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Rollingstone vs Spencer Township

191 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (86× in Rollingstone) and rent (+80% in Spencer Township).

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Rollingstone, MNKnown for its schoolsMinnesota · 620 people
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Spencer Township, MNA small town of 562Aitkin County · 562 people
Swap order
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.

RollingstoneKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 33%of MN districts History7 archive photos & papers3 places on the National Register All about Rollingstone →
Spencer TownshipA small town of 562
Quiet strengthsSpencer Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Spencer 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 grid86×
Rollingstone has the more walkable street grid
Rollingstone 68.8Spencer Township 0.8
Rent+80%
Rent runs higher in Spencer Township
Spencer Township $1,342Rollingstone $747
Property tax bill+79%
Tax bills are bigger in Rollingstone
Rollingstone $2,188Spencer Township $1,219
Average commute12 min
Spencer Township has the shorter commute
Rollingstone 29 minSpencer Township 17 min
Age 65++6.8 pts
Spencer Township has more people 65 and up
Spencer Township 24.2%Rollingstone 17.4%
Jobs per worker+60%
Spencer Township is more of a job hub
Spencer Township 0.40Rollingstone 0.25
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $520 more a month in Rollingstone

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.

Rollingstone$1,890/mo
Typical home $315K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $747/mo · Housing →
Spencer Township$1,370/mo
Typical home $242K (Census) · tax rate 0.50% · or rent about $1,342/mo · Housing →

The difference: $520 a month, about $6,300 a year, between Rollingstone and Spencer 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.

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
CRollingstoneBetter than 33% of districts in the state –Spencer 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
RollingstoneSpencer Township
Snow a year36″43″
January low8°F-1°F
July high83°F78°F
Growing season (days)175d144d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)65th80th
Outdoors & history
RollingstoneSpencer Township
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land0%6.8%
National Register places3—
Archive photos7—
Famous people born here1—
Community
RollingstoneSpencer 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.

Where they are

191 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

RollingstoneMNSpencer TownshipAitkin County
Rollingstone ↔ Spencer Township191 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.

RollingstoneSpencer Township
People
Population 620Highest 562Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.1%Highest MN: +7.6% +0.8%Lowest MN: +7.6%
Median age 41.8±7.3Lowest 8% above MN 43.2±10.4Highest 11% above MN
Spencer Township and Rollingstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 27.1%±3.6Highest MN: 22.9% 23.3%±4.1Lowest MN: 22.9%
Rollingstone and Spencer Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.4%±3.4Lowest MN: 17.3% 24.2%±3.1Highest MN: 17.3%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 28.5%Highest MN: 39.4% 26.5%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.6%±1.1Lowest MN: 5.8% 2.1%±1.2Highest MN: 5.8%
Spencer Township and Rollingstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $93,000±$7kHighest 4% above MN $81,375±$10kLowest 9% below MN
Rollingstone and Spencer Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $239,400±$29kLowest 27% below MN $242,100±$21kHighest 26% below MN
Spencer Township and Rollingstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $747±$135Lowest 42% below MN $1,342±$76Highest 5% above MN
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,188Highest 35% below MN $1,219Lowest 64% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 78.8%±35.5Highest MN: 48.1% 33.3%±100Lowest MN: 48.1%
Rollingstone and Spencer Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.7%Lowest MN: 9.3% 7.7%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 86.1%Highest MN: 72.2% 85.7%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1978Lowest 1 yr older than MN 1979Highest same as MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minHighest 27% above MN 17 minLowest 25% below MN
Work from home 8.1%±2.4Lowest MN: 17.6% 8.2%±5Highest MN: 17.6%
Spencer Township and Rollingstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.3%Lowest 2.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.8 miLowest 25.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.25Lowest 0.40Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Winona (31%)Aitkin (28%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Spencer TownshipFew work in Rollingstone
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 6.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.1 miLowest 1.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.8 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 3Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 68.8Highest 0.8Lowest
Schools
School district Rollingstone Community School—
High school in town None in town—
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.

Rollingstone neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Rollingstone’s Town Square.

Spencer Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Spencer Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Rollingstone

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Otto Township565 people · $310K homes
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Elysian676 people · $285K 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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