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+MontgomerySafer than 98% of U.S. towns A−BeckerSafer than 81% of U.S. towns

Schools

B−MontgomeryBetter than 50% of districts in the state ABeckerBetter than 85% of districts in the state

Health

A−MontgomeryHealthier than 78% of U.S. towns A−BeckerHealthier than 76% of U.S. towns

10Montgomery

9Becker

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Highest graduation rateSchools · 238 towns #144#5 Most walkableOutdoors · 275 towns #83#207 Best schoolsSchools · 230 towns #183#83 Lowest obesityHealth · 273 towns #105#212 Lowest depressionHealth · 273 towns #50#118 Shortest commuteGetting around · 275 towns #138#205 Most remote workersWork · 272 towns #101#162 Most conserved landOutdoors · 268 towns #143#203

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $250 more a month in Becker

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%

Montgomery$2,100/mo

Typical home $324K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.46% · or rent about $974/mo · Housing →

Becker$2,340/mo

Typical home $382K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.06% · or rent about $889/mo · Housing →

The difference: $250 a month, about $2,900 a year, between Becker and Montgomery.

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

MontgomeryBecker

Snow a year39″49″

January low—4°F

July high—81°F

Growing season (days)—144d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th 45th

Outdoors & history

MontgomeryBecker

Trails0 mi 13 mi

Conserved land4.4%2.2%

Settled—1867

National Register places3 1

Famous people born here—4

Community

MontgomeryBecker

Library hours a week38 hrs 32 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 1

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

67 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MontgomeryMN BeckerMN

Montgomery ↔ Becker67 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

MontgomeryBecker

People

Population 3,434Lowest 5,034Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +9.9%Highest MN: +7.6% +7.5%Lowest MN: +7.6%

Median age 34.3±3.9Highest 12% below MN 34.2±4.2Lowest 12% below MN

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

Kids under 18 26.8%±5.1Lowest MN: 22.9% 29.5%±5.5Highest MN: 22.9%

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

Age 65+ 16.2%±4.1Highest MN: 17.3% 14.7%±4.2Lowest MN: 17.3%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17%Lowest MN: 39.4% 19.9%Highest MN: 39.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.4%±1.5Highest MN: 5.8% 1.8%±1.2Lowest MN: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $79,432±$15kLowest 11% below MN $86,094±$16kHighest 3% below MN

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $234,700±$12kLowest 29% below MN $271,300±$19kHighest 18% below MN

Rentmedian gross, monthly $974±$175Highest 24% below MN $889±$202Lowest 31% below MN

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $3,434Highest about the MN average $2,872Lowest 14% below MN

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 48.9%±22Lowest MN: 48.1% 53.9%±23.8Highest MN: 48.1%

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

Below poverty line 5.8%Lowest MN: 9.3% 9.5%Highest MN: 9.3%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 74.8%Lowest MN: 72.2% 79.3%Highest MN: 72.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1964Lowest 15 yrs older than MN 1997Highest 18 yrs newer than MN

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 23 minLowest about the MN average 27 minHighest 19% above MN

Work from home 17.5%±6.2Highest MN: 17.6% 12.1%±4.2Lowest MN: 17.6%

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

Work in townworking residents 13.6%Highest 11.7%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.3 miHighest 19.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.59Lowest 0.88Highest

Top workplaceoutside town New Prague (6%)St. Cloud (9%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BeckerFew work in Montgomery

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 4.4%Highest 2.2%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 13.3 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 1.1 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 8Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 64.5Highest 18.5Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #183 of 230 in MN #83 of 230 in MN

School district Tri-City United School District · Southwest Metro Intermediate 288BECKER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

High school in town Tri-City United High SchoolBecker Senior High

Students per teacherat that high school 19.1Highest 18.6Lowest

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.

Montgomery neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Montgomery’s Town Square.

Becker neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 1w

Ordinary Days in Becker

1 neighbor in Becker can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Montgomery and Becker

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

Bordering Montgomery

+ Compare

Montgomery Township757 people · $401K homes

+ Compare

Lanesburgh Township1,995 people · $435K homes

Towns like Montgomery

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Cokato2,782 people · $223K homes

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Madelia2,327 people · $165K homes

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Le Center2,513 people · $210K homes

+ Compare

Arlington2,065 people · $206K 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.

Montgomery vs Becker

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Montgomery places higher on 10 of 21 MN lists

A typical home costs $250 more a month in Becker

What daily life feels like in each

67 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Ordinary Days in Becker

Set another town beside Montgomery and Becker

Bordering Montgomery

Towns like Montgomery

Post to Montgomery

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