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Marcell Township vs Bowstring Township

Next-door neighbors in Itasca County. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+81% in Marcell Township) and jobs per worker (3.2× in Marcell Township).

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Marcell Township, MNAn outdoors townItasca County · 383 people
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Bowstring Township, MNAn outdoors townItasca County · 177 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.

Marcell TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors54.8% conserved land7.5 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves Housing$272K typical home23% below the MN typical home All about Marcell Township →
Bowstring TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors45.1% conserved land16 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves All about Bowstring 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.

Property tax bill+81%
Tax bills are bigger in Marcell Township
Marcell Township $2,429Bowstring Township $1,344
Jobs per worker3.2×
Marcell Township is more of a job hub
Marcell Township 0.48Bowstring Township 0.15
Home values+42%
Homes cost more in Marcell Township
Marcell Township $348,600Bowstring Township $246,200
Bachelor’s degree++22 pts
More adults in Marcell Township have a degree
Marcell Township 38.6%Bowstring Township 16.6%
Trails2.1×
Bowstring Township has more miles of trail
Bowstring Township 16.0 miMarcell Township 7.5 mi
Average commute9 min
Marcell Township has the shorter commute
Bowstring Township 36 minMarcell Township 27 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $180 more a month in Marcell 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.

Marcell Township$1,580/mo
Typical home $272K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.70% · Housing →
Bowstring Township$1,400/mo
Typical home $246K (Census) · tax rate 0.55% · Housing →

The difference: $180 a month, about $2,100 a year, between Marcell Township and Bowstring 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

Marcell Township and Bowstring Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Marcell TownshipBowstring TownshipMarcell TownshipBowstring Township
Marcell Township ↔ Bowstring Township9.6 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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
Marcell TownshipBowstring Township
Snow a year64″64″
January low-5°F-5°F
July high77°F77°F
Growing season (days)140d140d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)56th74th
Outdoors & history
Marcell TownshipBowstring Township
Trails8 mi16 mi
Conserved land54.8%45.1%
National Register places1—
Community
Marcell TownshipBowstring 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.

Marcell TownshipBowstring Township
People
Population 383Highest 177Lowest
Median age 61.7±8.1Lowest 59% above MN 61.9±5.4Highest 60% above MN
Bowstring Township and Marcell Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 18%±8.5Highest MN: 22.9% 12.4%±8.2Lowest MN: 22.9%
Marcell Township and Bowstring Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 42.3%±7.6Highest MN: 17.3% 35.6%±2.5Lowest MN: 17.3%
Marcell Township and Bowstring Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 38.6%Highest MN: 39.4% 16.6%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.9%±2.5Highest MN: 5.8% 2.8%±2.4Lowest MN: 5.8%
Marcell Township and Bowstring Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $65,500±$15kLowest 26% below MN $72,083±$15kHighest 19% below MN
Bowstring Township and Marcell Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $348,600±$53kHighest 6% above MN $246,200±$34kLowest 25% below MN
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,429Highest 28% below MN $1,344Lowest 60% below MN
Below poverty line 19.3%Highest MN: 9.3% 6.8%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 100%Highest MN: 72.2% 97.8%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than MN 1984Lowest 5 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minLowest 19% above MN 36 minHighest 57% above MN
Work from home 24.5%±24.6Highest MN: 17.6% 2.8%±4.1Lowest MN: 17.6%
Marcell Township and Bowstring Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 2.4%Highest 0%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 44.3 miHighest 37.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.48Highest 0.15Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Grand Rapids (13%)Grand Rapids (11%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Bowstring TownshipFew work in Marcell Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 54.8%Highest 45.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 7.5 miLowest 16.0 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.3Highest 0.9Lowest
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.

Marcell Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marcell Township’s Town Square.

Bowstring Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bowstring Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Marcell Township and Bowstring Township

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Bordering Marcell Township

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+ Compare
Lake Jessie Township200 people · $226K homes
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Stokes Township169 people · $247K homes

Towns like Marcell Township

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Long Beach318 people · $367K homes
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Crow Wing Lake Township407 people · $407K homes
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Nidaros Township346 people · $346K homes
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Amor Township588 people · $364K 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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