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Finlayson vs Pine Lake Township

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (44.8× in Finlayson) and street grid (10.4× in Finlayson).

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Finlayson, MNA regional job hubMinnesota · 267 people
P ×
Pine Lake Township, MNA small town of 481Pine County · 481 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.

FinlaysonA regional job hub
Work222 jobsbased in Finlayson, a regional job hub SchoolsBetter than 25%of MN districts Housing$278K typical home21% below the MN typical home All about Finlayson →
Pine Lake TownshipA small town of 481
Quiet strengthsPine Lake Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Pine 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 worker44.8×
Finlayson is more of a job hub
Finlayson 1.79Pine Lake Township 0.04
Street grid10.4×
Finlayson has the more walkable street grid
Finlayson 15.6Pine Lake Township 1.5
Seasonal homes+52.7 pts
Pine Lake Township has more second homes
Pine Lake Township 52.7%Finlayson 0%
Home values+42%
Homes cost more in Pine Lake Township
Pine Lake Township $312,500Finlayson $219,400
Average commute14 min
Finlayson has the shorter commute
Pine Lake Township 34 minFinlayson 20 min
Homeowners+20.7 pts renters
Finlayson has more renters
Pine Lake Township 93.7%Finlayson 73%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $180 more a month in Pine Lake Township

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.

Finlayson$1,670/mo
Typical home $278K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.90% · or rent about $950/mo · Housing →
Pine Lake Township$1,840/mo
Typical home $313K (Census) · tax rate 0.79% · Housing →

The difference: $180 a month, about $2,100 a year, between Pine Lake Township and Finlayson.

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.

Where they are

Finlayson and Pine Lake Township share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

FinlaysonPine Lake TownshipFinlaysonPine Lake Township
Finlayson ↔ Pine Lake Township4.8 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
11 Pine Lake Township residents work in Finlayson (4.4% of its workers)
Work & commute in Pine Lake Township →
Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Minnesota ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
CFinlaysonBetter than 25% of districts in the state –Pine Lake TownshipNot graded
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
FinlaysonPine Lake Township
Snow a year45″45″
January low-1°F-1°F
July high79°F79°F
Growing season (days)130d130d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)44th44th
Outdoors & history
FinlaysonPine Lake Township
National Register places2—
Community
FinlaysonPine 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.

FinlaysonPine Lake Township
People
Population 267Lowest 481Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -0.5% MN: +7.6%
Median age 47.5±12.1Lowest 22% above MN 59.4±0.7Highest 53% above MN
Pine Lake Township and Finlayson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.6%±6.2Highest MN: 22.9% 11.4%±2.6Lowest MN: 22.9%
Age 65+ 25.5%±4.3Lowest MN: 17.3% 34.9%±4.2Highest MN: 17.3%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23.2%Highest MN: 39.4% 16.7%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.1%±3.3Highest MN: 5.8% 0.2%±2.1Lowest MN: 5.8%
Finlayson and Pine Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $68,500±$16kHighest 23% below MN $62,697±$5kLowest 30% below MN
Finlayson and Pine Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $219,400±$33kLowest 33% below MN $312,500±$37kHighest 5% below MN
Rentmedian gross, monthly $950±$225 26% below MN —
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,978Lowest 41% below MN $2,465Highest 27% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 61.8%±35.1 MN: 48.1% —
Below poverty line 18.4%Highest MN: 9.3% 12.7%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 73%Lowest MN: 72.2% 93.7%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than MN 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 13% below MN 34 minHighest 48% above MN
Work from home 2.9%±2.7Lowest MN: 17.6% 12.1%±5.8Highest MN: 17.6%
Work in townworking residents 4.8%Highest 0.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.8 miLowest 24.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.79Highest 0.04Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Sandstone (11%)Sandstone (13%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Pine Lake Township4% work in Finlayson
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 1.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 15.6Highest 1.5Lowest
Schools
School district HINCKLEY-FINLAYSON SCHOOL DISTRICT—
High school in town None in town—
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.

Finlayson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Finlayson’s Town Square.

Pine Lake Township neighborsTown Square →

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

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Bordering Finlayson

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Finlayson Township501 people · $244K homes

Towns like Finlayson

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Vergas258 people · $175K homes
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Edwards Township235 people · $305K homes
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Winfield Township203 people · $265K homes
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Vail Township177 people · $281K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Minnesota towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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