Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Shell River Township vs Gail Lake Township

32 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (82× in Shell River Township) and jobs per worker (22× in Gail Lake Township).

S ×
Shell River Township, MNAn outdoors townWadena County · 170 people
G ×
Gail Lake Township, MNA small town of 139Crow Wing County · 139 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 →
Gail Lake TownshipA small town of 139
Quiet strengthsGail Lake Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Gail Lake 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.

Trails82×
Shell River Township has more miles of trail
Shell River Township 8.2 miGail Lake Township 0.1 mi
Jobs per worker22×
Gail Lake Township is more of a job hub
Gail Lake Township 0.22Shell River Township 0.01
Property tax bill2.6×
Tax bills are bigger in Shell River Township
Shell River Township $2,484Gail Lake Township $960
Conserved land+15.5 pts
Shell River Township has more conserved land
Shell River Township 24.2%Gail Lake Township 8.7%
Street grid+67%
Shell River Township has the more walkable street grid
Shell River Township 1.0Gail Lake Township 0.6
Average commute6 min
Gail Lake Township has the shorter commute
Shell River Township 25 minGail Lake Township 19 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $280 more a month in Shell River Township

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 →
Gail Lake Township$1,260/mo
Typical home $225K (Census) · tax rate 0.43% · Housing →

The difference: $280 a month, about $3,400 a year, between Shell River Township and Gail Lake 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 TownshipGail Lake Township
Snow a year—39″
January low—-1°F
July high—80°F
Growing season (days)—152d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)46th61st
Outdoors & history
Shell River TownshipGail Lake Township
Trails8 mi—
Conserved land24.2%—
Community
Shell River TownshipGail Lake 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

32 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Shell River TownshipWadena CountyGail Lake TownshipCrow Wing County
Shell River Township ↔ Gail Lake Township32 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.

Shell River TownshipGail Lake Township
People
Population 170Highest 139Lowest
Median age 55.5±6.8Highest 43% above MN 52.6±0.3Lowest 36% above MN
Shell River Township and Gail Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 11.8%±10Highest MN: 22.9% 3.6%±18.1Lowest MN: 22.9%
Shell River Township and Gail Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 27.6%±6Highest MN: 17.3% 18.7%±10.8Lowest MN: 17.3%
Shell River Township and Gail Lake 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%Highest MN: 39.4% 11%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.8%±6.3Highest MN: 5.8% 0.7%±7.5Lowest MN: 5.8%
Shell River Township and Gail Lake 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±$11kHighest 29% below MN $55,417±$32kLowest 38% below MN
Shell River Township and Gail Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $254,200±$42kHighest 23% below MN $225,000±$42kLowest 32% below MN
Shell River Township and Gail Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,484Highest 26% below MN $960Lowest 71% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 25%±100Lowest MN: 48.1% 100%±100Highest MN: 48.1%
Gail Lake Township and Shell River 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% 7.9%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 95.2%Highest MN: 72.2% 94%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than MN 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 10% above MN 19 minLowest 16% below MN
Work from home 15.6%±9.2Highest MN: 17.6% 2.9%±3.6Lowest MN: 17.6%
Shell River Township and Gail Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0% 0%
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.3 miHighest 13.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.01Lowest 0.22Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Menahga (21%)Pequot Lakes (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Gail Lake TownshipFew work in Shell River Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 24.2%Highest 8.7%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 8.2 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.0Highest 0.6Lowest
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.

Gail Lake Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Gail Lake Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Shell River Township and Gail Lake Township

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

Bordering Shell River Township

B
+ Compare
Blueberry Township706 people · $266K homes
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
V
+ Compare
Van Buren Township121 people · $250K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Minnesota towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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