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Finlayson Township vs Pine Lake Township

Next-door neighbors in Pine County. The biggest differences: trails (92× in Finlayson Township) and jobs per worker (21.3× in Finlayson Township).

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Finlayson Township, MNKnown for its schoolsPine County · 501 people
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Pine Lake Township, MNA small town of 481Pine County · 481 people
Swap order
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.

Finlayson TownshipKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 25%of MN districts Outdoors18.1% conserved land9.2 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Finlayson Township →
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.

Trails92×
Finlayson Township has more miles of trail
Finlayson Township 9.2 miPine Lake Township 0.1 mi
Jobs per worker21.3×
Finlayson Township is more of a job hub
Finlayson Township 0.85Pine Lake Township 0.04
Seasonal homes+33.1 pts
Pine Lake Township has more second homes
Pine Lake Township 52.7%Finlayson Township 19.6%
Property tax bill+33%
Tax bills are bigger in Pine Lake Township
Pine Lake Township $2,465Finlayson Township $1,860
Median age8.6 yrs
Pine Lake Township skews older
Pine Lake Township 59.4Finlayson Township 50.8
Conserved land+16.3 pts
Finlayson Township has more conserved land
Finlayson Township 18.1%Pine Lake Township 1.8%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $410 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 Township$1,430/mo
Typical home $244K (Census) · tax rate 0.76% · or rent about $1,333/mo · Housing →
Pine Lake Township$1,840/mo
Typical home $313K (Census) · tax rate 0.79% · Housing →

The difference: $410 a month, about $4,900 a year, between Pine Lake Township and Finlayson Township.

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 Township and Pine Lake Township share a border

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

Finlayson TownshipPine Lake TownshipFinlayson TownshipPine Lake Township
Finlayson Township ↔ Pine Lake Township8.1 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
9 Pine Lake Township residents work in Finlayson Township (3.6% 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
CFinlayson TownshipBetter 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
Finlayson TownshipPine Lake Township
Snow a year64″45″
January low-0°F-1°F
July high78°F79°F
Growing season (days)129d130d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)44th44th
Outdoors & history
Finlayson TownshipPine Lake Township
Trails9 mi—
Conserved land18.1%—
Settled1905—
Archive photos6—
Famous people born here1—
Community
Finlayson TownshipPine 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.

Finlayson TownshipPine Lake Township
People
Population 501Highest 481Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -0.5% MN: +7.6%
Median age 50.8±5.8Lowest 31% above MN 59.4±0.7Highest 53% above MN
Kids under 18 18.8%±3.8Highest MN: 22.9% 11.4%±2.6Lowest MN: 22.9%
Age 65+ 32.5%±8.6Lowest MN: 17.3% 34.9%±4.2Highest MN: 17.3%
Pine Lake Township and Finlayson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.6%Lowest MN: 39.4% 16.7%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.8%±1.2Highest MN: 5.8% 0.2%±2.1Lowest MN: 5.8%
Finlayson Township 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 $70,156±$16kHighest 21% below MN $62,697±$5kLowest 30% below MN
Finlayson Township 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 $243,800±$81kLowest 26% below MN $312,500±$37kHighest 5% below MN
Pine Lake Township and Finlayson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,333±$396 4% above MN —
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,860Lowest 45% below MN $2,465Highest 27% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100 MN: 48.1% —
Below poverty line 4.4%Lowest MN: 9.3% 12.7%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 95.5%Highest MN: 72.2% 93.7%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1983Lowest 4 yrs newer than MN 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minLowest 21% above MN 34 minHighest 48% above MN
Work from home 4.7%±4.2Lowest MN: 17.6% 12.1%±5.8Highest MN: 17.6%
Pine Lake Township and Finlayson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 4.9%Highest 0.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.3 miLowest 24.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.85Highest 0.04Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Sandstone (13%)Sandstone (13%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Pine Lake Township4% work in Finlayson Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 18.1%Highest 1.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 9.2 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.3Lowest 1.5Highest
Schools
School district EAST CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT—
High school in town East Central Senior Secondary—
Students per teacherat that high school 14.1 —
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 Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Finlayson Township’s Town Square.

Pine Lake Township neighborsTown Square →

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

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Bordering Finlayson Township

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Finlayson267 people · $219K homes
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Kettle River Township531 people · $236K homes
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Partridge Township690 people · $263K homes
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Rutledge275 people · $103K homes

Towns like Finlayson Township

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Ward Township396 people · $252K homes
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Nevada Township445 people · $302K homes
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La Prairie592 people · $213K homes
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Nora Township457 people · $227K 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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