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Centerville vs Circle Pines

5 miles apart. The biggest differences: conserved land (+22.9 pts in Circle Pines) and home values (+28% in Centerville).

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Centerville, MNKnown for its schoolsMinnesota · 3,935 people
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Circle Pines, MNAn outdoors townMinnesota · 4,968 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.

CentervilleKnown for its schools
Schools#1 for schools in MNof 230 towns HealthHealthier than 92%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Centerville →
Circle PinesAn outdoors town
Outdoors#6 most conserved land in MN2.3 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves Schools#38 for schools in MNof 230 towns Housing$313K typical home11% below the MN typical home All about Circle Pines →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

Conserved land+22.9 pts
Circle Pines has more conserved land
Circle Pines 25.2%Centerville 2.3%
Home values+28%
Homes cost more in Centerville
Centerville $376,900Circle Pines $293,600
Property tax bill+29%
Tax bills are bigger in Centerville
Centerville $4,481Circle Pines $3,476
Street grid+42%
Circle Pines has the more walkable street grid
Circle Pines 66.0Centerville 46.5
Typical home built12 yrs
Circle Pines’s homes are older
Centerville 1993Circle Pines 1981
Average commute4 min
Circle Pines has the shorter commute
Centerville 26 minCircle Pines 22 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $590 more a month in Centerville

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.

Centerville$2,540/mo
Typical home $408K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.19% · or rent about $1,398/mo · Housing →
Circle Pines$1,950/mo
Typical home $313K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.18% · or rent about $1,496/mo · Housing →

The difference: $590 a month, about $7,100 a year, between Centerville and Circle Pines.

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

Centerville places higher on 12 of 20 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.

Schools
ACentervilleBetter than 89% of districts in the state ACircle PinesBetter than 89% of districts in the state
Health
ACentervilleHealthier than 92% of U.S. towns A−Circle PinesHealthier than 82% of U.S. towns
12Centerville
6Circle Pines

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most conserved landOutdoors · 268 towns #201#6 Most affordableCost of living · 275 towns #189#111 Lowest property taxCost of living · 275 towns #229#152 Shortest commuteGetting around · 275 towns #189#114 Most walkableOutdoors · 275 towns #146#75 HealthiestHealth · 273 towns #34#96 Most activeHealth · 273 towns #44#99 Most remote workersWork · 272 towns #42#88

Left end = #1 in Minnesota. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Centerville’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
CentervilleCircle Pines
Snow a year40″40″
January low6°F6°F
July high81°F81°F
Growing season (days)162d162d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)69th76th
Outdoors & history
CentervilleCircle Pines
Trails0 mi2 mi
Conserved land2.3%25.2%
Settled18571950
Famous people born here1—
Community
CentervilleCircle Pines
Library hours a week—44 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

5 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CentervilleCircle PinesCentervilleCircle Pines
Centerville ↔ Circle Pines4.8 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.

CentervilleCircle Pines
People
Population 3,935Lowest 4,968Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.7%Highest MN: +7.6% +2.2%Lowest MN: +7.6%
Median age 40.5±2.9Highest 4% above MN 38.4±3.6Lowest about the MN average
Centerville and Circle Pines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25%±4.9Highest MN: 22.9% 22.2%±5.4Lowest MN: 22.9%
Centerville and Circle Pines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.3%±3.4Lowest MN: 17.3% 17.6%±3.9Highest MN: 17.3%
Circle Pines and Centerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 42.5%Highest MN: 39.4% 42.2%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.5%±2.4Lowest MN: 5.8% 6.1%±2.6Highest MN: 5.8%
Circle Pines and Centerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $122,541±$9kHighest 38% above MN $101,800±$13kLowest 14% above MN
Centerville and Circle Pines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $376,900±$16kHighest 14% above MN $293,600±$25kLowest 11% below MN
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,398±$177Lowest 9% above MN $1,496±$208Highest 17% above MN
Circle Pines and Centerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,481Highest 33% above MN $3,476Lowest 4% above MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 31.4%±26.2Lowest MN: 48.1% 48.5%±22.7Highest MN: 48.1%
Circle Pines and Centerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 2.3%Lowest MN: 9.3% 3.6%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 89.2%Highest MN: 72.2% 87.2%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than MN 1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 14% above MN 22 minLowest 4% below MN
Work from home 23.6%±5.4Highest MN: 17.6% 18.6%±4.7Lowest MN: 17.6%
Centerville and Circle Pines are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 2.6%Highest 1.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miHighest 12.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.25Highest 0.17Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town St. Paul (12%)Minneapolis (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Circle PinesFew work in Centerville
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.3%Lowest 25.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 2.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 1.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Lowest 7Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 46.5Lowest 66.0Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #1 of 230 in MN#38 of 230 in MN
School district Centennial Public School DistrictCentennial Public School District
High school in town None in townNone 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.

Centerville neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Centerville’s Town Square.

Circle Pines neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Circle Pines’s Town Square.

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Towns like Centerville

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St. Augusta3,625 people · $388K homes
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Bemidji Township3,363 people · $246K homes
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Dovre Township2,214 people · $382K homes
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Thomson Township5,534 people · $339K 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.

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