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.

Down paymentRate%

Nelson$940/mo

Typical home $158K (Census) · tax rate 0.90% · or rent about $1,000/mo · Housing →

Askov$1,050/mo

Typical home $171K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.09% · or rent about $346/mo · Housing →

The difference: $100 a month, about $1,300 a year, between Askov and Nelson.

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

NelsonAskov

Snow a year54″64″

January low-1°F -0°F

July high79°F 78°F

Growing season (days)134d 129d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)30th 44th

Outdoors & history

NelsonAskov

Settled—1918

National Register places—3

Archive photos—6

Community

NelsonAskov

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

121 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

NelsonMN AskovMN

Nelson ↔ Askov121 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.

Only big differences vs Minnesota average

NelsonAskov

People

Population 155Lowest 304Highest

Median age 48.1±5Highest 24% above MN 43.5±10Lowest 12% above MN

Nelson and Askov are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 20%±17.8Highest MN: 22.9% 15.5%±6.8Lowest MN: 22.9%

Nelson and Askov are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 10.3%±14.2Lowest MN: 17.3% 21.7%±5Highest MN: 17.3%

Askov and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 3.5%Lowest MN: 39.4% 13.4%Highest MN: 39.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.9%±7.8 MN: 5.8% 3.9%±3 MN: 5.8%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $57,188±$7kHighest 36% below MN $31,250±$11kLowest 65% below MN

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $157,500±$21kHighest 52% below MN $152,700±$19kLowest 54% below MN

Nelson and Askov are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,000±$537Highest 22% below MN $346±$216Lowest 73% below MN

Nelson and Askov are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,423Lowest 58% below MN $1,670Highest 50% below MN

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 70%±43.2Highest MN: 48.1% 55.3%±17.4Lowest MN: 48.1%

Nelson and Askov are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 9%Lowest MN: 9.3% 24.3%Highest MN: 9.3%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 54.5%Lowest MN: 72.2% 56.3%Highest MN: 72.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1974Highest 5 yrs older than MN 1964Lowest 15 yrs older than MN

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 25 minLowest 10% above MN 43 minHighest 90% above MN

Work from home 4.2%±7.2Lowest MN: 17.6% 6.5%±4.2Highest MN: 17.6%

Askov and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 3.1%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 6.3 miLowest 16.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.03Highest 0.85Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Alexandria (52%)Hinckley (11%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AskovFew work in Nelson

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.2 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 30.5Highest 22.4Lowest

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.

Nelson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Nelson’s Town Square.

Askov neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Askov’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Nelson and Askov

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Nelson

+ Compare

Osakis Township686 people · $311K homes

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Alexandria Township3,027 people · $392K homes

Towns like Nelson

+ Compare

Effie77 people

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Hackensack248 people · $177K homes

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Byron Township238 people · $275K homes

+ Compare

Squaw Lake104 people · $181K 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.

Nelson vs Askov

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

121 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Nelson and Askov

Bordering Nelson

Towns like Nelson

Post to Nelson

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