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McKenzie Township vs Sterling Township

Next-door neighbors in Burleigh County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (23.4× in McKenzie Township) and typical home built (36 yrs in Sterling Township).

M ×
McKenzie Township, NDA regional job hubBurleigh County · 79 people
S ×
Sterling Township, NDAn outdoors townBurleigh County · 151 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.

McKenzie TownshipA regional job hub
Work95 jobsbased in McKenzie Township, a regional job hub Outdoors15.8% conserved land36 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about McKenzie Township →
Sterling TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors26.7% conserved land32 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves All about Sterling 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.

Jobs per worker23.4×
McKenzie Township is more of a job hub
McKenzie Township 1.64Sterling Township 0.07
Typical home built36 yrs
Sterling Township’s homes are older
McKenzie Township 2002Sterling Township 1966
Homeowners+20 pts renters
Sterling Township has more renters
McKenzie Township 100%Sterling Township 80%
Conserved land+10.9 pts
Sterling Township has more conserved land
Sterling Township 26.7%McKenzie Township 15.8%
Street grid+50%
McKenzie Township has the more walkable street grid
McKenzie Township 0.6Sterling Township 0.4
★ What stands out · Where they are

McKenzie Township and Sterling Township share a border

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

McKenzie TownshipSterling TownshipMcKenzie TownshipSterling Township
McKenzie Township ↔ Sterling Township5.3 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
1 Sterling Township residents work in McKenzie Township (1.4% of its workers)
Work & commute in Sterling Township →
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
McKenzie TownshipSterling Township
Snow a year51″45″
January low2°F2°F
July high85°F81°F
Growing season (days)136d136d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)78th78th
Outdoors & history
McKenzie TownshipSterling Township
Trails36 mi32 mi
Conserved land15.8%26.7%
Archive photos—4
Community
McKenzie TownshipSterling 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.

McKenzie TownshipSterling Township
People
Population 79Lowest 151Highest
Median age 47.8±16.9Highest 33% above ND 47.5±20.7Lowest 32% above ND
McKenzie Township and Sterling Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 15.2%±23Lowest ND: 23.5% 31.8%±9Highest ND: 23.5%
Sterling Township and McKenzie Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 26.6%±38.1Highest ND: 16.5% 14.6%±16Lowest ND: 16.5%
McKenzie Township and Sterling Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.9%Lowest ND: 32.7% 17.5%Highest ND: 32.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.5%±13.2Highest ND: 7.6% 1.3%±7.1Lowest ND: 7.6%
McKenzie Township and Sterling Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $86,250±$80k 13% above ND —
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied — $472,700±$237k 89% above ND
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $758±$691 21% below ND
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,139 54% below ND —
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent — 54.5%±100 ND: 38.9%
Below poverty line 7.6%Lowest ND: 10.8% 51%Highest ND: 10.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 100%Highest ND: 62.9% 80%Lowest ND: 62.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 2002Highest 20 yrs newer than ND 1966Lowest 16 yrs older than ND
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 min 36% above ND 24 min 36% above ND
Work from home 0%±18.5 ND: 8.1% 0%±16.4 ND: 8.1%
Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 1.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.8 miLowest 24.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.64Highest 0.07Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Bismarck (59%)Bismarck (64%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Sterling Township1% work in McKenzie Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 15.8%Lowest 26.7%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 35.9 miHighest 31.9 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miHighest 0.9 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.6Highest 0.4Lowest
Schools
School district —STERLING 35
High school in town —None in town
North Dakota 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.

McKenzie Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to McKenzie Township’s Town Square.

Sterling Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sterling Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering McKenzie Township

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Menoken Township246 people · $292K homes
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Sibley Butte Township3 people
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Logan Township3 people

Towns like McKenzie Township

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Hurley Township64 people · $225K homes
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Severn Township65 people · $189K homes
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Glenfield Township68 people · $230K homes
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Dazey Township104 people
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks North Dakota towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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