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Nelson vs Hackensack

80 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (3.4× in Hackensack) and seasonal homes (+30.4 pts in Hackensack).

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Nelson, MNA small town of 155Minnesota · 155 people

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Hackensack, MNA regional job hubMinnesota · 248 people

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.

NelsonA small town of 155

Quiet strengthsNelson doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.

All about Nelson →

HackensackA regional job hub

Work437 jobsbased in Hackensack, a regional job hub All about Hackensack →

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 worker3.4×

Hackensack is more of a job hub

Hackensack 3.50Nelson 1.03

Seasonal homes+30.4 pts

Hackensack has more second homes

Hackensack 30.4%Nelson 0%

Property tax bill+40%

Tax bills are bigger in Nelson

Nelson $1,423Hackensack $1,019

Bachelor’s degree++12.2 pts

More adults in Hackensack have a degree

Hackensack 15.7%Nelson 3.5%

Average commute6 min

Hackensack has the shorter commute

Nelson 25 minHackensack 19 min

Work in town+11.2 pts

More of Hackensack’s workers stay in town

Hackensack 11.2%Nelson 0%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,290 more a month in Hackensack

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 →

Hackensack$2,230/mo

Typical home $390K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.58% · or rent about $620/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,290 a month, about $15,500 a year, between Hackensack 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

NelsonHackensack

Snow a year54″—

January low-1°F —

July high79°F —

Growing season (days)134d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)30th 17th

Outdoors & history

NelsonHackensack

Conserved land—0%

National Register places—1

Archive photos—4

Community

NelsonHackensack

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

80 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

NelsonMN HackensackMN

Nelson ↔ Hackensack80 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

NelsonHackensack

People

Population 155Lowest 248Highest

Median age 48.1±5Lowest 24% above MN 52.5±8.7Highest 35% above MN

Hackensack and Nelson 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% 10.9%±9Lowest MN: 22.9%

Nelson and Hackensack 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% 31%±15.6Highest MN: 17.3%

Hackensack 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% 15.7%Highest MN: 39.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.9%±7.8Highest MN: 5.8% 2.4%±4.7Lowest MN: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $57,188±$7kHighest 36% below MN $41,250±$17kLowest 54% below MN

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $157,500±$21kLowest 52% below MN $176,800±$22kHighest 46% below MN

Hackensack and Nelson 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 $620±$109Lowest 52% below MN

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,423Highest 58% below MN $1,019Lowest 70% below MN

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 70%±43.2Highest MN: 48.1% 26.2%±18.3Lowest MN: 48.1%

Nelson and Hackensack 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% 25.7%Highest MN: 9.3%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 54.5%Highest MN: 72.2% 51.6%Lowest MN: 72.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1974Lowest 5 yrs older than MN 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than MN

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 10% above MN 19 minLowest 16% below MN

Work from home 4.2%±7.2Lowest MN: 17.6% 8.8%±7.5Highest MN: 17.6%

Hackensack 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 11.2%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 6.3 miLowest 17.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.03Lowest 3.50Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Alexandria (52%)Pine River (13%)

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

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.5 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 30.5Lowest 36.0Highest

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.

Nelson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Nelson’s Town Square.

Hackensack neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hackensack’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Nelson and Hackensack

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Bordering Nelson

Osakis Township686 people · $311K homes

Alexandria Township3,027 people · $392K homes

Towns like Nelson

Effie77 people

Askov304 people · $153K homes

Byron Township238 people · $275K homes

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.