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Toad Lake Township vs Tower

163 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (21.7× in Tower) and street grid (13.1× in Tower).

T ×

Toad Lake Township, MNA small town of 436Becker County · 436 people

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Tower, MNA regional job hubMinnesota · 367 people

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.

Toad Lake TownshipA small town of 436

Quiet strengthsToad Lake Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.

All about Toad Lake Township →

TowerA regional job hub

Work338 jobsbased in Tower, a regional job hub All about Tower →

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 worker21.7×

Tower is more of a job hub

Tower 2.60Toad Lake Township 0.12

Street grid13.1×

Tower has the more walkable street grid

Tower 13.1Toad Lake Township 1.0

Rent runs higher in Toad Lake Township

Toad Lake Township $1,125Tower $586

Property tax bill+70%

Tax bills are bigger in Tower

Tower $1,555Toad Lake Township $913

Average commute9 min

Tower has the shorter commute

Toad Lake Township 36 minTower 27 min

Work in town+14.5 pts

More of Tower’s workers stay in town

Tower 15.4%Toad Lake Township 0.9%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,190 more a month in Tower

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.

Down paymentRate%

Toad Lake Township$1,120/mo

Typical home $199K (Census) · tax rate 0.46% · or rent about $1,125/mo · Housing →

Tower$2,310/mo

Typical home $359K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.42% · or rent about $586/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,190 a month, about $14,200 a year, between Tower and Toad 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.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Minnesota ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools

–Toad Lake TownshipNot graded BTowerBetter than 60% of districts in the state

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

Toad Lake TownshipTower

Snow a year48″69″

January low-4°F -7°F

July high79°F 77°F

Growing season (days)130d 89d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)19th 43rd

Outdoors & history

Toad Lake TownshipTower

Trails3 mi 3 mi

Conserved land2%6.4%

Settled—1889

National Register places—2

Community

Toad Lake TownshipTower

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

163 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Toad Lake TownshipBecker County TowerMN

Toad Lake Township ↔ Tower163 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.

Only big differences vs Minnesota average

Toad Lake TownshipTower

People

Population 436Highest 367Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -8%Highest MN: +7.6% -14%Lowest MN: +7.6%

Median age 57.3±15.8Highest 48% above MN 55.4±9.4Lowest 43% above MN

Toad Lake Township and Tower are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 17%±3.1Highest MN: 22.9% 14.4%±9.2Lowest MN: 22.9%

Toad Lake Township and Tower are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 36.7%±16Highest MN: 17.3% 28.6%±9.1Lowest MN: 17.3%

Toad Lake Township and Tower are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.7%Highest MN: 39.4% 12.6%Lowest MN: 39.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.4%±2.5Lowest MN: 5.8% 3.3%±3.4Highest MN: 5.8%

Tower and Toad Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $71,250±$1kHighest 20% below MN $65,893±$14kLowest 26% below MN

Toad Lake Township and Tower are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $199,400±$121kHighest 39% below MN $109,600±$27kLowest 67% below MN

Toad Lake Township and Tower are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,125±$147Highest 12% below MN $586±$36Lowest 54% below MN

Property taxmedian, yearly $913Lowest 73% below MN $1,555Highest 54% below MN

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 40%±100Highest MN: 48.1% 30.8%±67Lowest MN: 48.1%

Toad Lake Township and Tower are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 7.8%Lowest MN: 9.3% 9.8%Highest MN: 9.3%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 85.6%Highest MN: 72.2% 83.4%Lowest MN: 72.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1975Highest 4 yrs older than MN 1957Lowest 22 yrs older than MN

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 36 minHighest 59% above MN 27 minLowest 18% above MN

Work from home 11.8%±5.7Lowest MN: 17.6% 12.6%±12Highest MN: 17.6%

Tower and Toad Lake Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 0.9%Lowest 15.4%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.3 miLowest 23.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.12Lowest 2.60Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Detroit Lakes (30%)Virginia (16%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in TowerFew work in Toad Lake Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2%Lowest 6.4%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 3.0 miHighest 2.8 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 1.0 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.0Lowest 13.1Highest

Schools

School district —ST. LOUIS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT · Vermilion Country School

High school in town —Vermilion Country School

Students per teacherat that high school — 9.3

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.

Toad Lake Township neighborsTown Square →

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

Tower neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Tower’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Toad Lake Township and Tower

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

Bordering Toad Lake Township

Wolf Lake Township351 people · $197K homes

Shell Lake Township365 people · $293K homes

Height of Land Township771 people · $264K homes

Evergreen Township398 people · $179K homes

Towns like Toad Lake Township

Crystal Bay Township469 people · $221K homes

Taconite468 people · $220K homes

Albert Lea Township428 people · $258K homes

Star Lake Township490 people · $331K 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.