Compare towns
Lien Township vs Vining 32 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (23.3× in Vining) and trails (10.2× in Lien 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.
Lien Township A small town of 85
Quiet strengths Lien Township doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Lien Township →
Vining A small town of 86
Quiet strengths Vining doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Vining →
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 $520 more a month in Lien 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
Lien Township $1,250 /mo
Typical home $208K (Census) · tax rate 0.90% · Housing →
Vining $730 /mo
Typical home $125K (Census) · tax rate 0.70% · Housing →
The difference: $520 a month , about $6,200 a year , between Lien Township and Vining.
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
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.
Lien Township ↔ Vining 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
85 Lowest 86 Highest
Median age
36.3 ±11.5 Highest 6% below MN 34.3 ±12.8 Lowest 12% below MN
Kids under 18
34.1% ±6.9 Lowest MN: 22.9% 36% ±37.7 Highest MN: 22.9%
Age 65+
10.6% ±27.1 Highest MN: 17.3% 7% ±30.7 Lowest MN: 17.3%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
10% Highest MN: 39.4% 6.1% Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
4.7% ±12.5 Lowest MN: 5.8% 7% ±4.1 Highest MN: 5.8%
Household incomemedian
$103,750 ±$78k 16% above MN —
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$208,300 ±$109k Highest 37% below MN $125,000 ±$112k Lowest 62% below MN
Property taxmedian, yearly
$1,875 Highest 44% below MN $875 Lowest 74% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
— 0% ±100 MN: 48.1%
Below poverty line
0% Lowest MN: 9.3% 7% Highest MN: 9.3%
Homeownersof occupied homes
100% Highest MN: 72.2% 96.6% Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1966 Highest 13 yrs older than MN 1938 Lowest 41 yrs older than MN
Average commuteone way
26 min Highest 16% above MN 21 min Lowest 7% below MN
Work from home
8.7% ±7.8 Lowest MN: 17.6% 48.5% ±61.9 Highest MN: 17.6%
Work in townworking residents
0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
20.8 mi Lowest 26.8 mi Highest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
0.21 Lowest 0.34 Highest
Top workplaceoutside town
Barrett (15%) Alexandria (19%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Vining Few work in Lien Township
Conserved landshare of the town
7.1% Highest 0% Lowest
Trailsmapped miles
6.1 mi Highest 0.6 mi Lowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
0.2 mi Lowest 0.5 mi Highest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
4 Highest 1 Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
0.8 Lowest 18.6 Highest
“±” 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.
Lien Township or Vining: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Lien Township? → Moving to Lien Township: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Lien Township’s Town Square.
Vining or Lien Township: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Vining? → Moving to Vining: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Vining’s Town Square.
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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