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Compare towns

Balaton vs Trimont

66 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (+83% in Balaton) and street grid (+67% in Trimont).

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Balaton, MNHomes around $105KMinnesota · 551 people
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Trimont, MNHomes around $213KMinnesota · 546 people
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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.

BalatonHomes around $105K
Housing$105K typical home70% below the MN typical home All about Balaton →
TrimontHomes around $213K
Housing$213K typical home39% below the MN typical home All about Trimont →
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.

Rent+83%
Rent runs higher in Balaton
Balaton $1,138Trimont $622
Street grid+67%
Trimont has the more walkable street grid
Trimont 79.5Balaton 47.5
Property tax bill+24%
Tax bills are bigger in Balaton
Balaton $1,281Trimont $1,029
Jobs per worker+68%
Trimont is more of a job hub
Trimont 0.69Balaton 0.41
Average commute5 min
Trimont has the shorter commute
Balaton 28 minTrimont 23 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $640 more a month in Trimont

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.

Balaton$670/mo
Typical home $105K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.36% · or rent about $1,138/mo · Housing →
Trimont$1,300/mo
Typical home $213K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.04% · or rent about $622/mo · Housing →

The difference: $640 a month, about $7,600 a year, between Trimont and Balaton.

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
–BalatonNot graded B−TrimontBetter than 49% 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
BalatonTrimont
Snow a year49″50″
January low5°F5°F
July high82°F83°F
Growing season (days)156d160d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)60th28th
Outdoors & history
BalatonTrimont
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land5.5%—
Community
BalatonTrimont
Library hours a week19 hrs12 hrs
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

66 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BalatonMNTrimontMN
Balaton ↔ Trimont66 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.

BalatonTrimont
People
Population 551Highest 546Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -7.5%Lowest MN: +7.6% -5.6%Highest MN: +7.6%
Median age 48.6±13.1Highest 25% above MN 47.5±14.5Lowest 22% above MN
Balaton and Trimont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23%±3.4Highest MN: 22.9% 17.9%±6.7Lowest MN: 22.9%
Balaton and Trimont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 24.9%±7Lowest MN: 17.3% 33.3%±9Highest MN: 17.3%
Trimont and Balaton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.4%Lowest MN: 39.4% 22.8%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.8%±1.2Lowest MN: 5.8% 5.1%±3.7Highest MN: 5.8%
Trimont and Balaton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $54,688±$6kHighest 39% below MN $49,196±$4kLowest 45% below MN
Balaton and Trimont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $94,000±$23kLowest 71% below MN $98,800±$8kHighest 70% below MN
Trimont and Balaton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,138±$96Highest 11% below MN $622±$77Lowest 51% below MN
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,281Highest 62% below MN $1,029Lowest 69% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 51.1%±26.4Highest MN: 48.1% 46.8%±28.9Lowest MN: 48.1%
Balaton and Trimont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 17.7%Highest MN: 9.3% 15.2%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 74.9%Highest MN: 72.2% 67.2%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1951Lowest 28 yrs older than MN 1953Highest 26 yrs older than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minHighest 21% above MN 23 minLowest about the MN average
Work from home 11.3%±5Highest MN: 17.6% 7.1%±3.7Lowest MN: 17.6%
Balaton and Trimont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 2.9%Lowest 3.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.8 mi 15.8 mi
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.41Lowest 0.69Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Marshall (42%)Fairmont (22%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in TrimontFew work in Balaton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.5%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 47.5Lowest 79.5Highest
Schools
School district —Martin County West School District
High school in town —None in town
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.

Balaton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Balaton’s Town Square.

Trimont neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Trimont’s Town Square.

Add a town

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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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