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Lien Township vs Elma Township

Next-door neighbors, in two states. The biggest differences: trails (5.8× in Elma Township) and household income (2× in Elma Township).

L ×
Lien Township, SDAn outdoors townRoberts County · 188 people
E ×
Elma Township, NDA small town of 90Richland County · 90 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.

Lien TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors34.8% conserved land2.3 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves All about Lien Township →
Elma TownshipA small town of 90
Quiet strengthsElma Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Elma 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.

Trails5.8×
Elma Township has more miles of trail
Elma Township 13.3 miLien Township 2.3 mi
Household income2×
Households in Elma Township earn more
Elma Township $210,486Lien Township $103,542
Property tax bill2.2×
Tax bills are bigger in Elma Township
Elma Township $3,194Lien Township $1,432
Street grid3.2×
Lien Township has the more walkable street grid
Lien Township 1.6Elma Township 0.5
Work from home+21.8 pts
More people work from home in Lien Township
Lien Township 24%Elma Township 2.2%
Conserved land+23.1 pts
Lien Township has more conserved land
Lien Township 34.8%Elma Township 11.7%
★ What stands out · Where they are

Lien Township and Elma Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Lien TownshipElma TownshipLien TownshipElma Township
Lien Township ↔ Elma Township7.2 miles apart · They share a border
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
Lien TownshipElma Township
Snow a year49″49″
January low1°F1°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)152d152d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)41st16th
Outdoors & history
Lien TownshipElma Township
Trails2 mi13 mi
Conserved land34.8%11.7%
National Register places2—
Community
Lien TownshipElma 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.

Lien TownshipElma Township
People
Population 188Highest 90Lowest
Median age 56.2±8.8Highest 44% above U.S. 44.2±19Lowest 14% above U.S.
Lien Township and Elma Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 8.5%±16.5Lowest U.S.: 22% 26.7%±32.5Highest U.S.: 22%
Elma Township and Lien Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 29.8%±17.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% 25.6%±30.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Lien Township and Elma Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 30.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% 15.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±7.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% 20%±20.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Elma Township and Lien Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $103,542±$41kLowest 28% above U.S. $210,486±$61kHighest 161% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied — $316,700±$215k 5% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,432Lowest 54% below U.S. $3,194Highest about the U.S. average
Below poverty line 11.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% 0%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 100%Highest U.S.: 65.2% 91.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. 1998Highest 18 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 14 min 46% below U.S. —
Work from home 24%±17.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% 2.2%±4Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Work in townworking residents 0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miLowest 26.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.00Lowest 0.03Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Sisseton (19%)Fargo (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Elma TownshipFew work in Lien Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 34.8%Highest 11.7%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 2.3 miLowest 13.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.6Highest 0.5Lowest
U.S. 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.

Lien Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lien Township’s Town Square.

Elma Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Elma Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Lien Township

V
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Victor Township244 people · $272K homes
M
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Minnesota Township129 people
H
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Hart Township50 people

Towns like Lien Township

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Sherman Township195 people
G
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Germantown Township145 people · $431K homes
N
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Norden Township280 people · $268K homes
B
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Beulah Township299 people · $402K 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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