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%

Darwin$2,300/mo

Typical home $386K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.86% · or rent about $791/mo · Housing →

Ostrander$1,760/mo

Typical home $290K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.00% · or rent about $768/mo · Housing →

The difference: $540 a month, about $6,500 a year, between Darwin and Ostrander.

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

DarwinOstrander

Snow a year41″51″

January low2°F 5°F

July high82°F 79°F

Growing season (days)162d 146d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)49th 58th

Outdoors & history

DarwinOstrander

Trails0 mi —

Conserved land5.8%—

Community

DarwinOstrander

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

142 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DarwinMN OstranderMN

Darwin ↔ Ostrander142 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

DarwinOstrander

People

Population 358Highest 313Lowest

Median age 37.7±7Lowest about the MN average 38.1±11.6Highest about the MN average

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

Kids under 18 25.1%±5.8Highest MN: 22.9% 22.7%±10.3Lowest MN: 22.9%

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

Age 65+ 18.2%±3.8Lowest MN: 17.3% 23%±14.5Highest MN: 17.3%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.2%Lowest MN: 39.4% 21.3%Highest MN: 39.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.1%±3Lowest MN: 5.8% 7%±6.2Highest MN: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $70,000±$23kLowest 21% below MN $74,063±$13kHighest 17% below MN

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $175,000±$34kHighest 47% below MN $146,900±$14kLowest 55% below MN

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $791±$75Highest 38% below MN $768±$459Lowest 40% below MN

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,500Highest 55% below MN $1,471Lowest 56% below MN

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 52%±47.3Highest MN: 48.1% 44.4%±28Lowest MN: 48.1%

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

Below poverty line 10.5%Lowest MN: 9.3% 13.6%Highest MN: 9.3%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 80.9%Highest MN: 72.2% 77.9%Lowest MN: 72.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1975Highest 4 yrs older than MN 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than MN

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 3% below MN 26 minHighest 13% above MN

Work from home 3.7%±3.6Lowest MN: 17.6% 19%±10.5Highest MN: 17.6%

Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 0.9%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miLowest 28.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.18Lowest 0.38Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Litchfield (20%)Rochester (40%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in OstranderFew work in Darwin

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 5.8%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 17.4Lowest 27.7Highest

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.

Darwin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Darwin’s Town Square.

Ostrander neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ostrander’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Darwin and Ostrander

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

Towns like Darwin

+ Compare

Vernon Center329 people · $143K homes

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Miltona418 people · $184K homes

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Danube472 people · $141K homes

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Hartland422 people · $167K 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.

Darwin vs Ostrander

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $540 more a month in Darwin

What daily life feels like in each

142 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Darwin and Ostrander

Towns like Darwin

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