Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Shell River Township vs Blueberry Township

Next-door neighbors in Wadena County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (18× in Blueberry Township) and kids under 18 (+15.5 pts in Blueberry Township).

S ×
Shell River Township, MNAn outdoors townWadena County · 170 people
B ×
Blueberry Township, MNA small town of 706Wadena County · 706 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.

Shell River TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors24.2% conserved land8.2 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Shell River Township →
Blueberry TownshipA small town of 706
Quiet strengthsBlueberry Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Blueberry 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 worker18×
Blueberry Township is more of a job hub
Blueberry Township 0.18Shell River Township 0.01
Kids under 18+15.5 pts
Blueberry Township has more kids
Blueberry Township 27.3%Shell River Township 11.8%
Size4.2×
Blueberry Township is the bigger place
Blueberry Township 706Shell River Township 170
Conserved land+21.7 pts
Shell River Township has more conserved land
Shell River Township 24.2%Blueberry Township 2.5%
Street grid+90%
Blueberry Township has the more walkable street grid
Blueberry Township 1.9Shell River Township 1.0
Bachelor’s degree++12.4 pts
More adults in Blueberry Township have a degree
Blueberry Township 26.6%Shell River Township 14.2%
★ What stands out · Where they are

Shell River Township and Blueberry Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Shell River TownshipBlueberry TownshipShell River TownshipBlueberry Township
Shell River Township ↔ Blueberry Township6.0 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.

Shell River Township$1,540/mo
Typical home $254K (Census) · tax rate 0.98% · Housing →
Blueberry Township$1,600/mo
Typical home $266K (Census) · tax rate 0.93% · or rent about $930/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between Blueberry Township and Shell River 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.

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
Shell River TownshipBlueberry Township
Snow a year—46″
January low—-2°F
July high—79°F
Growing season (days)—141d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)46th46th
Outdoors & history
Shell River TownshipBlueberry Township
Trails8 mi5 mi
Conserved land24.2%2.5%
Archive photos—1
Community
Shell River TownshipBlueberry 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.

Shell River TownshipBlueberry Township
People
Population 170Lowest 706Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — +14.8% MN: +7.6%
Median age 55.5±6.8Highest 43% above MN 43.1±6.8Lowest 11% above MN
Shell River Township and Blueberry Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 11.8%±10Lowest MN: 22.9% 27.3%±3.3Highest MN: 22.9%
Age 65+ 27.6%±6Highest MN: 17.3% 23.7%±2.9Lowest MN: 17.3%
Shell River Township and Blueberry Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.2%Lowest MN: 39.4% 26.6%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.8%±6.3Lowest MN: 5.8% 3.1%±1.8Highest MN: 5.8%
Blueberry Township and Shell River Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $63,500±$11kLowest 29% below MN $94,250±$23kHighest 6% above MN
Blueberry Township and Shell River Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $254,200±$42kLowest 23% below MN $266,000±$44kHighest 19% below MN
Blueberry Township and Shell River Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $930±$89 27% below MN
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,484Highest 26% below MN $2,480Lowest 26% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 25%±100Highest MN: 48.1% 0%±100Lowest MN: 48.1%
Shell River Township and Blueberry Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 10.7%Highest MN: 9.3% 4%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 95.2%Highest MN: 72.2% 90.5%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than MN 1984Lowest 5 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 10% above MN 23 minLowest about the MN average
Work from home 15.6%±9.2Highest MN: 17.6% 7.7%±3.1Lowest MN: 17.6%
Shell River Township and Blueberry Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 1.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.3 miHighest 14.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.01Lowest 0.18Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Menahga (21%)Menahga (21%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Blueberry TownshipFew work in Shell River Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 24.2%Highest 2.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 8.2 miHighest 5.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 mi 0.2 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.0Lowest 1.9Highest
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.

Shell River Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Shell River Township’s Town Square.

Blueberry Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Blueberry Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Shell River Township and Blueberry Township

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Shell River Township

M
+ Compare
Meadow Township322 people · $169K homes
H
+ Compare
Hubbard Township984 people · $325K homes
H
+ Compare
Huntersville Township88 people · $258K homes

Towns like Shell River Township

P
+ Compare
Petersburg Township186 people · $203K homes
F
+ Compare
Fairfax Township172 people · $244K homes
L
+ Compare
Logan Township210 people · $245K homes
G
+ Compare
Gail Lake Township139 people · $225K 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.

Post to Shell River Township

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in