,500±$40kLowest 9% below MN $303,200±$81kHighest 8% below MN

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $725±$238 43% below MN —

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,896Highest 44% below MN $1,500Lowest 55% below MN

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 50%±100Highest MN: 48.1% 0%±100Lowest MN: 48.1%

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

Below poverty line 4.8%Highest MN: 9.3% 4.5%Lowest MN: 9.3%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 86.7%Lowest MN: 72.2% 92.3%Highest MN: 72.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1978Highest 1 yr older than MN 1957Lowest 22 yrs older than MN

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 22% below MN 19 minHighest 15% below MN

Work from home 8.3%±7.5Highest MN: 17.6% 4.3%±4.2Lowest MN: 17.6%

Buse Township and Orwell Township 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 4.3 miLowest 10.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.45Highest 0.11Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Fergus Falls (64%)Fergus Falls (43%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Orwell TownshipFew work in Buse Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 24.5%Highest 22.7%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 5.3 miLowest 6.4 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 mi 0.2 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 9Highest 3Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.3Highest 0.7Lowest

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.

Buse Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Buse Township’s Town Square.

Orwell Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Orwell Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Buse Township

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Fergus Falls14,181 people · $194K homes

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Dane Prairie Township912 people · $375K homes

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Aastad Township230 people · $272K homes

Towns like Buse Township

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Foreston757 people · $254K homes

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Goodhue Township527 people · $384K homes

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Stockton811 people · $258K homes

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Clear Lake579 people · $281K 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.

Buse Township vs Orwell Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Buse Township and Orwell Township share a border

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Buse Township and Orwell Township

Bordering Buse Township

Towns like Buse Township

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