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Silver Brook Township vs Smiley Township

200 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (13.9× in Silver Brook Township) and conserved land (+29.9 pts in Silver Brook Township).

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Silver Brook Township, MNAn outdoors townCarlton County · 544 people
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Smiley Township, MNA small town of 471Pennington County · 471 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.

Silver Brook TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors30.2% conserved land15 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves All about Silver Brook Township →
Smiley TownshipA small town of 471
Quiet strengthsSmiley Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Smiley 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.

Trails13.9×
Silver Brook Township has more miles of trail
Silver Brook Township 15.3 miSmiley Township 1.1 mi
Conserved land+29.9 pts
Silver Brook Township has more conserved land
Silver Brook Township 30.2%Smiley Township 0.3%
Growth since 2010+12.1 pts
Smiley Township has grown faster since 2010
Smiley Township +6.9%Silver Brook Township -5.2%
Jobs per worker2.3×
Silver Brook Township is more of a job hub
Silver Brook Township 0.18Smiley Township 0.08
Average commute9 min
Smiley Township has the shorter commute
Silver Brook Township 28 minSmiley Township 19 min
Street grid+55%
Smiley Township has the more walkable street grid
Smiley Township 1.7Silver Brook Township 1.1
★ What stands out · 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.

Silver Brook Township$1,640/mo
Typical home $276K (Census) · tax rate 0.87% · or rent about $1,281/mo · Housing →
Smiley Township$1,630/mo
Typical home $271K (Census) · tax rate 0.93% · or rent about $1,042/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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
Silver Brook TownshipSmiley Township
Snow a year71″50″
January low2°F-3°F
July high79°F79°F
Growing season (days)118d142d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)35th95th
Outdoors & history
Silver Brook TownshipSmiley Township
Trails15 mi1 mi
Conserved land30.2%0.3%
Community
Silver Brook TownshipSmiley 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

200 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Silver Brook TownshipCarlton CountySmiley TownshipPennington County
Silver Brook Township ↔ Smiley Township200 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.

Silver Brook TownshipSmiley Township
People
Population 544Highest 471Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.2%Lowest MN: +7.6% +6.9%Highest MN: +7.6%
Median age 47.4±8Highest 22% above MN 45.8±6.6Lowest 18% above MN
Silver Brook Township and Smiley Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.6%±5.4Highest MN: 22.9% 21.4%±4.8Lowest MN: 22.9%
Silver Brook Township and Smiley Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.6%±3.8Lowest MN: 17.3% 20.4%±6.3Highest MN: 17.3%
Smiley Township and Silver Brook Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23.6%Highest MN: 39.4% 23.1%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.4%±2.8Highest MN: 5.8% 1.1%±2.9Lowest MN: 5.8%
Silver Brook Township and Smiley Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $88,036±$7kLowest about the MN average $90,893±$10kHighest about the MN average
Smiley Township and Silver Brook Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $275,600±$32kHighest 16% below MN $271,400±$34kLowest 18% below MN
Silver Brook Township and Smiley Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,281±$683Highest about the MN average $1,042±$446Lowest 19% below MN
Silver Brook Township and Smiley Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,387Lowest 29% below MN $2,516Highest 25% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 57.1%±76.7Highest MN: 48.1% 15%±87.3Lowest MN: 48.1%
Silver Brook Township and Smiley Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 5.7%Highest MN: 9.3% 2.1%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 89.4%Highest MN: 72.2% 89%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than MN 1979Lowest same as MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minHighest 25% above MN 19 minLowest 16% below MN
Work from home 11.9%±7.9Highest MN: 17.6% 5.8%±4.5Lowest MN: 17.6%
Silver Brook Township and Smiley Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.7%Highest 0.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miHighest 6.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.18Highest 0.08Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Cloquet (25%)Thief River Falls (57%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Smiley TownshipFew work in Silver Brook Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 30.2%Highest 0.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 15.3 miHighest 1.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.1Lowest 1.7Highest
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.

Silver Brook Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Silver Brook Township’s Town Square.

Smiley Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Smiley Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Silver Brook Township

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Wrenshall404 people · $243K homes
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Twin Lakes Township2,259 people · $326K homes
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Wrenshall Township422 people · $238K homes
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Superior, WI2,107 people · $299K homes

Towns like Silver Brook Township

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Pelican Lake Township578 people · $345K homes
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Industrial Township680 people · $252K homes
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Courtland Township503 people · $318K homes
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Oakwood Township405 people · $289K 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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