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Murdock vs Oslo

221 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+57% in Oslo) and street grid (2.1× in Oslo).

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Murdock, MNA small town of 331Minnesota · 331 people
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Oslo, MNHomes around $174KMinnesota · 260 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 →
OsloHomes around $174K
Housing$174K typical home50% below the MN typical home All about Oslo →
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 bill+57%
Tax bills are bigger in Oslo
Oslo $1,406Murdock $896
Street grid2.1×
Oslo has the more walkable street grid
Oslo 108Murdock 50.5
Jobs per worker2.1×
Murdock is more of a job hub
Murdock 1.47Oslo 0.70
Average commute9 min
Murdock has the shorter commute
Oslo 30 minMurdock 21 min
Typical home built19 yrs
Murdock’s homes are older
Oslo 1970Murdock 1951
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $550 more a month in Oslo

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 →
Oslo$1,170/mo
Typical home $174K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.77% · or rent about $950/mo · Housing →

The difference: $550 a month, about $6,600 a year, between Oslo 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 –OsloNot 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
MurdockOslo
Snow a year43″48″
January low1°F-3°F
July high83°F81°F
Growing season (days)151d133d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)48th74th
Outdoors & history
MurdockOslo
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—0%
Settled1878—
Community
MurdockOslo
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

221 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MurdockMNOsloMN
Murdock ↔ Oslo221 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.

MurdockOslo
People
Population 331Highest 260Lowest
Median age 30.6±2.8Lowest 21% below MN 33.1±1.8Highest 15% below MN
Oslo and Murdock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 28.1%±9.1Lowest MN: 22.9% 31.5%±7.2Highest MN: 22.9%
Oslo and Murdock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.2%±4Highest MN: 17.3% 8.8%±8Lowest MN: 17.3%
Murdock and Oslo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.5%Highest MN: 39.4% 11.2%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.8%±3Highest MN: 5.8% 2.7%±2.4Lowest MN: 5.8%
Murdock and Oslo 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 $63,750±$28kLowest 28% below MN
Murdock and Oslo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $103,100±$18kHighest 69% below MN $79,600±$40kLowest 76% below MN
Murdock and Oslo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $798±$78Lowest 38% below MN $950±$592Highest 26% below MN
Oslo and Murdock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $896Lowest 73% below MN $1,406Highest 58% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 13%±63.1Lowest MN: 48.1% 14.3%±100Highest MN: 48.1%
Oslo and Murdock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 9.2%Highest MN: 9.3% 5.8%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 82.1%Lowest MN: 72.2% 85.3%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 minLowest 7% below MN 30 minHighest 30% above MN
Work from home 0.6%±1.2Lowest MN: 17.6% 2.3%±3Highest MN: 17.6%
Oslo 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 3.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.3 mi 19.3 mi
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.47Highest 0.70Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Willmar (20%)Argyle (19%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in OsloFew work in Murdock
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 50.5Lowest 108Highest
Schools
School district KERKHOVEN-MURDOCK-SUNBURG—
High school in town None 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.

Oslo neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Oslo’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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