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Compare towns

Oklee vs Badger

65 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+60% in Badger) and average commute (13 min in Badger).

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Oklee, MNHomes around $198KMinnesota · 383 people
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Badger, MNHomes around $204KMinnesota · 391 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.

OkleeHomes around $198K
Housing$198K typical home44% below the MN typical home SchoolsBetter than 79%of MN districts All about Oklee →
BadgerHomes around $204K
Housing$204K typical home42% below the MN typical home All about Badger →
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+60%
Tax bills are bigger in Badger
Badger $2,114Oklee $1,318
Average commute13 min
Badger has the shorter commute
Oklee 30 minBadger 16 min
Street grid+40%
Oklee has the more walkable street grid
Oklee 59.1Badger 42.2
★ 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.

Schools
A−OkleeBetter than 79% of districts in the state BBadgerBetter than 61% of districts in the state
Monthly cost

A typical home costs $180 more a month in Badger

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.

Oklee$1,220/mo
Typical home $198K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.08% · or rent about $604/mo · Housing →
Badger$1,400/mo
Typical home $204K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.92% · or rent about $1,013/mo · Housing →

The difference: $180 a month, about $2,200 a year, between Badger and Oklee.

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
OkleeBadger
Snow a year50″—
January low-3°F—
July high79°F—
Growing season (days)142d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)80th74th
Outdoors & history
OkleeBadger
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Community
OkleeBadger
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

65 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

OkleeMNBadgerMN
Oklee ↔ Badger65 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.

OkleeBadger
People
Population 383Lowest 391Highest
Median age 42.2±14.2Highest 9% above MN 39.7±6.4Lowest about the MN average
Oklee and Badger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.8%±5.6Lowest MN: 22.9% 27.6%±6.7Highest MN: 22.9%
Badger and Oklee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 18.3%±6Lowest MN: 17.3% 18.7%±4Highest MN: 17.3%
Badger and Oklee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 22%Highest MN: 39.4% 17.6%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.7%±2Highest MN: 5.8% 1.5%±3.1Lowest MN: 5.8%
Oklee and Badger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $62,188±$25kLowest 30% below MN $64,167±$16kHighest 28% below MN
Badger and Oklee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $122,000±$17kHighest 63% below MN $110,000±$19kLowest 67% below MN
Oklee and Badger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $604±$154Lowest 53% below MN $1,013±$462Highest 21% below MN
Badger and Oklee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,318Lowest 61% below MN $2,114Highest 37% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 83.9%±16.1Highest MN: 48.1% 21.1%±28Lowest MN: 48.1%
Below poverty line 15.2%Highest MN: 9.3% 14.9%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 79.8%Highest MN: 72.2% 76.3%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1966Lowest 13 yrs older than MN 1976Highest 3 yrs older than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minHighest 31% above MN 16 minLowest 28% below MN
Work from home 2%±2Lowest MN: 17.6% 6.5%±5.3Highest MN: 17.6%
Badger and Oklee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 7%Lowest 9.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.3 miHighest 12.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.23Highest 1.01Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Thief River Falls (33%)Roseau (37%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BadgerFew work in Oklee
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.4 mi 0.4 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 59.1Highest 42.2Lowest
Schools
School district RED LAKE COUNTY CENTRAL PUBLIC SCHBADGER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town Red Lake County Central High SchoolBadger Secondary
Students per teacherat that high school 11.1Highest 10.4Lowest
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.

Oklee neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Oklee’s Town Square.

Badger neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Badger’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Oklee and Badger

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Bordering Oklee

L
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Lambert Township94 people · $197K homes

Towns like Oklee

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Halstad509 people · $129K homes
G
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Geneva387 people · $183K homes
C
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Chokio392 people · $93K homes
V
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Vernon Center329 people · $143K 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.

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