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Hanover vs St. Michael

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: size (5.5× in St. Michael) and growth since 2010 (+9.6 pts in Hanover).

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Hanover, MNHomes around $452KMinnesota · 3,626 people
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St. Michael, MNHomes around $435KMinnesota · 20,010 people
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.

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.

★ What stands out · Where they are

Hanover and St. Michael share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

HanoverSt. MichaelHanoverSt. Michael
Hanover ↔ St. Michael3.1 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
114 Hanover residents work in St. Michael (5.7% of its workers)
Work & commute in Hanover →
Report cards

Hanover places higher on 14 of 21 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.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Hanover$2,770/mo
Typical home $452K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.06% · or rent about $1,853/mo · Housing →
St. Michael$2,670/mo
Typical home $435K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.08% · or rent about $1,483/mo · Housing →

The difference: $100 a month, about $1,200 a year, between Hanover and St. Michael.

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
HanoverSt. Michael
Snow a year45″45″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)56th37th
Outdoors & history
HanoverSt. Michael
Trails2 mi4 mi
Conserved land11.4%6.9%
Settled—1890
National Register places11
Archive photos—2
Community
HanoverSt. Michael
Library hours a week—46 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.

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.

HanoverSt. Michael
People
Population 3,626Lowest 20,010Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +20.8%Highest MN: +7.6% +11.2%Lowest MN: +7.6%
Median age 36.1±2.5Lowest 7% below MN 37.6±2.4Highest 3% below MN
St. Michael and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 33.1%±5.4Highest MN: 22.9% 27.6%±3.1Lowest MN: 22.9%
Hanover and St. Michael are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 7.9%±2.3Lowest MN: 17.3% 10.3%±1.7Highest MN: 17.3%
St. Michael and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 52.4%Highest MN: 39.4% 43.7%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.2%±1.7Lowest MN: 5.8% 4.9%±1.6Highest MN: 5.8%
St. Michael and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $156,536±$14kHighest 76% above MN $131,274±$6kLowest 47% above MN
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $447,900±$21kHighest 36% above MN $390,100±$14kLowest 18% above MN
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,853±$1kHighest 45% above MN $1,483±$277Lowest 16% above MN
Hanover and St. Michael are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,755Highest 42% above MN $4,205Lowest 25% above MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 28%±21.9Lowest MN: 48.1% 29.4%±14.1Highest MN: 48.1%
St. Michael and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 0.6%Lowest MN: 9.3% 3.2%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 93%Highest MN: 72.2% 90.1%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 2003Highest 24 yrs newer than MN 1998Lowest 19 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 35% above MN 29 minLowest 28% above MN
Work from home 27.4%±5Highest MN: 17.6% 19.1%±3.7Lowest MN: 17.6%
Hanover and St. Michael are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.9%Lowest 5.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.3 miLowest 20.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.37Lowest 0.39Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Minneapolis (11%)Minneapolis (10%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 6% work in St. MichaelFew work in Hanover
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 11.4%Highest 6.9%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.9 miLowest 4.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 10Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 26.2Highest 21.0Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #10 of 230 in MN#17 of 230 in MN
School district Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose SchoolsSouthwest Metro Intermediate 288 · St. Michael-Albertville Schools
High school in town None in townST. Michael-Albertville Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school — 22.0
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.

Hanover neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hanover’s Town Square.

St. Michael neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to St. Michael’s Town Square.

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Bordering Hanover

Towns like Hanover

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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