Compare towns
Norcross vs Solway 125 miles apart. Close on almost everything the Census measures, so the differences below are the small ones.
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.
Norcross A small town of 106
Quiet strengths Norcross doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Norcross →
Solway A small town of 117
Quiet strengths Solway doesn’t stand out on the data we have Neighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Solway →
★ What stands out · 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.
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.
Outdoors & history
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 125 miles apart Straight-line miles between town centers.
Norcross ↔ Solway 125 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.
Raising kids Affordability Owning a home Short commute Working from home Younger crowd Settled, older crowd Growing town Outdoorsy Walkable streets
Population
106 Lowest 117 Highest
Median age
17.7 ±47.2 Lowest 54% below MN 26 ±15.5 Highest 33% below MN
Kids under 18
50.9% ±55.3 Highest MN: 22.9% 30.8% ±49.6 Lowest MN: 22.9%
Age 65+
16% ±24.2 Highest MN: 17.3% 12.8% ±21.5 Lowest MN: 17.3%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
32.7% Lowest MN: 39.4% 34.7% Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0% ±13.3 Lowest MN: 5.8% 14.5% ±17.9 Highest MN: 5.8%
Household incomemedian
$118,056 ±$48k Highest 33% above MN $96,250 ±$66k Lowest 8% above MN
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
— $215,000 ±$47k 35% below MN
Property taxmedian, yearly
— $1,218 64% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
— 0% ±100 MN: 48.1%
Below poverty line
0% Lowest MN: 9.3% 7.7% Highest MN: 9.3%
Homeownersof occupied homes
100% Highest MN: 72.2% 92.9% Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1981 Highest 2 yrs newer than MN 1974 Lowest 5 yrs older than MN
Average commuteone way
— 16 min 30% below MN
Work from home
50% ±56.6 Highest MN: 17.6% 0% ±25 Lowest MN: 17.6%
Work in townworking residents
0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line
23.8 mi Highest 12.3 mi Lowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub
0.00 Lowest 2.00 Highest
Top workplaceoutside town
Elbow Lake (29%) Bemidji (75%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others
Few work in Solway Few work in Norcross
Conserved landshare of the town
1.5% Highest 0% Lowest
Trailsmapped miles
0.1 mi Highest 0.0 mi Lowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi
0.1 mi Highest 0.0 mi Lowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map
1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure
16.0 Lowest 20.6 Highest
School district
— Bemidji Public School District
High school in town
— None in town
“±” Census margin of error ACS 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.
Norcross or Solway: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Norcross? → Moving to Norcross: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Norcross’s Town Square.
Solway or Norcross: which would you pick? → What’s it really like to live in Solway? → Moving to Solway: what should I know? →
Your question goes to Solway’s Town Square.
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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