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Munson Township vs Wakefield Township

Next-door neighbors in Stearns County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (6.1× in Wakefield Township) and trails (4.4× in Wakefield Township).

M ×
Munson Township, MNOne of the healthiest townsStearns County · 1,403 people
W ×
Wakefield Township, MNOne of the healthiest townsStearns County · 2,800 people
Swap order
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.

Munson TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 64%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Munson Township →
Wakefield TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 76%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Wakefield 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 worker6.1×
Wakefield Township is more of a job hub
Wakefield Township 0.79Munson Township 0.13
Trails4.4×
Wakefield Township has more miles of trail
Wakefield Township 4.8 miMunson Township 1.1 mi
Seasonal homes+23.9 pts
Munson Township has more second homes
Munson Township 35.4%Wakefield Township 11.5%
Street grid+75%
Wakefield Township has the more walkable street grid
Wakefield Township 4.2Munson Township 2.4
★ What stands out · Where they are

Munson Township and Wakefield Township share a border

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

Munson TownshipWakefield TownshipMunson TownshipWakefield Township
Munson Township ↔ Wakefield Township5.9 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
29 Munson Township residents work in Wakefield Township (4.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Munson Township →
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
BMunson TownshipHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns A−Wakefield TownshipHealthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Munson Township$2,370/mo
Typical home $399K (Census) · tax rate 0.83% · Housing →
Wakefield Township$2,380/mo
Typical home $395K (Census) · tax rate 0.95% · or rent about $1,281/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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.

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
Munson TownshipWakefield Township
Snow a year57″57″
January low4°F4°F
July high81°F81°F
Growing season (days)155d155d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)59th63rd
Outdoors & history
Munson TownshipWakefield Township
Trails1 mi5 mi
Conserved land0.3%2%
Community
Munson TownshipWakefield 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.

Munson TownshipWakefield Township
People
Population 1,403Lowest 2,800Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.1%Lowest MN: +7.6% -0.4%Highest MN: +7.6%
Median age 42.9±9.8Lowest 11% above MN 47±8.9Highest 21% above MN
Wakefield Township and Munson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.5%±6.1Highest MN: 22.9% 24.6%±5.9Lowest MN: 22.9%
Munson Township and Wakefield Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.5%±5Highest MN: 17.3% 19.3%±3.8Lowest MN: 17.3%
Munson Township and Wakefield Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.1%Lowest MN: 39.4% 31.9%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.6%±4.1Highest MN: 5.8% 3.9%±2.1Lowest MN: 5.8%
Munson Township and Wakefield Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $121,000±$16kHighest 36% above MN $108,333±$15kLowest 22% above MN
Munson Township and Wakefield Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $398,800±$29kHighest 21% above MN $394,700±$36kLowest 20% above MN
Munson Township and Wakefield Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $1,281±$1k about the MN average
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,321Lowest about the MN average $3,758Highest 12% above MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±40.8Lowest MN: 48.1% 57.1%±97.4Highest MN: 48.1%
Wakefield Township and Munson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 2.5%Lowest MN: 9.3% 4%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 90.7%Lowest MN: 72.2% 97.1%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than MN 1979Lowest same as MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minLowest 25% above MN 29 minHighest 28% above MN
Work from home 17.8%±5.6Highest MN: 17.6% 15.4%±5.8Lowest MN: 17.6%
Munson Township and Wakefield Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.9%Lowest 6.2%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.8 miHighest 14.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.13Lowest 0.79Highest
Top workplaceoutside town St. Cloud (18%)St. Cloud (23%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 4% work in Wakefield TownshipFew work in Munson Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.3%Lowest 2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.1 miLowest 4.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 3Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.4Lowest 4.2Highest
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.

Munson Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Munson Township’s Town Square.

Wakefield Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wakefield Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Munson Township and Wakefield Township

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Bordering Munson Township

+ Compare
Richmond1,431 people · $241K homes
E
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Eden Lake Township1,640 people · $361K homes
Z
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Zion Township218 people · $324K homes
F
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Farming Township942 people · $385K homes

Towns like Munson Township

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Bellevue Township1,332 people · $356K homes
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St. George Township1,162 people · $398K homes
A
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Albion Township1,343 people · $378K homes
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Shafer Township1,222 people · $409K 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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