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Leaf Lake Township vs Otto Township

Next-door neighbors in Otter Tail County. The biggest differences: trails (2× in Leaf Lake Township) and age 65+ (+7.4 pts in Leaf Lake Township).

L ×
Leaf Lake Township, MNA small town of 620Otter Tail County · 620 people
O ×
Otto Township, MNA small town of 565Otter Tail County · 565 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.

Leaf Lake TownshipA small town of 620
Quiet strengthsLeaf Lake Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Leaf Lake Township →
Otto TownshipA small town of 565
Quiet strengthsOtto Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Otto Township →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails2×
Leaf Lake Township has more miles of trail
Leaf Lake Township 1.8 miOtto Township 0.9 mi
Age 65++7.4 pts
Leaf Lake Township has more people 65 and up
Leaf Lake Township 30.8%Otto Township 23.4%
Growth since 2010+5.5 pts
Leaf Lake Township has grown faster since 2010
Leaf Lake Township +13.8%Otto Township +8.3%
Jobs per worker+50%
Leaf Lake Township is more of a job hub
Leaf Lake Township 0.09Otto Township 0.06
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $170 more a month in Leaf 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.

Leaf Lake Township$1,990/mo
Typical home $347K (Census) · tax rate 0.60% · Housing →
Otto Township$1,820/mo
Typical home $310K (Census) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $843/mo · Housing →

The difference: $170 a month, about $2,100 a year, between Leaf Lake Township and Otto 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

Leaf Lake Township and Otto Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Leaf Lake TownshipOtto TownshipLeaf Lake TownshipOtto Township
Leaf Lake Township ↔ Otto Township5.6 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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
Leaf Lake TownshipOtto Township
Snow a year46″46″
January low-2°F-2°F
July high79°F79°F
Growing season (days)141d141d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)47th48th
Outdoors & history
Leaf Lake TownshipOtto Township
Trails2 mi1 mi
Conserved land0.9%0.6%
Settled—1883
Community
Leaf Lake TownshipOtto 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.

Leaf Lake TownshipOtto Township
People
Population 620Highest 565Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +13.8%Highest MN: +7.6% +8.3%Lowest MN: +7.6%
Median age 50.3±9.5Highest 30% above MN 42.6±5.7Lowest 10% above MN
Leaf Lake Township and Otto Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.5%±4.1Lowest MN: 22.9% 25.5%±3.5Highest MN: 22.9%
Otto Township and Leaf Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 30.8%±3.1Highest MN: 17.3% 23.4%±2.4Lowest MN: 17.3%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 24.7%Lowest MN: 39.4% 28.6%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.8%±1.8Lowest MN: 5.8% 5%±2.7Highest MN: 5.8%
Otto Township and Leaf Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $84,375±$12kLowest 5% below MN $86,429±$18kHighest about the MN average
Otto Township and Leaf Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $347,100±$34kHighest 5% above MN $310,300±$57kLowest 6% below MN
Leaf Lake Township and Otto Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $843±$44 34% below MN
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,086Lowest 38% below MN $2,316Highest 31% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100 MN: 48.1% 0%±100 MN: 48.1%
Below poverty line 8.2%Lowest MN: 9.3% 8.8%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 88.4%Highest MN: 72.2% 84.1%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1977 2 yrs older than MN 1977 2 yrs older than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minLowest about the MN average 24 minHighest 7% above MN
Work from home 13.2%±7.3Highest MN: 17.6% 11.6%±3.6Lowest MN: 17.6%
Leaf Lake Township and Otto Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.4%Highest 0%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.3 miHighest 12.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.09Highest 0.06Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Perham (18%)Perham (23%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Otto TownshipFew work in Leaf Lake Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.9%Highest 0.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.8 miHighest 0.9 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.0Highest 1.5Lowest
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.

Leaf Lake Township neighborsTown Square →

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

Otto Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Otto Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Leaf Lake Township

+ Compare
Deer Creek Township487 people · $287K homes
H
+ Compare
Henning Township309 people · $272K homes
+ Compare
Otter Tail Township520 people · $448K homes
+ Compare
Ottertail490 people · $333K homes

Towns like Leaf Lake Township

P
+ Compare
Port Hope Township516 people · $316K homes
M
+ Compare
Mount Pleasant Township493 people · $394K homes
+ Compare
Dalbo Township794 people · $335K homes
C
+ Compare
Courtland Township503 people · $318K 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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