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Carsonville Township vs Shell Lake Township

Next-door neighbors in Becker County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (16.8× in Carsonville Township) and trails (5.8× in Carsonville Township).

C ×
Carsonville Township, MNAn outdoors townBecker County · 267 people
S ×
Shell Lake Township, MNA small town of 365Becker County · 365 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.

Carsonville TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors34.6% conserved land62 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Carsonville Township →
Shell Lake TownshipA small town of 365
Quiet strengthsShell Lake Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Shell Lake 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 worker16.8×
Carsonville Township is more of a job hub
Carsonville Township 0.67Shell Lake Township 0.04
Trails5.8×
Carsonville Township has more miles of trail
Carsonville Township 62.4 miShell Lake Township 10.7 mi
Average commute15 min
Carsonville Township has the shorter commute
Shell Lake Township 45 minCarsonville Township 30 min
Conserved land+29.9 pts
Carsonville Township has more conserved land
Carsonville Township 34.6%Shell Lake Township 4.7%
Seasonal homes+22.8 pts
Shell Lake Township has more second homes
Shell Lake Township 39.7%Carsonville Township 16.9%
Age 65++14.2 pts
Shell Lake Township has more people 65 and up
Shell Lake Township 29.6%Carsonville Township 15.4%
★ What stands out · Where they are

Carsonville Township and Shell Lake Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Carsonville TownshipShell Lake TownshipCarsonville TownshipShell Lake Township
Carsonville Township ↔ Shell Lake Township5.8 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.

Carsonville Township$1,670/mo
Typical home $291K (Census) · tax rate 0.58% · Housing →
Shell Lake Township$1,680/mo
Typical home $293K (Census) · tax rate 0.56% · 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
Carsonville TownshipShell Lake Township
Snow a year52″48″
January low-4°F-4°F
July high79°F79°F
Growing season (days)130d130d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)47th19th
Outdoors & history
Carsonville TownshipShell Lake Township
Trails62 mi11 mi
Conserved land34.6%4.7%
Settled1881—
Community
Carsonville TownshipShell Lake 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.

Carsonville TownshipShell Lake Township
People
Population 267Lowest 365Highest
Median age 52.3±4.1Lowest 35% above MN 54.5±3.6Highest 40% above MN
Shell Lake Township and Carsonville Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 13.5%±8.7Lowest MN: 22.9% 17.5%±3.8Highest MN: 22.9%
Shell Lake Township and Carsonville Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.4%±6.4Lowest MN: 17.3% 29.6%±5.3Highest MN: 17.3%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.1%Lowest MN: 39.4% 14.3%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.9%±6.4Highest MN: 5.8% 1.6%±3Lowest MN: 5.8%
Carsonville Township and Shell Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $71,250±$36kHighest 20% below MN $61,875±$16kLowest 31% below MN
Carsonville Township and Shell Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $290,600±$65kLowest 12% below MN $293,300±$49kHighest 11% below MN
Shell Lake Township and Carsonville Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,700Highest 49% below MN $1,649Lowest 51% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 85.7%±100Highest MN: 48.1% 0%±100Lowest MN: 48.1%
Carsonville Township and Shell Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4.5%Lowest MN: 9.3% 15.1%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 91.6%Lowest MN: 72.2% 94.3%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than MN 1988Lowest 9 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minLowest 30% above MN 45 minHighest 96% above MN
Work from home 11.2%±5.1Lowest MN: 17.6% 16.3%±7.8Highest MN: 17.6%
Shell Lake Township and Carsonville 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 23.3 miHighest 21.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.67Highest 0.04Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Park Rapids (22%)Detroit Lakes (36%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Shell Lake TownshipFew work in Carsonville Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 34.6%Highest 4.7%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 62.4 miHighest 10.7 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.8 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.0Highest 0.8Lowest
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.

Carsonville Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Carsonville Township’s Town Square.

Shell Lake Township neighborsTown Square →

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

Add a town

Set another town beside Carsonville Township and Shell Lake Township

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Bordering Carsonville Township

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Wolf Lake Township351 people · $197K homes
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Osage Township896 people · $274K homes
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Pine Point Township296 people · $106K homes
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Two Inlets Township212 people · $346K homes

Towns like Carsonville Township

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Le Roy Township349 people · $288K homes
+ Compare
Kerrick Township240 people · $300K homes
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Rosendale Township351 people · $240K homes
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Logan Township210 people · $245K 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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