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Meadow Township vs Shell River Township

Next-door neighbors in Wadena County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (33× in Meadow Township) and trails (6.3× in Shell River Township).

M ×
Meadow Township, MNA small town of 322Wadena County · 322 people
S ×
Shell River Township, MNAn outdoors townWadena County · 170 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 →
Shell River TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors24.2% conserved land8.2 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Shell River 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 worker33×
Meadow Township is more of a job hub
Meadow Township 0.33Shell River Township 0.01
Trails6.3×
Shell River Township has more miles of trail
Shell River Township 8.2 miMeadow Township 1.3 mi
Median age28.7 yrs
Shell River Township skews older
Shell River Township 55.5Meadow Township 26.8
Property tax bill+94%
Tax bills are bigger in Shell River Township
Shell River Township $2,484Meadow Township $1,281
Age 65++17 pts
Shell River Township has more people 65 and up
Shell River Township 27.6%Meadow Township 10.6%
Average commute12 min
Shell River Township has the shorter commute
Meadow Township 37 minShell River Township 25 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $540 more a month in Shell River 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 →
Shell River Township$1,540/mo
Typical home $254K (Census) · tax rate 0.98% · Housing →

The difference: $540 a month, about $6,500 a year, between Shell River 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 Shell River Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Meadow TownshipShell River TownshipMeadow TownshipShell River Township
Meadow Township ↔ Shell River Township6.7 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 TownshipShell River Township
Snow a year46″—
January low-2°F—
July high79°F—
Growing season (days)141d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)46th46th
Outdoors & history
Meadow TownshipShell River Township
Trails1 mi8 mi
Conserved land8.1%24.2%
Community
Meadow TownshipShell River 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 TownshipShell River Township
People
Population 322Highest 170Lowest
Median age 26.8±18.5Lowest 31% below MN 55.5±6.8Highest 43% above MN
Kids under 18 43.8%±28.2Highest MN: 22.9% 11.8%±10Lowest MN: 22.9%
Meadow Township and Shell River 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% 27.6%±6Highest MN: 17.3%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.7%Highest MN: 39.4% 14.2%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.4%±2.5Highest MN: 5.8% 1.8%±6.3Lowest MN: 5.8%
Meadow Township and Shell River 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 $63,500±$11kHighest 29% below MN
Shell River 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 $254,200±$42kHighest 23% below MN
Shell River Township and Meadow Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,281Lowest 62% below MN $2,484Highest 26% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100Lowest MN: 48.1% 25%±100Highest MN: 48.1%
Shell River 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% 10.7%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 92.8%Lowest MN: 72.2% 95.2%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than MN 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 37 minHighest 64% above MN 25 minLowest 10% above MN
Work from home 32.4%±22.7Highest MN: 17.6% 15.6%±9.2Lowest MN: 17.6%
Meadow Township and Shell River 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 miLowest 22.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.33Highest 0.01Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Park Rapids (19%)Menahga (21%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Shell River TownshipFew work in Meadow Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 8.1%Lowest 24.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.3 miLowest 8.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.9Lowest 1.0Highest
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.

Shell River Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Shell River Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Meadow Township

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Red Eye Township526 people · $236K homes
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Orton Township213 people · $239K homes
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North Germany Township257 people · $226K homes

Towns like Meadow Township

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Pemberton223 people · $171K homes
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Bristol Township357 people · $219K homes
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Island Lake Township358 people · $228K homes
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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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