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Mabel vs Stephen

420 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (3× in Mabel) and property tax bill (+43% in Mabel).

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Mabel, MNKnown for its schoolsMinnesota · 730 people
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Stephen, MNKnown for its schoolsMinnesota · 526 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.

MabelKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 90%of MN districts Housing$219K typical home38% below the MN typical home All about Mabel →
StephenKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 86%of MN districts All about Stephen →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

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

Trails3×
Mabel has more miles of trail
Mabel 0.6 miStephen 0.2 mi
Property tax bill+43%
Tax bills are bigger in Mabel
Mabel $1,488Stephen $1,041
Average commute9 min
Stephen has the shorter commute
Mabel 30 minStephen 21 min
Age 65++9.2 pts
Mabel has more people 65 and up
Mabel 33.3%Stephen 24.1%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $810 more a month in Mabel

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.

Mabel$1,360/mo
Typical home $219K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.13% · or rent about $729/mo · Housing →
Stephen$550/mo
Typical home $88K (Census) · tax rate 1.19% · or rent about $1,063/mo · Housing →

The difference: $810 a month, about $9,700 a year, between Mabel and Stephen.

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
AMabelBetter than 90% of districts in the state AStephenBetter than 86% 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
MabelStephen
Snow a year47″44″
January low—-5°F
July high—82°F
Growing season (days)—134d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)80th74th
Outdoors & history
MabelStephen
Trails1 mi0 mi
Conserved land0%0%
Community
MabelStephen
Library hours a week28 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

420 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MabelMNStephenMN
Mabel ↔ Stephen420 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.

MabelStephen
People
Population 730Highest 526Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -8.2%Highest MN: +7.6% -10%Lowest MN: +7.6%
Median age 49.2±5.1Lowest 27% above MN 51.6±8.4Highest 33% above MN
Stephen and Mabel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 15.2%±3.8Lowest MN: 22.9% 17.3%±3.4Highest MN: 22.9%
Stephen and Mabel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 33.3%±7.3Highest MN: 17.3% 24.1%±0.8Lowest MN: 17.3%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.4%Lowest MN: 39.4% 20.7%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.8%±2.6Highest MN: 5.8% 2.5%±3.2Lowest MN: 5.8%
Mabel and Stephen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $59,392±$6kLowest 33% below MN $71,250±$23kHighest 20% below MN
Stephen and Mabel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $131,400±$20kHighest 60% below MN $87,500±$27kLowest 73% below MN
Mabel and Stephen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $729±$92Lowest 43% below MN $1,063±$577Highest 17% below MN
Stephen and Mabel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,488Highest 56% below MN $1,041Lowest 69% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.1%±27.9Lowest MN: 48.1% 66.7%±55.7Highest MN: 48.1%
Stephen and Mabel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8.4%Lowest MN: 9.3% 9.9%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 86.7%Lowest MN: 72.2% 88.6%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1961Highest 18 yrs older than MN 1959Lowest 20 yrs older than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minHighest 33% above MN 21 minLowest 6% below MN
Work from home 1.4%±1.4Lowest MN: 17.6% 2.8%±1.5Highest MN: 17.6%
Stephen and Mabel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 7.1%Lowest 8.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.3 miLowest 21.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.61 0.61
Top workplaceoutside town Rochester (16%)Warren (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in StephenFew work in Mabel
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.6 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.2 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2 2
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 98.2Highest 86.5Lowest
Schools
School district Mabel-Canton Public School DistrictSTEPHEN-ARGYLE CENTRAL SCHOOLS
High school in town Mabel-Canton SecondaryStephen-Argyle Central High School
Students per teacherat that high school 10.1Lowest 13.2Highest
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.

Mabel neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mabel’s Town Square.

Stephen neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Stephen’s Town Square.

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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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