Crow Wing State Park · National Register of Historic Places
Sylvan Township’s story
131 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 maps from 1916 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1895Sylvan Township is settled
Sylvan TownshipMN
A town of 3,030, settled in 1895. Public schools that outperform most of Minnesota.
8 bordering townsMap →
Crow Wing State Park · Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
3,030
2025 Census estimate · +4.4% since 2020
Median home value
$298K
Census ACS
Household income
$95K
median
Median age
44.4
years
Jobs based here
282
A commuter town
TownGrade
A−
#136 of 271 in MN
Is Sylvan Township a good place to live?
Sylvan Township is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades A− overall, ranked 136th of 271 in Minnesota, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is schools: its schools outperform 77% of the state's. It also does better than most on incomes: the median household earns $95K. A typical home there costs about $298K, 4.2 years of the Brainerd area’s $71K median household income. Sylvan Township’s January low is 1°F, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 6°F and U.S. towns at 22°F. Crow Wing State Park is on the National Register of Historic Places.
StrongestA−Schools
What makes Sylvan Township stand out
Where Sylvan Township beats most towns.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Sylvan Township for work
Where Sylvan Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
282jobs based in Sylvan Township
3%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Sylvan Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Sylvan Township is from typical.
SchoolsA−Open →Jobs & incomeB+Open →HealthEssentia Health St. Joseph's Medical Center 9.4 miles awayB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.3 of 20; 1% of households have no car; 1.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 47% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsB−Open →History1 place on the National RegisterCOpen →Civic life4.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Sylvan Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sylvan Township, and how to reach them.
PowerCrow Wing Cooperative Power & Light Comp14.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPillager water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Sylvan 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 hereCass County Auditor-Treasurer's OfficeCass County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes56473, 5640156473 84% · 56401 16%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 Sylvan Township.
Sylvan Township has fewer 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns, has better schools than Scandia Valley Township or any other neighbor and is healthy by national standards but mid-pack in Minnesota.
SchoolsA−
For schools, Sylvan Township earns an A−
Its A− is the best School Grade on its borders; Scandia Valley Township (B+) is next.
Its public schools are run by Central Lakes Adventure School. Its one school is below.
77%of MN districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Lakes Adventure SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 36 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Most working residents commute out of Sylvan Township
Sylvan Township has 282 jobs for its 1,288 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out.
Most working residents leave Sylvan Township for work: only 3% work in town. Since 2013, Sylvan Township has added 112 jobs, to 282 in 2023. The top destinations are Brainerd (22%), Baxter (15%) and East Gull Lake (5%).
3%work in town
| Sylvan Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.8% | 9.9% | 8% |
| Median household income | $95,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Sylvan Township3%
Brainerd22%
Baxter15%
East Gull Lake5%
Staples4%
12 mi
median commute distance
282
jobs based in Sylvan Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 42% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB+
Residents of Sylvan Township are healthier than 66% of U.S. towns
Within Minnesota it is less healthy than 63% of the 271 graded towns: Minnesota sets a high bar.
Sylvan Township beats the Minnesota average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 27% of Sylvan Township adults feel lonely.
66%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Sylvan Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 30% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 30% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 75% | 75% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better28 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Sylvan Township | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| More smokers | 15.5% | 13.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 6.8% | 5.9% |
Essentia Health St. Joseph's Medical Center
9.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
36th
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Sylvan Township
The Brainerd weather station, 9 miles away, records that about 5 days a year reach 90°, fewer than in 95% of U.S. towns. January nights average 0.8°, colder than in 95% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 80.3°.
Sylvan Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Sylvan Township’s July high is 80°F. About 48 inches of snow falls in a winter.
48″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter5–23°
Spring31–53°
Summer57–78°
Fall36–54°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Minnesota overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 45% of residents (38% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (22% statewide). The median age in Sylvan Township is 44.4 years. Sylvan Township has grown 4.4% since 2020, to 3,030 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
44.4median age · MN 38.8
| Sylvan Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.4 years | 39.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 17% | 18% | 18% |
Sylvan TownshipMinnesotaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school29%
Some college22%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s25%
Graduate7%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.7 points. Across Minnesota, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Sylvan Township | MN | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.8% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 14.4% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.8% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 8.9% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.1% | 13.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 15.8% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.2% | 12.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11% | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.6% | 6.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.8% | 23.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.6% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.2% | 11.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 25.1% | 25.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6.8% | 13.8% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,000, single groups can be off by several points
OutdoorsB−
Sylvan Township has set aside 9% of its land for conservation
3.7 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. Pillsbury State Forest, at 601 acres with 1.8 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
#209for trails in MN
| Sylvan Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 9% | 4.6% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.5 | 0.4 |
9%
conserved · 1,982 of 21,898 acres
3.7 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pillsbury State Forest | 1.8 mi | 601 |
| 2. Crow Wing State Park | — | 406 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Moderate risk in Sylvan Township, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 53% of U.S. communities.
47risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sylvan Township
18pages on Sylvan Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Sylvan Township
About 5 of every 100 Sylvan Township residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Minnesota.
About Sylvan Township
Unincorporated community in Minnesota, US
Sylvan is an unincorporated community in Sylvan Township, Cass County, Minnesota, United States. It is located between Pillager and Baxter along State Highway 210 (MN 210), near 24th Avenue SW.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Elevation
- 1,207 ft
Sylvan Township’s neighbors
8 towns share a border with Sylvan Township.
Rosing TownshipPillagerFort Ripley TownshipScandia Valley TownshipFairview TownshipBaxterMay TownshipEast Gull LakeSylvan Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sylvan Township | #136 | A− | B− | — | A− | B+ |
| Rosing Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pillager | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Fort Ripley Township | — | — | C+ | — | B+ | B+ |
| Scandia Valley Township | — | — | C | — | B+ | B− |
| Fairview Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Baxter | #245 | C+ | C− | C | B+ | B+ |
| May Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Fort Ripley Township and Scandia Valley Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Sylvan Township, Fort Ripley Township and Scandia Valley Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Rosing Township, Pillager, Fairview Township and May Township aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Sylvan Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Sylvan Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sylvan Township, MN a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Sylvan Township grades A− overall, better than 76% of U.S. towns and #136 of 271 in Minnesota. It grades B+ for health and A− for schools.
Is Sylvan Township, MN expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.