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Orwell Township vs Buse Township

Next-door neighbors in Otter Tail County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (4.1× in Buse Township) and median age (22.3 yrs in Orwell Township).

O ×
Orwell Township, MNAn outdoors townOtter Tail County · 199 people
B ×
Buse Township, MNAn outdoors townOtter Tail County · 612 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.

Orwell TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors22.7% conserved land6.4 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Orwell Township →
Buse TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors24.5% conserved land5.3 miles of trails across 9 parks and preserves All about Buse Township →
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 worker4.1×
Buse Township is more of a job hub
Buse Township 0.45Orwell Township 0.11
Median age22.3 yrs
Orwell Township skews older
Orwell Township 55Buse Township 32.7
Kids under 18+16.3 pts
Buse Township has more kids
Buse Township 36.4%Orwell Township 20.1%
Street grid+86%
Buse Township has the more walkable street grid
Buse Township 1.3Orwell Township 0.7
Size3.1×
Buse Township is the bigger place
Buse Township 612Orwell Township 199
Property tax bill+26%
Tax bills are bigger in Buse Township
Buse Township $1,896Orwell Township $1,500
★ What stands out · Where they are

Orwell Township and Buse Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Orwell TownshipBuse TownshipOrwell TownshipBuse Township
Orwell Township ↔ Buse Township4.9 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Orwell Township$1,710/mo
Typical home $303K (Census) · tax rate 0.49% · Housing →
Buse Township$1,720/mo
Typical home $299K (Census) · tax rate 0.64% · or rent about $725/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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
Orwell TownshipBuse Township
Snow a year50″50″
January low-1°F-1°F
July high80°F80°F
Growing season (days)149d149d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)24th17th
Outdoors & history
Orwell TownshipBuse Township
Trails6 mi5 mi
Conserved land22.7%24.5%
Settled—1870
Community
Orwell TownshipBuse Township
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.

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.

Orwell TownshipBuse Township
People
Population 199Lowest 612Highest
Median age 55±13.6Highest 42% above MN 32.7±7Lowest 16% below MN
Kids under 18 20.1%±5.9Lowest MN: 22.9% 36.4%±6.4Highest MN: 22.9%
Age 65+ 14.6%±11.1Lowest MN: 17.3% 16%±0.7Highest MN: 17.3%
Buse Township and Orwell Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 33.8%Highest MN: 39.4% 25.3%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1%±5.2Lowest MN: 5.8% 1.8%±2.1Highest MN: 5.8%
Buse Township and Orwell Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $91,154±$3kLowest about the MN average $92,500±$10kHighest 4% above MN
Buse Township and Orwell Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $303,200±$81kHighest 8% below MN $298,500±$40kLowest 9% below MN
Orwell Township and Buse Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $725±$238 43% below MN
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,500Lowest 55% below MN $1,896Highest 44% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100Lowest MN: 48.1% 50%±100Highest MN: 48.1%
Buse Township and Orwell Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4.5%Lowest MN: 9.3% 4.8%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 92.3%Highest MN: 72.2% 86.7%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1957Lowest 22 yrs older than MN 1978Highest 1 yr older than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 19 minHighest 15% below MN 18 minLowest 22% below MN
Work from home 4.3%±4.2Lowest MN: 17.6% 8.3%±7.5Highest MN: 17.6%
Buse Township and Orwell Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 10.3 miHighest 4.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.11Lowest 0.45Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Fergus Falls (43%)Fergus Falls (64%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Buse TownshipFew work in Orwell Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 22.7%Lowest 24.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 6.4 miHighest 5.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 mi 0.2 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 9Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.7Lowest 1.3Highest
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.

Orwell Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Orwell Township’s Town Square.

Buse Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Buse Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Orwell Township

+ Compare
Fergus Falls14,181 people · $194K homes
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Fergus Falls Township860 people · $306K homes
W
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Western Township97 people
F
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Foxhome Township78 people · $265K homes

Towns like Orwell Township

L
+ Compare
Lakeview Township238 people · $286K homes
B
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Bondin Township227 people · $306K homes
C
+ Compare
Cuyuna250 people · $308K homes
B
+ Compare
Bearville Township186 people · $308K 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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