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Lutsen Township vs Tofte Township

Next-door neighbors in Cook County. The biggest differences: street grid (3.7× in Lutsen Township) and home values (+54% in Lutsen Township).

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Lutsen Township, MNAn outdoors townCook County · 471 people
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Tofte Township, MNAn outdoors townCook County · 346 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.

Lutsen TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors77.8% conserved land116 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves Housing$513K typical home46% above the MN typical home All about Lutsen Township →
Tofte TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors92.1% conserved land141 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves Work196 jobsbased in Tofte Township, a regional job hub Housing$463K typical home32% above the MN typical home All about Tofte 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.

Street grid3.7×
Lutsen Township has the more walkable street grid
Lutsen Township 1.1Tofte Township 0.3
Home values+54%
Homes cost more in Lutsen Township
Lutsen Township $441,300Tofte Township $286,300
Household income+52%
Households in Lutsen Township earn more
Lutsen Township $86,625Tofte Township $56,875
Bachelor’s degree++33.7 pts
More adults in Lutsen Township have a degree
Lutsen Township 61%Tofte Township 27.3%
Age 65++11.2 pts
Lutsen Township has more people 65 and up
Lutsen Township 35.5%Tofte Township 24.3%
Conserved land+14.3 pts
Tofte Township has more conserved land
Tofte Township 92.1%Lutsen Township 77.8%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $210 more a month in Lutsen 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.

Lutsen Township$2,910/mo
Typical home $513K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.52% · or rent about $1,154/mo · Housing →
Tofte Township$2,700/mo
Typical home $463K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.72% · or rent about $1,096/mo · Housing →

The difference: $210 a month, about $2,500 a year, between Lutsen Township and Tofte 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

Lutsen Township and Tofte Township share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

Lutsen TownshipTofte TownshipLutsen TownshipTofte Township
Lutsen Township ↔ Tofte Township6.5 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
24 Tofte Township residents work in Lutsen Township (21.1% of its workers)
22 Lutsen Township residents work in Tofte Township (7.5% of its workers)
Work & commute in Tofte Township →
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
–Lutsen TownshipNot graded CTofte TownshipBetter than 30% 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
Lutsen TownshipTofte Township
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)30th30th
Outdoors & history
Lutsen TownshipTofte Township
Trails116 mi141 mi
Conserved land77.8%92.1%
Community
Lutsen TownshipTofte 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.

Lutsen TownshipTofte Township
People
Population 471Highest 346Lowest
Median age 52.1±9.1Highest 34% above MN 47.2±18.6Lowest 22% above MN
Lutsen Township and Tofte Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 12.5%±7.9Lowest MN: 22.9% 13.3%±11.1Highest MN: 22.9%
Tofte Township and Lutsen Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 35.5%±4.6Highest MN: 17.3% 24.3%±5.5Lowest MN: 17.3%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 61%Highest MN: 39.4% 27.3%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.4%±2.2Lowest MN: 5.8% 6.1%±5.6Highest MN: 5.8%
Tofte Township and Lutsen Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $86,625±$8kHighest about the MN average $56,875±$6kLowest 36% below MN
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $441,300±$59kHighest 34% above MN $286,300±$89kLowest 13% below MN
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,154±$732Highest 10% below MN $1,096±$181Lowest 14% below MN
Lutsen Township and Tofte Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,284Highest 32% below MN $2,063Lowest 39% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 35%±55.5Highest MN: 48.1% 13.6%±79.6Lowest MN: 48.1%
Lutsen Township and Tofte Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.5%Lowest MN: 9.3% 15.3%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 83.4%Lowest MN: 72.2% 86.8%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1988Lowest 9 yrs newer than MN 1994Highest 15 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minHighest 7% above MN 19 minLowest 16% below MN
Work from home 28.6%±15.9Highest MN: 17.6% 22.8%±15Lowest MN: 17.6%
Lutsen Township and Tofte Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 14.4%Highest 11.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.8 miLowest 24.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.10Lowest 1.72Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Grand Marais (36%)Grand Marais (36%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 8% work in Tofte Township21% work in Lutsen Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 77.8%Lowest 92.1%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 115.8 miLowest 140.5 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.1 miHighest 0.9 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Lowest 6Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.1Highest 0.3Lowest
Schools
School district —Birch Grove Community School
High school in town —None in town
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.

Lutsen Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lutsen Township’s Town Square.

Tofte Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Tofte Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Lutsen Township and Tofte Township

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Towns like Lutsen Township

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Gem Lake483 people · $569K homes
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Houston Township411 people · $363K homes
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Dresbach Township407 people · $433K homes
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St. Marys Point483 people · $523K 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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