Skip to content

TownTapestry

Find a town

Guest, Sign inJoin

Compare towns

Maple Lake Township vs Buffalo Township

Next-door neighbors in Wright County. The biggest differences: seasonal homes (+16.9 pts in Maple Lake Township) and rent (+20% in Buffalo Township).

×

Maple Lake Township, MNOne of the healthiest townsWright County · 2,490 people

B ×

Buffalo Township, MNOne of the healthiest townsWright County · 1,808 people

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.

Maple Lake TownshipOne of the healthiest towns

HealthHealthier than 75%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates

HistorySettled in 18587 archive photos, postcards and papers All about Maple Lake Township →

Buffalo TownshipOne of the healthiest towns

HealthHealthier than 77%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Buffalo 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.

Seasonal homes+16.9 pts

Maple Lake Township has more second homes

Maple Lake Township 18.5%Buffalo Township 1.6%

Rent runs higher in Buffalo Township

Buffalo Township $1,375Maple Lake Township $1,143

Homeowners+10.7 pts renters

Maple Lake Township has more renters

Buffalo Township 95.3%Maple Lake Township 84.6%

Average commute4 min

Maple Lake Township has the shorter commute

Buffalo Township 30 minMaple Lake Township 26 min

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $190 more a month in Maple 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.

Down paymentRate%

Maple Lake Township$2,770/mo

Typical home $470K (Census) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $1,143/mo · Housing →

Buffalo Township$2,590/mo

Typical home $431K (Census) · tax rate 0.90% · or rent about $1,375/mo · Housing →

The difference: $190 a month, about $2,200 a year, between Maple Lake Township and Buffalo 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

Maple Lake Township and Buffalo Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Maple Lake TownshipBuffalo Township

Maple Lake Township ↔ Buffalo Township7.6 miles apart · They share a border · Same county

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.

Health

B+Maple Lake TownshipHealthier than 75% of U.S. towns A−Buffalo TownshipHealthier than 77% of U.S. towns

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

Maple Lake TownshipBuffalo Township

Snow a year40″40″

January low3°F 3°F

July high81°F 81°F

Growing season (days)163d 163d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)36th 24th

Outdoors & history

Maple Lake TownshipBuffalo Township

Trails9 mi 0 mi

Conserved land2.6%3.5%

Settled1858 1858

Archive photos7 —

Famous people born here4 —

Community

Maple Lake TownshipBuffalo Township

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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.

Only big differences vs Minnesota average

Maple Lake TownshipBuffalo Township

People

Population 2,490Highest 1,808Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.7%Highest MN: +7.6% +4.4%Lowest MN: +7.6%

Median age 42.6±4.4Lowest 10% above MN 43.6±6.4Highest 12% above MN

Buffalo Township and Maple Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 24.7%±4.6Lowest MN: 22.9% 26.6%±3.8Highest MN: 22.9%

Buffalo Township and Maple Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 17%±4.1Lowest MN: 17.3% 20.1%±3.8Highest MN: 17.3%

Buffalo Township and Maple Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 30.6%Lowest MN: 39.4% 35.7%Highest MN: 39.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.1%±0.9Lowest MN: 5.8% 2.4%±1.3Highest MN: 5.8%

Buffalo Township and Maple Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $103,864±$26kLowest 17% above MN $118,194±$20kHighest 33% above MN

Buffalo Township and Maple Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $469,600±$35kHighest 43% above MN $431,400±$39kLowest 31% above MN

Maple Lake Township and Buffalo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,143±$63Lowest 11% below MN $1,375±$149Highest 7% above MN

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,725Lowest 11% above MN $3,893Highest 16% above MN

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 8.9%±16.6Lowest MN: 48.1% 33.3%±51.2Highest MN: 48.1%

Buffalo Township and Maple Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 7.3%Highest MN: 9.3% 5.4%Lowest MN: 9.3%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 84.6%Lowest MN: 72.2% 95.3%Highest MN: 72.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than MN 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than MN

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 26 minLowest 13% above MN 30 minHighest 32% above MN

Work from home 13.4%±5.9Highest MN: 17.6% 11.1%±3.3Lowest MN: 17.6%

Maple Lake Township and Buffalo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 0.6%Lowest 1.8%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.3 miLowest 20.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.26Lowest 0.34Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Buffalo (15%)Buffalo (22%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Buffalo TownshipFew work in Maple Lake Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2.6%Lowest 3.5%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 9.4 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2 2

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 3.6Lowest 3.7Highest

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.

Maple Lake Township neighborsTown Square →

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

Buffalo Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Buffalo Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Maple Lake Township and Buffalo Township

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

Bordering Maple Lake Township

Maple Lake2,042 people · $247K homes

Silver Creek Township2,582 people · $453K homes

Chatham Township1,546 people · $469K homes

Monticello Township3,328 people · $371K homes

Towns like Maple Lake Township

Rockville2,452 people · $366K homes

Rockford Township3,407 people · $405K homes

Grand Lake Township2,715 people · $329K homes

Cambridge Township2,534 people · $373K 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.