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Compare towns

Cook vs Ulen

175 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (8.2× in Cook) and property tax bill (2.7× in Ulen).

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Cook, MNA regional job hubMinnesota · 423 people
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Ulen, MNA regional job hubMinnesota · 413 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.

CookA regional job hub
Work645 jobsbased in Cook, a regional job hub Housing$258K typical home26% below the MN typical home Outdoors15.3% conserved land4.1 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves All about Cook →
UlenA regional job hub
Work365 jobsbased in Ulen, a regional job hub SchoolsBetter than 71%of MN districts All about Ulen →
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.

Trails8.2×
Cook has more miles of trail
Cook 4.1 miUlen 0.5 mi
Property tax bill2.7×
Tax bills are bigger in Ulen
Ulen $2,667Cook $993
Street grid2.6×
Ulen has the more walkable street grid
Ulen 50.1Cook 19.0
Conserved land+15.3 pts
Cook has more conserved land
Cook 15.3%Ulen 0%
Typical home built21 yrs
Cook’s homes are older
Ulen 1992Cook 1971
Growth since 2010+6 pts
Cook has grown faster since 2010
Cook -7%Ulen -13%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $480 more a month in Ulen

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.

Cook$1,560/mo
Typical home $258K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.95% · or rent about $535/mo · Housing →
Ulen$2,040/mo
Typical home $313K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.53% · or rent about $903/mo · Housing →

The difference: $480 a month, about $5,800 a year, between Ulen and Cook.

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
–CookNot graded B+UlenBetter than 71% 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
CookUlen
Snow a year61″41″
January low-5°F-1°F
July high77°F82°F
Growing season (days)138d143d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)36th77th
Outdoors & history
CookUlen
Trails4 mi—
Conserved land15.3%—
Settled1903—
Community
CookUlen
Library hours a week23 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

175 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CookMNUlenMN
Cook ↔ Ulen175 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.

CookUlen
People
Population 423Highest 413Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -7%Highest MN: +7.6% -13%Lowest MN: +7.6%
Median age 58.1±11.6Highest 50% above MN 56.2±12.6Lowest 45% above MN
Cook and Ulen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 12.3%±4.5Lowest MN: 22.9% 20.1%±9.1Highest MN: 22.9%
Ulen and Cook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 38.1%±12.4Highest MN: 17.3% 36.8%±9.8Lowest MN: 17.3%
Cook and Ulen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 24.1%Highest MN: 39.4% 17.7%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.1%±2Highest MN: 5.8% 0.5%±2.5Lowest MN: 5.8%
Cook and Ulen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $42,250±$14kLowest 53% below MN $60,556±$18kHighest 32% below MN
Ulen and Cook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $104,900±$30kLowest 68% below MN $174,300±$90kHighest 47% below MN
Ulen and Cook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $535±$35Lowest 58% below MN $903±$393Highest 29% below MN
Ulen and Cook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $993Lowest 70% below MN $2,667Highest 21% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 51.5%±16.2Lowest MN: 48.1% 67.1%±30.3Highest MN: 48.1%
Ulen and Cook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11.6%Lowest MN: 9.3% 24.4%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 67.3%Highest MN: 72.2% 59.3%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Lowest 8 yrs older than MN 1992Highest 13 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 17 minHighest 27% below MN 15 minLowest 36% below MN
Work from home 6.4%±6.7Highest MN: 17.6% 0%±7.6Lowest MN: 17.6%
Cook and Ulen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 15.1%Highest 5.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 23.8 miLowest 29.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 3.24Highest 1.97Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Virginia (24%)Fargo (36%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in UlenFew work in Cook
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 15.3%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 4.1 miHighest 0.5 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.6 miHighest 0.5 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 19.0Lowest 50.1Highest
Schools
School district —ULEN-HITTERDAL PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST
High school in town —Ulen-Hitterdal Secondary
Students per teacherat that high school — 12.7
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.

Cook neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cook’s Town Square.

Ulen neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ulen’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Cook and Ulen

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

Bordering Cook

F
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Field Township285 people · $172K homes
O
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Owens Township378 people · $162K homes

Towns like Cook

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Littlefork636 people · $151K homes
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Hendricks517 people · $116K homes
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Barrett349 people · $132K homes
H
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Hill City503 people · $162K 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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