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Compare towns

Murdock vs Milroy

56 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2× in Milroy) and jobs per worker (3.4× in Murdock).

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Murdock, MNA small town of 331Minnesota · 331 people
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Milroy, MNA small town of 203Minnesota · 203 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.

MurdockA small town of 331
Quiet strengthsMurdock doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Murdock →
MilroyA small town of 203
Quiet strengthsMilroy doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Milroy →
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.

Property tax bill2×
Tax bills are bigger in Milroy
Milroy $1,830Murdock $896
Jobs per worker3.4×
Murdock is more of a job hub
Murdock 1.47Milroy 0.43
Rent+41%
Rent runs higher in Murdock
Murdock $798Milroy $567
Street grid+82%
Milroy has the more walkable street grid
Milroy 92.0Murdock 50.5
Typical home built19 yrs
Murdock’s homes are older
Milroy 1970Murdock 1951
★ What stands out · 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.

Murdock$620/mo
Typical home $103K (Census) · tax rate 0.87% · or rent about $798/mo · Housing →
Milroy$740/mo
Typical home $113K (Census) · tax rate 1.63% · or rent about $567/mo · Housing →

The difference: $130 a month, about $1,500 a year, between Milroy and Murdock.

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.

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.

Schools
B−MurdockBetter than 51% of districts in the state –MilroyNot graded
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
MurdockMilroy
Snow a year43″44″
January low1°F—
July high83°F—
Growing season (days)151d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)48th64th
Outdoors & history
MurdockMilroy
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—0%
Settled1878—
National Register places—1
Community
MurdockMilroy
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.

Where they are

56 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MurdockMNMilroyMN
Murdock ↔ Milroy56 miles apart
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.

MurdockMilroy
People
Population 331Highest 203Lowest
Median age 30.6±2.8Lowest 21% below MN 32.8±4.5Highest 15% below MN
Milroy and Murdock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 28.1%±9.1Highest MN: 22.9% 24.6%±5.4Lowest MN: 22.9%
Murdock and Milroy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.2%±4Lowest MN: 17.3% 20.2%±9.4Highest MN: 17.3%
Milroy and Murdock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.5%Lowest MN: 39.4% 16.1%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.8%±3Lowest MN: 5.8% 5.4%±3.4Highest MN: 5.8%
Milroy and Murdock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $73,333±$17kHighest 18% below MN $59,583±$8kLowest 33% below MN
Murdock and Milroy are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $103,100±$18kLowest 69% below MN $112,500±$10kHighest 66% below MN
Milroy and Murdock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $798±$78Highest 38% below MN $567±$89Lowest 56% below MN
Property taxmedian, yearly $896Lowest 73% below MN $1,830Highest 45% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 13%±63.1Lowest MN: 48.1% 57.1%±97.9Highest MN: 48.1%
Milroy and Murdock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 9.2%Lowest MN: 9.3% 15.8%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 82.1%Lowest MN: 72.2% 83.1%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1951Lowest 28 yrs older than MN 1970Highest 9 yrs older than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minHighest 7% below MN 20 minLowest 11% below MN
Work from home 0.6%±1.2Lowest MN: 17.6% 7.4%±7.1Highest MN: 17.6%
Milroy and Murdock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.1%Highest 2.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 miHighest 18.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.47Highest 0.43Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Willmar (20%)Marshall (21%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MilroyFew work in Murdock
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 50.5Lowest 92.0Highest
Schools
School district KERKHOVEN-MURDOCK-SUNBURGMILROY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town None in townNone in town
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.

Murdock neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Murdock’s Town Square.

Milroy neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Milroy’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Murdock

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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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