Compare towns
Forward Township vs Merkel Township 32 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (11× in Forward Township) and street grid (4.5× in Forward Township).
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.
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.
★ What stands out · Monthly cost A typical home costs $590 more a month in Forward 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.
Down payment3.5% 10% 20% Rate
Forward Township $1,520 /mo
Typical home $225K (Census) · tax rate est. 1.8% · Housing →
Merkel Township $930 /mo
Typical home $158K (Census) · tax rate 0.78% · Housing →
The difference: $590 a month , about $7,100 a year , between Forward Township and Merkel 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.
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
Growing season (days) 139d — Outdoors & history
Community
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 32 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
Forward Township ↔ Merkel Township 32 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.
Raising kids Affordability Owning a home Short commute Working from home Younger crowd Settled, older crowd Growing town Outdoorsy Walkable streets
Population
217 Lowest 226 Highest
Median age
14.9 ±1.1 Highest 58% below ND 14.2 ±13.8 Lowest 60% below ND
Kids under 18
68.7% ±53.5 Highest ND: 23.5% 54.4% ±41.3 Lowest ND: 23.5%
Age 65+
6.9% ±15.4 Lowest ND: 16.5% 9.7% ±14.1 Highest ND: 16.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
41.2% Lowest ND: 32.7% 46.6% Highest ND: 32.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0% ±6.5 ND: 7.6% 0% ±6.3 ND: 7.6%
Household incomemedian
$107,500 ±$67k 40% above ND —
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$225,000 ±$23k Highest 10% below ND $157,700 ±$11k Lowest 37% below ND
Property taxmedian, yearly
— $1,231 50% below ND
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
— 0% ±100 ND: 38.9%
Below poverty line
0% ND: 10.8% 0% ND: 10.8%
Homeownersof occupied homes
100% Highest ND: 62.9% 85.5% Lowest ND: 62.9%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985 Lowest 3 yrs newer than ND 1993 Highest 11 yrs newer than ND
Work from home
0% ±18.9 Lowest ND: 8.1% 13.6% ±9.5 Highest ND: 8.1%
Work in townworking residents
0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
19.8 mi Lowest 28.8 mi Highest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
2.19 Highest 0.20 Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town
Fessenden (27%) Steele (50%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Merkel Township Few work in Forward Township
Conserved landshare of the town
13.3% Lowest 71.9% Highest
Trailsmapped miles
29.2 mi Lowest 66.4 mi Highest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
0.8 mi Lowest 0.9 mi Highest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
4 Highest 0 Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
0.9 Highest 0.2 Lowest
“±” Census margin of error ACS 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.
Forward Township or Merkel Township: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Forward Township? → Moving to Forward Township: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Forward Township’s Town Square.
Merkel Township or Forward Township: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Merkel Township? → Moving to Merkel Township: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Merkel Township’s Town Square.
Add a town Set another town beside Forward Township and Merkel Township One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.
Bordering Forward Township Towns like Forward Township 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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