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Alden vs Mabel

91 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (2.8× in Mabel) and average commute (10 min in Alden).

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Alden, MNHomes around $161KMinnesota · 629 people

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Mabel, MNKnown for its schoolsMinnesota · 730 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.

AldenHomes around $161K

Housing$161K typical home54% below the MN typical home All about Alden →

MabelKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 90%of MN districts Housing$219K typical home38% below the MN typical home All about Mabel →

The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Street grid2.8×

Mabel has the more walkable street grid

Mabel 98.2Alden 35.4

Average commute10 min

Alden has the shorter commute

Mabel 30 minAlden 20 min

Age 65++11.7 pts

Mabel has more people 65 and up

Mabel 33.3%Alden 21.6%

Property tax bill+29%

Tax bills are bigger in Alden

Alden $1,921Mabel $1,488

Work from home+4.7 pts

More people work from home in Alden

Alden 6.1%Mabel 1.4%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $310 more a month in Mabel

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%

Alden$1,040/mo

Typical home $161K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.50% · or rent about $1,042/mo · Housing →

Mabel$1,360/mo

Typical home $219K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.13% · or rent about $729/mo · Housing →

The difference: $310 a month, about $3,700 a year, between Mabel and Alden.

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

BAldenBetter than 55% of districts in the state AMabelBetter than 90% 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

AldenMabel

Snow a year40″47″

January low5°F —

July high82°F —

Growing season (days)158d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)40th 80th

Outdoors & history

AldenMabel

Conserved land—0%

Settled1869 —

Archive photos2 —

Famous people born here1 —

Community

AldenMabel

Library hours a week—28 hrs

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

91 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

AldenMN MabelMN

Alden ↔ Mabel91 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

AldenMabel

People

Population 629Lowest 730Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -11.8%Lowest MN: +7.6% -8.2%Highest MN: +7.6%

Median age 50.5±7.5Highest 30% above MN 49.2±5.1Lowest 27% above MN

Alden and Mabel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 17.3%±4.3Highest MN: 22.9% 15.2%±3.8Lowest MN: 22.9%

Alden and Mabel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 21.6%±3.8Lowest MN: 17.3% 33.3%±7.3Highest MN: 17.3%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.2%Lowest MN: 39.4% 19.4%Highest MN: 39.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.5%±4.5Highest MN: 5.8% 4.8%±2.6Lowest MN: 5.8%

Alden and Mabel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $73,250±$14kHighest 18% below MN $59,392±$6kLowest 33% below MN

Alden and Mabel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $128,400±$20kLowest 61% below MN $131,400±$20kHighest 60% below MN

Mabel and Alden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,042±$505Highest 19% below MN $729±$92Lowest 43% below MN

Alden and Mabel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,921Highest 43% below MN $1,488Lowest 56% below MN

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 28.9%±27.1Lowest MN: 48.1% 34.1%±27.9Highest MN: 48.1%

Mabel and Alden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 4.5%Lowest MN: 9.3% 8.4%Highest MN: 9.3%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 82.8%Lowest MN: 72.2% 86.7%Highest MN: 72.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1957Lowest 22 yrs older than MN 1961Highest 18 yrs older than MN

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 20 minLowest 11% below MN 30 minHighest 33% above MN

Work from home 6.1%±3.2Highest MN: 17.6% 1.4%±1.4Lowest MN: 17.6%

Work in townworking residents 4%Lowest 7.1%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.8 miLowest 20.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.74Highest 0.61Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Albert Lea (41%)Rochester (16%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MabelFew work in Alden

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.6 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 1.2 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 2Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 35.4Lowest 98.2Highest

Schools

School district Southern MN Education Consortium · ALDEN-CONGER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTMabel-Canton Public School District

High school in town Alden-Conger SecondaryMabel-Canton Secondary

Students per teacherat that high school 12.7Highest 10.1Lowest

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.

Alden neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alden’s Town Square.

Mabel neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mabel’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Alden and Mabel

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

Bordering Alden

Carlston Township277 people · $269K homes

Alden Township298 people · $245K homes

Towns like Alden

Kellogg513 people · $173K homes

Bird Island930 people · $142K homes

Minnesota Falls Township396 people · $158K homes

Glenville572 people · $123K homes

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.