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Summit Township vs Birch Township

Next-door neighbors in Beltrami County. The biggest differences: conserved land (+34.3 pts in Birch Township) and bachelor’s degree+ (+17.1 pts in Summit Township).

S ×
Summit Township, MNAn outdoors townBeltrami County · 185 people
B ×
Birch Township, MNAn outdoors townBeltrami County · 60 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.

Summit TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors26.5% conserved land8.3 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Summit Township →
Birch TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors60.8% conserved land9.2 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves All about Birch 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.

Conserved land+34.3 pts
Birch Township has more conserved land
Birch Township 60.8%Summit Township 26.5%
Bachelor’s degree++17.1 pts
More adults in Summit Township have a degree
Summit Township 35.3%Birch Township 18.2%
Size3.1×
Summit Township is the bigger place
Summit Township 185Birch Township 60
Average commute8 min
Summit Township has the shorter commute
Birch Township 24 minSummit Township 17 min
Typical home built15 yrs
Summit Township’s homes are older
Birch Township 1993Summit Township 1978
Street grid+50%
Birch Township has the more walkable street grid
Birch Township 0.6Summit Township 0.4
★ 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.

Summit Township$1,300/mo
Typical home $215K (Census) · tax rate 0.94% · Housing →
Birch Township$1,390/mo
Typical home $235K (Census) · tax rate 0.78% · Housing →

The difference: $90 a month, about $1,100 a year, between Birch Township and Summit 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

Summit Township and Birch Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Summit TownshipBirch TownshipSummit TownshipBirch Township
Summit Township ↔ Birch Township5.8 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
Summit TownshipBirch Township
Snow a year49″49″
January low-4°F-4°F
July high79°F79°F
Growing season (days)131d131d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)19th44th
Outdoors & history
Summit TownshipBirch Township
Trails8 mi9 mi
Conserved land26.5%60.8%
Community
Summit TownshipBirch 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.

Summit TownshipBirch Township
People
Population 185Highest 60Lowest
Median age 50.3±9.8Lowest 30% above MN 59.5±25Highest 53% above MN
Birch Township and Summit Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 17.8%±9.3Lowest MN: 22.9% 25%±24.6Highest MN: 22.9%
Birch Township and Summit Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 30.8%±6.3Lowest MN: 17.3% 33.3%±30.4Highest MN: 17.3%
Birch Township and Summit Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 35.3%Highest MN: 39.4% 18.2%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.6%±5.8Lowest MN: 5.8% 1.7%±17.4Highest MN: 5.8%
Birch Township and Summit Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $63,750±$30kHighest 28% below MN $38,750±$26kLowest 56% below MN
Summit Township and Birch Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $215,000±$28kLowest 35% below MN $235,400±$18kHighest 29% below MN
Birch Township and Summit Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,025Highest 40% below MN $1,833Lowest 45% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100 MN: 48.1% —
Below poverty line 2.2%Lowest MN: 9.3% 10%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 93.8%Lowest MN: 72.2% 100%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1978Lowest 1 yr older than MN 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 27% below MN 24 minHighest 7% above MN
Work from home 11.8%±8.9Highest MN: 17.6% 7.1%±13.7Lowest MN: 17.6%
Summit Township and Birch Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 2.2%Highest 0%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.3 miHighest 21.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.51Highest 0.00Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Bemidji (30%)Bemidji (56%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Birch TownshipFew work in Summit Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 26.5%Lowest 60.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 8.3 miLowest 9.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 5Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 0.4Lowest 0.6Highest
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.

Summit Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Summit Township’s Town Square.

Birch Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Birch Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Summit Township

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+ Compare
Hines Township616 people · $239K homes
+ Compare
Blackduck699 people · $97K homes
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Moose Park Township108 people · $120K homes
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Hornet Township237 people · $183K homes

Towns like Summit Township

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Lincoln Township205 people · $286K homes
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Sugar Bush Township196 people · $252K homes
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Leeds Township134 people · $207K homes
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+ Compare
Cerro Gordo Township197 people · $245K 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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