Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Zion Township vs Munson Township

Next-door neighbors in Stearns County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (4.4× in Zion Township) and size (6.4× in Munson Township).

Z ×
Zion Township, MNA small town of 218Stearns County · 218 people
M ×
Munson Township, MNOne of the healthiest townsStearns County · 1,403 people
Swap order
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.

Zion TownshipA small town of 218
Quiet strengthsZion Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Zion Township →
Munson TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 64%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Munson 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 worker4.4×
Zion Township is more of a job hub
Zion Township 0.57Munson Township 0.13
Size6.4×
Munson Township is the bigger place
Munson Township 1,403Zion Township 218
Trails3.7×
Munson Township has more miles of trail
Munson Township 1.1 miZion Township 0.3 mi
Seasonal homes+35.4 pts
Munson Township has more second homes
Munson Township 35.4%Zion Township 0%
Street grid2.4×
Munson Township has the more walkable street grid
Munson Township 2.4Zion Township 1.0
Home values+23%
Homes cost more in Munson Township
Munson Township $398,800Zion Township $324,000
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $420 more a month in Munson 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.

Zion Township$1,950/mo
Typical home $324K (Census) · tax rate 0.93% · Housing →
Munson Township$2,370/mo
Typical home $399K (Census) · tax rate 0.83% · Housing →

The difference: $420 a month, about $5,000 a year, between Munson Township and Zion 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

Zion Township and Munson Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Zion TownshipMunson TownshipZion TownshipMunson Township
Zion Township ↔ Munson Township5.4 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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.

Health
–Zion TownshipNot graded BMunson TownshipHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns
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
Zion TownshipMunson Township
Snow a year57″57″
January low4°F4°F
July high81°F81°F
Growing season (days)155d155d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)59th59th
Outdoors & history
Zion TownshipMunson Township
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land4.5%0.3%
Settled1867—
Community
Zion TownshipMunson 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.

Zion TownshipMunson Township
People
Population 218Lowest 1,403Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -1.1% MN: +7.6%
Median age 49.4±4.4Highest 27% above MN 42.9±9.8Lowest 11% above MN
Zion Township and Munson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.2%±6.8Lowest MN: 22.9% 25.5%±6.1Highest MN: 22.9%
Munson Township and Zion Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.5%±7.8Lowest MN: 17.3% 20.5%±5Highest MN: 17.3%
Munson Township and Zion Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.9%Lowest MN: 39.4% 25.1%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5%±3.4Lowest MN: 5.8% 5.6%±4.1Highest MN: 5.8%
Munson Township and Zion Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $95,000±$23kLowest 7% above MN $121,000±$16kHighest 36% above MN
Munson Township and Zion Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $324,000±$43kLowest about the MN average $398,800±$29kHighest 21% above MN
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,024Lowest 10% below MN $3,321Highest about the MN average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent — 0%±40.8 MN: 48.1%
Below poverty line 6%Highest MN: 9.3% 2.5%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 100%Highest MN: 72.2% 90.7%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Lowest same as MN 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minLowest about the MN average 28 minHighest 25% above MN
Work from home 19.7%±6.2Highest MN: 17.6% 17.8%±5.6Lowest MN: 17.6%
Zion Township and Munson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.6%Highest 0.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.8 miHighest 17.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.57Highest 0.13Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town St. Cloud (15%)St. Cloud (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Munson TownshipFew work in Zion Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 4.5%Highest 0.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.3 miLowest 1.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.0Lowest 2.4Highest
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.

Zion Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Zion Township’s Town Square.

Munson Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Munson Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Zion Township and Munson Township

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

Bordering Zion Township

+ Compare
Roscoe96 people · $173K homes
S
+ Compare
St. Martin313 people · $217K homes
L
+ Compare
Lake Henry Township237 people · $393K homes
S
+ Compare
St. Martin Township423 people · $367K homes

Towns like Zion Township

H
+ Compare
Hamden Township212 people · $407K homes
S
+ Compare
Smoky Hollow Township180 people · $269K homes
+ Compare
West Union Township226 people · $295K homes
S
+ Compare
Sheridan Township224 people · $314K 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.

Post to Zion Township

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in