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.

Safety

ABarnesvilleSafer than 91% of U.S. towns –RiceNot graded

Schools

A+BarnesvilleBetter than 99% of districts in the state BRiceBetter than 58% of districts in the state

Health

ABarnesvilleHealthier than 87% of U.S. towns A−RiceHealthier than 77% of U.S. towns

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $220 more a month in Rice

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%

Barnesville$1,890/mo

Typical home $310K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.04% · or rent about $848/mo · Housing →

Rice$2,110/mo

Typical home $351K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $1,144/mo · Housing →

The difference: $220 a month, about $2,600 a year, between Rice and Barnesville.

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.

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

BarnesvilleRice

Snow a year50″51″

January low-1°F —

July high80°F —

Growing season (days)149d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)80th 68th

Outdoors & history

BarnesvilleRice

Trails1 mi 1 mi

Conserved land0%1.1%

Settled1874 1890

National Register places1 —

Archive photos12 —

Community

BarnesvilleRice

Library hours a week34 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

121 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BarnesvilleMN RiceMN

Barnesville ↔ Rice121 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

BarnesvilleRice

People

Population 2,762Highest 2,085Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.6%Lowest MN: +7.6% +54.9%Highest MN: +7.6%

Median age 32.7±1.7Lowest 16% below MN 33.2±2Highest 14% below MN

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

Kids under 18 31.9%±5.7Highest MN: 22.9% 30.9%±3.9Lowest MN: 22.9%

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

Age 65+ 13%±2.7Highest MN: 17.3% 8.6%±2.1Lowest MN: 17.3%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 30.7%Highest MN: 39.4% 28.8%Lowest MN: 39.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.4%±2.5Highest MN: 5.8% 3.2%±1.5Lowest MN: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $97,917±$12kLowest 10% above MN $107,692±$12kHighest 21% above MN

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $248,700±$17kLowest 24% below MN $266,600±$6kHighest 19% below MN

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $848±$92Lowest 34% below MN $1,144±$408Highest 11% below MN

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,577Highest 23% below MN $2,425Lowest 28% below MN

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 23.1%±20Lowest MN: 48.1% 28.6%±25Highest MN: 48.1%

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

Below poverty line 1.8%Lowest MN: 9.3% 3%Highest MN: 9.3%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 83.3%Lowest MN: 72.2% 88.6%Highest MN: 72.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than MN 2003Highest 24 yrs newer than MN

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 15% above MN 24 minLowest 7% above MN

Work from home 6.8%±2.1Lowest MN: 17.6% 12%±3.2Highest MN: 17.6%

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

Work in townworking residents 12.6%Highest 7.7%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.8 miHighest 13.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.54Lowest 1.11Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Fargo (38%)St. Cloud (30%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in RiceFew work in Barnesville

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 1.1%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 1.4 miHighest 0.7 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 8Highest 2Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 81.6Highest 17.9Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #29 of 230 in MN—

School district BARNESVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools

High school in town Barnesville High SchoolNone in town

Students per teacherat that high school 16.2 —

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.

Barnesville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Barnesville’s Town Square.

Rice neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Rice’s Town Square.

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Bordering Barnesville

+ Compare

Humboldt Township272 people · $344K homes

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Barnesville Township178 people · $310K homes

Towns like Barnesville

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Plainview3,500 people · $245K homes

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Montrose3,888 people · $276K homes

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Grant Valley Township2,206 people · $291K homes

+ Compare

Eckles Township1,898 people · $227K 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.

Barnesville vs Rice

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Grades and rankings, side by side

A typical home costs $220 more a month in Rice

What daily life feels like in each

121 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Barnesville and Rice

Bordering Barnesville

Towns like Barnesville

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