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Traverse Township vs Elmo Township

145 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (6× in Elmo Township) and property tax bill (2.3× in Traverse Township).

T ×
Traverse Township, MNA small town of 291Nicollet County · 291 people
E ×
Elmo Township, MNAn outdoors townOtter Tail County · 356 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.

Traverse TownshipA small town of 291
Quiet strengthsTraverse Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Traverse 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.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $580 more a month in Traverse 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.

Traverse Township$2,060/mo
Typical home $339K (Census) · tax rate 1.01% · or rent about $2,227/mo · Housing →
Elmo Township$1,480/mo
Typical home $258K (Census) · tax rate 0.59% · Housing →

The difference: $580 a month, about $7,000 a year, between Traverse Township and Elmo 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
Traverse TownshipElmo Township
Snow a year38″51″
January low3°F-2°F
July high82°F78°F
Growing season (days)153d141d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)50th21st
Outdoors & history
Traverse TownshipElmo Township
Trails0 mi2 mi
Conserved land1%15.2%
Settled—1880
Community
Traverse TownshipElmo 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

145 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Traverse Township ↔ Elmo Township145 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.

Traverse TownshipElmo Township
People
Population 291Lowest 356Highest
Median age 39.8±26.3 about the MN average 39.8±6.1 about the MN average
Kids under 18 13.4%±7.7Lowest MN: 22.9% 25.3%±3.9Highest MN: 22.9%
Age 65+ 19.6%±5.4Lowest MN: 17.3% 22.2%±5.2Highest MN: 17.3%
Elmo Township and Traverse Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.5%Highest MN: 39.4% 22.1%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.4%±1.2Highest MN: 5.8% 1.1%±3.3Lowest MN: 5.8%
Traverse Township and Elmo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $79,700±$34kHighest 11% below MN $66,964±$11kLowest 25% below MN
Traverse Township and Elmo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $339,100±$55kHighest about the MN average $258,300±$116kLowest 22% below MN
Traverse Township and Elmo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,227±$102 74% above MN —
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,429Highest about the MN average $1,512Lowest 55% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 91.7%±84.3Highest MN: 48.1% 0%±100Lowest MN: 48.1%
Traverse Township and Elmo Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 1.4%Lowest MN: 9.3% 8.7%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 80.6%Lowest MN: 72.2% 83.2%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than MN 1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 19 minLowest 19% below MN 29 minHighest 29% above MN
Work from home 1.2%±2.3Lowest MN: 17.6% 10.7%±5Highest MN: 17.6%
Work in townworking residents 0.8%Lowest 1.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miLowest 24.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.42Highest 0.24Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town St. Peter (25%)Alexandria (13%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Elmo TownshipFew work in Traverse Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1%Lowest 15.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miLowest 2.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.2 1.2
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.

Traverse Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Traverse Township’s Town Square.

Elmo Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Elmo Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Traverse Township

Towns like Traverse Township

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.

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