Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Leaf River Township vs Compton Township

9 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (2× in Leaf River Township) and work from home (+11.6 pts in Compton Township).

×
Leaf River Township, MNA small town of 804Wadena County · 804 people
C ×
Compton Township, MNA small town of 804Otter Tail County · 804 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.

Leaf River TownshipA small town of 804
Quiet strengthsLeaf River Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Leaf River Township →
Compton TownshipA small town of 804
Quiet strengthsCompton Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Compton 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.

Rent2×
Rent runs higher in Leaf River Township
Leaf River Township $1,335Compton Township $665
Work from home+11.6 pts
More people work from home in Compton Township
Compton Township 14.5%Leaf River Township 2.9%
Growth since 2010+10.5 pts
Compton Township has grown faster since 2010
Compton Township -0.4%Leaf River Township -10.9%
Property tax bill+36%
Tax bills are bigger in Leaf River Township
Leaf River Township $2,556Compton Township $1,875
Kids under 18+9.3 pts
Compton Township has more kids
Compton Township 29.2%Leaf River Township 19.9%
Jobs per worker+74%
Compton Township is more of a job hub
Compton Township 0.40Leaf River Township 0.23
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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 River Township$1,370/mo
Typical home $221K (Census) · tax rate 1.16% · or rent about $1,335/mo · Housing →
Compton Township$1,280/mo
Typical home $215K (Census) · tax rate 0.87% · or rent about $665/mo · Housing →

The difference: $90 a month, about $1,100 a year, between Leaf River Township and Compton 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.

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
–Leaf River TownshipNot graded C+Compton TownshipBetter than 42% of districts in the state
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 River TownshipCompton Township
Snow a year51″51″
January low-2°F-2°F
July high78°F78°F
Growing season (days)141d141d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)44th24th
Outdoors & history
Leaf River TownshipCompton Township
Trails4 mi3 mi
Conserved land0.4%0.1%
Settled—1875
Community
Leaf River TownshipCompton 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.

Where they are

9 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Leaf River TownshipCompton TownshipLeaf River TownshipCompton Township
Leaf River Township ↔ Compton Township8.8 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.

Leaf River TownshipCompton Township
People
Population 804 804
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -10.9%Lowest MN: +7.6% -0.4%Highest MN: +7.6%
Median age 39.2±3.4Lowest about the MN average 39.8±4.8Highest about the MN average
Compton Township and Leaf River Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.9%±4.3Lowest MN: 22.9% 29.2%±3.5Highest MN: 22.9%
Age 65+ 14.3%±1.2Lowest MN: 17.3% 20.6%±3.1Highest MN: 17.3%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.5%Lowest MN: 39.4% 18%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.4%±5.2Highest MN: 5.8% 1.9%±1.4Lowest MN: 5.8%
Leaf River Township and Compton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $86,161±$9kHighest 3% below MN $74,196±$6kLowest 17% below MN
Leaf River Township and Compton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $220,800±$46kHighest 33% below MN $214,500±$26kLowest 35% below MN
Leaf River Township and Compton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,335±$133Highest 4% above MN $665±$292Lowest 48% below MN
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,556Highest 24% below MN $1,875Lowest 44% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 5.4%±20.4Lowest MN: 48.1% 17%±32.4Highest MN: 48.1%
Compton Township and Leaf River Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 10.9%Highest MN: 9.3% 3.6%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 77.6%Lowest MN: 72.2% 79.8%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than MN 1980Highest 1 yr newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minLowest 19% above MN 30 minHighest 32% above MN
Work from home 2.9%±3Lowest MN: 17.6% 14.5%±7.5Highest MN: 17.6%
Work in townworking residents 1.5%Highest 0.3%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.8 miLowest 22.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.23Lowest 0.40Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Wadena (25%)Perham (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Compton TownshipFew work in Leaf River Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.4%Highest 0.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 3.7 miHighest 3.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 mi 0.1 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.1Lowest 1.6Highest
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 River Township neighborsTown Square →

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

Compton Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Compton Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Leaf River Township and Compton Township

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

Bordering Leaf River Township

+ Compare
Wadena4,419 people · $161K homes
+ Compare
Wadena Township1,023 people · $180K homes
R
+ Compare
Rockwood Township323 people · $209K homes
+ Compare
Bluffton Township677 people · $217K homes

Towns like Leaf River Township

+ Compare
Jenkins508 people · $275K homes
M
+ Compare
Morristown1,265 people · $185K homes
R
+ Compare
Randall695 people · $177K homes
+ Compare
Silver Lake815 people · $203K 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.

Post to Leaf River Township

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in