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Pine River vs Walden Township

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: street grid (90.4× in Pine River) and jobs per worker (19.5× in Pine River).

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Pine River, MNA regional job hubMinnesota · 906 people
W ×
Walden Township, MNA small town of 432Cass County · 432 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.

Pine RiverA regional job hub
Work729 jobsbased in Pine River, a regional job hub SchoolsBetter than 30%of MN districts Housing$264K typical home25% below the MN typical home All about Pine River →
Walden TownshipA small town of 432
Quiet strengthsWalden Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Walden 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.

Street grid90.4×
Pine River has the more walkable street grid
Pine River 63.3Walden Township 0.7
Jobs per worker19.5×
Pine River is more of a job hub
Pine River 2.14Walden Township 0.11
Homeowners+42.5 pts renters
Pine River has more renters
Walden Township 91.1%Pine River 48.6%
Property tax bill+57%
Tax bills are bigger in Pine River
Pine River $1,644Walden Township $1,044
Growth since 2010+11.3 pts
Walden Township has grown faster since 2010
Walden Township +7.8%Pine River -3.5%
Average commute7 min
Pine River has the shorter commute
Walden Township 28 minPine River 20 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $410 more a month in Pine River

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.

Pine River$1,590/mo
Typical home $264K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $700/mo · Housing →
Walden Township$1,180/mo
Typical home $208K (Census) · tax rate 0.50% · Housing →

The difference: $410 a month, about $4,900 a year, between Pine River and Walden Township.

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.

Where they are

Pine River and Walden Township share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

Pine RiverWalden TownshipPine RiverWalden Township
Pine River ↔ Walden Township5.3 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
30 Walden Township residents work in Pine River (14.7% of its workers)
Work & commute in Walden Township →
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
CPine RiverBetter than 30% of districts in the state –Walden TownshipNot graded
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
Pine RiverWalden Township
Snow a year39″39″
January low-1°F-1°F
July high80°F80°F
Growing season (days)152d152d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)43rd43rd
Outdoors & history
Pine RiverWalden Township
Trails—4 mi
Conserved land—0.7%
Settled1901—
National Register places1—
Archive photos7—
Famous people born here1—
Community
Pine RiverWalden Township
Library hours a week31 hrs—
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.

Pine RiverWalden Township
People
Population 906Highest 432Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3.5%Lowest MN: +7.6% +7.8%Highest MN: +7.6%
Median age 38.8±6.6Highest about the MN average 38.6±9.6Lowest about the MN average
Pine River and Walden Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.3%±3Lowest MN: 22.9% 29.9%±4.6Highest MN: 22.9%
Walden Township and Pine River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 23.5%±5.3Lowest MN: 17.3% 26.2%±6.6Highest MN: 17.3%
Walden Township and Pine River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.2%Highest MN: 39.4% 11.1%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.8%±2.1Highest MN: 5.8% 1.4%±1.3Lowest MN: 5.8%
Pine River and Walden Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $43,080±$4kLowest 52% below MN $59,375±$22kHighest 33% below MN
Walden Township and Pine River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $180,400±$21kLowest 45% below MN $207,600±$22kHighest 37% below MN
Walden Township and Pine River are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $700±$77 45% below MN —
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,644Highest 51% below MN $1,044Lowest 69% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 38.5%±12.7Highest MN: 48.1% 30%±100Lowest MN: 48.1%
Pine River and Walden Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 29.1%Highest MN: 9.3% 10.9%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 48.6%Lowest MN: 72.2% 91.1%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than MN 1989Highest 10 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 10% below MN 28 minHighest 22% above MN
Work from home 8.1%±4.5Highest MN: 17.6% 5.7%±4.9Lowest MN: 17.6%
Pine River and Walden Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 11.1%Highest 0%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 23.8 miHighest 22.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.14Highest 0.11Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Brainerd (8%)Pine River (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Walden Township15% work in Pine River
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 0.7%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 3.5 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 63.3Highest 0.7Lowest
Schools
School district PINE RIVER-BACKUS SCHOOL DISTRICT—
High school in town Pine River-Backus High School—
Students per teacherat that high school 14.3 —
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.

Pine River neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Pine River’s Town Square.

Walden Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Walden Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Pine River

B
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Barclay Township569 people · $255K homes
W
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Wilson Township542 people · $223K homes
+ Compare
Pine River Township1,058 people · $229K homes
C
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Chickamaw Beach248 people · $299K homes

Towns like Pine River

+ Compare
Browerville902 people · $131K homes
W
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White Earth Township770 people · $163K homes
F
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Fosston1,374 people · $152K homes
E
+ Compare
Erskine427 people · $117K 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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