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Meadow Township vs Orton Township

Next-door neighbors in Wadena County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (5.5× in Meadow Township) and average commute (19 min in Meadow Township).

M ×
Meadow Township, MNA small town of 322Wadena County · 322 people
O ×
Orton Township, MNA small town of 213Wadena County · 213 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.

Meadow TownshipA small town of 322
Quiet strengthsMeadow Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Meadow Township →
Orton TownshipA small town of 213
Quiet strengthsOrton Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Orton 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.

Jobs per worker5.5×
Meadow Township is more of a job hub
Meadow Township 0.33Orton Township 0.06
Average commute19 min
Meadow Township has the shorter commute
Orton Township 56 minMeadow Township 37 min
Property tax bill+47%
Tax bills are bigger in Orton Township
Orton Township $1,889Meadow Township $1,281
Homeowners+17.6 pts renters
Orton Township has more renters
Meadow Township 92.8%Orton Township 75.2%
Trails+85%
Orton Township has more miles of trail
Orton Township 2.4 miMeadow Township 1.3 mi
Typical home built13 yrs
Meadow Township’s homes are older
Orton Township 1990Meadow Township 1977
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $410 more a month in Orton 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.

Meadow Township$990/mo
Typical home $169K (Census) · tax rate 0.76% · Housing →
Orton Township$1,410/mo
Typical home $239K (Census) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $329/mo · Housing →

The difference: $410 a month, about $5,000 a year, between Orton Township and Meadow 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

Meadow Township and Orton Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Meadow TownshipOrton TownshipMeadow TownshipOrton Township
Meadow Township ↔ Orton Township6.9 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
Meadow TownshipOrton Township
Snow a year46″51″
January low-2°F-2°F
July high79°F78°F
Growing season (days)141d141d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)46th46th
Outdoors & history
Meadow TownshipOrton Township
Trails1 mi2 mi
Conserved land8.1%7.6%
Community
Meadow TownshipOrton 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.

Meadow TownshipOrton Township
People
Population 322Highest 213Lowest
Median age 26.8±18.5Lowest 31% below MN 44±6.8Highest 13% above MN
Orton Township and Meadow Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 43.8%±28.2Highest MN: 22.9% 15.5%±8.8Lowest MN: 22.9%
Meadow Township and Orton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 10.6%±6.2Lowest MN: 17.3% 23.5%±10.9Highest MN: 17.3%
Orton Township and Meadow Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.7%Highest MN: 39.4% 14.5%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.4%±2.5Highest MN: 5.8% 0.5%±6.3Lowest MN: 5.8%
Meadow Township and Orton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $52,569±$9kLowest 41% below MN $58,750±$22kHighest 34% below MN
Orton Township and Meadow Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $169,400±$44kLowest 49% below MN $238,600±$54kHighest 28% below MN
Orton Township and Meadow Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $329±$202 74% below MN
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,281Lowest 62% below MN $1,889Highest 44% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100Lowest MN: 48.1% 10%±88.7Highest MN: 48.1%
Orton Township and Meadow Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 17.7%Highest MN: 9.3% 7%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 92.8%Highest MN: 72.2% 75.2%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than MN 1990Highest 11 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 37 minLowest 64% above MN 56 minHighest 148% above MN
Work from home 32.4%±22.7Highest MN: 17.6% 8.6%±6.6Lowest MN: 17.6%
Meadow Township and Orton Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.8 miHighest 19.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.33Highest 0.06Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Park Rapids (19%)Menahga (36%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Orton TownshipFew work in Meadow Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 8.1%Highest 7.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.3 miLowest 2.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3 3
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.9Highest 0.7Lowest
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.

Meadow Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Meadow Township’s Town Square.

Orton Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Orton Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Meadow Township

R
+ Compare
Red Eye Township526 people · $236K homes
S
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Shell River Township170 people · $254K homes
N
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North Germany Township257 people · $226K homes

Towns like Meadow Township

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Pemberton223 people · $171K homes
B
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Bristol Township357 people · $219K homes
I
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Island Lake Township358 people · $228K homes
O
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Owens Township378 people · $162K 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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