Savanna Portage · National Register of Historic Places
Balsam Township’s story
121 years in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1905Balsam Township is settled
Balsam TownshipMN
A town of 30, settled in 1905.
4 bordering townsMap →
Savanna Portage · Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
30
2025 Census estimate · +3.4% since 2020
Median home value
$413K
Census ACS
Household income
$59K
median
Median age
65.5
years
Land area
37 sq mi
Is Balsam Township a good place to live?
Balsam Township’s age of the median resident is 65.5 years, above both Minnesota’s towns (39.9 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). 83% of the land in Balsam Township is conserved, above both the Minnesota town median (4.7%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest place to walk is Savanna State Forest, 12,962 acres with 1.4 miles of trail. Balsam Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
30 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Haugen TownshipPrairie Lake TownshipTurner TownshipBeseman TownshipBalsam Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Balsam Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Balsam Township, and how to reach them.
PowerLake Country Power18.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet2 providers89% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Balsam Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereAitkin County AuditorAitkin County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes55787, 5576055787 75% · 55760 25%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Balsam Township.
Outdoors
Conserved land covers nearly a third of Balsam Township
Across 2 parks and preserves: 21 miles of trail. For Balsam Township, the trail network density is 0.6 miles per square mile. Parks and preserves here: 2, covering 19,337 acres.
82.8%conserved
82.8%
conserved · 19,326 of 23,330 acres
21 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Savanna Portage State Park | 19.5 mi | 6,375 |
| 2. Savanna State Forest | 1.4 mi | 12,962 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazards
Balsam Township has a very high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Federal aid has come to Balsam Township households in 2 declared disasters; the latest was in 2012. Compared with 80% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage locally is higher. 71% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 21%.
80risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Balsam Township has snowy winters and pleasant summers
In Balsam Township, the July high is 78°F.
59″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter3–22°
Spring28–51°
Summer53–76°
Fall33–53°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 7
typical last frost
+2.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
A larger share of adults have high blood pressure in Balsam Township than in most of Minnesota or the rest of the country
14% of adults in Balsam Township have diabetes; 28% feel lonely. CDC measures, 32 in all: Balsam Township beats Minnesota on 3 and trails on 13. The share of adults in Balsam Township who sleep under 7 hours: 32%. Among 272 Minnesota towns, just 7 have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Balsam Township.
| Balsam Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 31% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 10% | 12% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
3 better16 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Balsam Township | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.1% | 76.1% |
| More adults getting a yearly checkup | 78.7% | 74.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.2% | 8.9% |
Essentia Health Moose Lake
29.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Balsam Township
17pages on Balsam Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Balsam Township; the nearest are
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Cloquet31.9 mi$6,006 in-state tuitionMinnesota North CollegeCommunity college · Public · Hibbing42.9 mi$6,022 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Balsam Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
About Balsam Township
Township in Minnesota, United States
Balsam Township is a township in Aitkin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 29 as of the 2020 census. The population in 2021 is estimated to be 29.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 37 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,260 ft
Questions about Balsam Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Balsam Township, MN a good place to live?
Balsam Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.