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Shell River Township vs Meadow Township

Next-door neighbors in Wadena County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (33× in Meadow Township) and trails (6.3× in Shell River Township).

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Shell River Township, MNAn outdoors townWadena County · 170 people
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Meadow Township, MNA small town of 322Wadena County · 322 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.

Shell River TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors24.2% conserved land8.2 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Shell River Township →
Meadow TownshipA small town of 322
Quiet strengthsMeadow Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Meadow 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 worker33×
Meadow Township is more of a job hub
Meadow Township 0.33Shell River Township 0.01
Trails6.3×
Shell River Township has more miles of trail
Shell River Township 8.2 miMeadow Township 1.3 mi
Median age28.7 yrs
Shell River Township skews older
Shell River Township 55.5Meadow Township 26.8
Property tax bill+94%
Tax bills are bigger in Shell River Township
Shell River Township $2,484Meadow Township $1,281
Age 65++17 pts
Shell River Township has more people 65 and up
Shell River Township 27.6%Meadow Township 10.6%
Average commute12 min
Shell River Township has the shorter commute
Meadow Township 37 minShell River Township 25 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $540 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 →
Meadow Township$990/mo
Typical home $169K (Census) · tax rate 0.76% · Housing →

The difference: $540 a month, about $6,500 a year, between Shell River Township and Meadow 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

Shell River Township and Meadow Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Shell River TownshipMeadow TownshipShell River TownshipMeadow Township
Shell River Township ↔ Meadow Township6.7 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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 TownshipMeadow 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 TownshipMeadow Township
Trails8 mi1 mi
Conserved land24.2%8.1%
Community
Shell River TownshipMeadow 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 TownshipMeadow Township
People
Population 170Lowest 322Highest
Median age 55.5±6.8Highest 43% above MN 26.8±18.5Lowest 31% below MN
Kids under 18 11.8%±10Lowest MN: 22.9% 43.8%±28.2Highest MN: 22.9%
Meadow Township and Shell River 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% 10.6%±6.2Lowest MN: 17.3%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.2%Lowest MN: 39.4% 18.7%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.8%±6.3Lowest MN: 5.8% 3.4%±2.5Highest MN: 5.8%
Meadow 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±$11kHighest 29% below MN $52,569±$9kLowest 41% below MN
Shell River Township and Meadow 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 $169,400±$44kLowest 49% below MN
Shell River Township and Meadow 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 $1,281Lowest 62% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 25%±100Highest MN: 48.1% 0%±100Lowest MN: 48.1%
Shell River Township and Meadow Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 10.7%Lowest MN: 9.3% 17.7%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 95.2%Highest MN: 72.2% 92.8%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Highest 6 yrs newer than MN 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minLowest 10% above MN 37 minHighest 64% above MN
Work from home 15.6%±9.2Lowest MN: 17.6% 32.4%±22.7Highest MN: 17.6%
Meadow Township and Shell River 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 19.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.01Lowest 0.33Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Menahga (21%)Park Rapids (19%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Meadow TownshipFew work in Shell River Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 24.2%Highest 8.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 8.2 miHighest 1.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 3Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.0Highest 0.9Lowest
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.

Meadow Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Meadow Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Shell River Township

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Blueberry Township706 people · $266K homes
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Hubbard Township984 people · $325K homes
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Huntersville Township88 people · $258K homes

Towns like Shell River Township

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Petersburg Township186 people · $203K homes
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Fairfax Township172 people · $244K homes
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Logan Township210 people · $245K homes
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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.

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