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%

Benson$1,140/mo

Typical home $188K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.97% · or rent about $982/mo · Housing →

Roseau$1,470/mo

Typical home $236K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.17% · or rent about $895/mo · Housing →

The difference: $330 a month, about $3,900 a year, between Roseau and Benson.

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

Roseau places higher on 12 of 22 MN lists

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

A−BensonSafer than 77% of U.S. towns B−RoseauSafer than 47% of U.S. towns

Schools

B−BensonBetter than 47% of districts in the state B+RoseauBetter than 69% of districts in the state

Health

C+BensonHealthier than 39% of U.S. towns BRoseauHealthier than 63% of U.S. towns

9Benson

12Roseau

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most remote workersWork · 272 towns #271#67 Lowest depressionHealth · 273 towns #199#15 SafestSafety · 166 towns #48#101 Most educatedPeople · 275 towns #156#232 Lowest obesityHealth · 273 towns #212#138 HealthiestHealth · 273 towns #253#190 Most activeHealth · 273 towns #243#181 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 273 towns #206#148

Left end = #1 in Minnesota. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Benson’s rankings →

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

BensonRoseau

Snow a year43″—

January low1°F —

July high83°F —

Growing season (days)151d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)69th 82nd

Outdoors & history

BensonRoseau

Trails4 mi 4 mi

Conserved land4.7%4.3%

Settled1870 1895

National Register places3 2

Archive photos18 6

Famous people born here8 22

Community

BensonRoseau

Library hours a week46 hrs 46 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

244 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BensonMN RoseauMN

Benson ↔ Roseau244 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

BensonRoseau

People

Population 3,441Highest 2,736Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +7.4%Highest MN: +7.6% +4.2%Lowest MN: +7.6%

Median age 39.7±3.1Highest about the MN average 38.6±5.2Lowest about the MN average

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

Kids under 18 24.3%±4.1Highest MN: 22.9% 22.9%±4.6Lowest MN: 22.9%

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

Age 65+ 22.5%±4.2Highest MN: 17.3% 20.8%±4.4Lowest MN: 17.3%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 31.4%Highest MN: 39.4% 21.1%Lowest MN: 39.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7%±3.2Highest MN: 5.8% 3%±2.2Lowest MN: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $52,821±$9kLowest 41% below MN $60,217±$12kHighest 32% below MN

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $156,000±$15kLowest 53% below MN $164,100±$21kHighest 50% below MN

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $982±$72Highest 23% below MN $895±$287Lowest 30% below MN

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,516Lowest 55% below MN $1,926Highest 43% below MN

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 59.4%±17.2Highest MN: 48.1% 42%±13.3Lowest MN: 48.1%

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

Below poverty line 9.8%Lowest MN: 9.3% 17.8%Highest MN: 9.3%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 61.8% MN: 72.2% 61.8% MN: 72.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than MN 1982Highest 3 yrs newer than MN

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 18 minHighest 23% below MN 14 minLowest 38% below MN

Work from home 2.2%±1.7Lowest MN: 17.6% 20.6%±7.8Highest MN: 17.6%

Work in townworking residents 41.9%Lowest 52%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 1.8 miHighest 1.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.95Lowest 1.84Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Torning Township (10%)Warroad (13%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in RoseauFew work in Benson

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 4.7%Highest 4.3%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 4.0 miLowest 4.2 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.3 miLowest 1.6 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 7Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 79.3Highest 60.4Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #177 of 230 in MN #133 of 230 in MN

School district BENSON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTROSEAU PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

High school in town Benson SecondaryRoseau Secondary

Students per teacherat that high school 12.7Lowest 16.3Highest

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.

Benson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Benson’s Town Square.

Roseau neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Roseau’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Benson and Roseau

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

Bordering Benson

+ Compare

Torning Township402 people · $204K homes

+ Compare

Six Mile Grove Township155 people · $238K homes

+ Compare

Benson Township261 people · $256K homes

Towns like Benson

+ Compare

Jackson3,287 people · $129K homes

+ Compare

Glenwood2,633 people · $179K homes

+ Compare

Ada1,833 people · $138K homes

+ Compare

Windom4,799 people · $170K 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.

Benson vs Roseau

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs $330 more a month in Roseau

Roseau places higher on 12 of 22 MN lists

What daily life feels like in each

244 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Benson and Roseau

Bordering Benson

Towns like Benson

Post to Benson

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