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

–MoraNot graded B−MilacaSafer than 45% of U.S. towns

Schools

B+MoraBetter than 67% of districts in the state BMilacaBetter than 59% of districts in the state

Health

CMoraHealthier than 32% of U.S. towns B−MilacaHealthier than 49% of U.S. towns

10Mora

9Milaca

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

Lowest depressionHealth · 273 towns #199#118 Most new homesHousing · 239 towns #113#181 Most remote workersWork · 272 towns #260#193 Shortest commuteGetting around · 275 towns #199#266 Best schoolsSchools · 230 towns #113#162 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 273 towns #206#148 Fewest smokersHealth · 273 towns #260#202 Most conserved landOutdoors · 268 towns #183#232

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

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.

Down paymentRate%

Mora$1,520/mo

Typical home $235K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.48% · or rent about $788/mo · Housing →

Milaca$1,480/mo

Typical home $239K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.17% · or rent about $835/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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

MoraMilaca

Snow a year52″49″

January low1°F 1°F

July high80°F 80°F

Growing season (days)142d 143d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)47th 51st

Outdoors & history

MoraMilaca

Trails2 mi 1 mi

Conserved land2.9%1.3%

Settled1882 —

National Register places3 2

Archive photos6 —

Famous people born here3 —

Community

MoraMilaca

Library hours a week52 hrs 26 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

19 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MoraMilaca

Mora ↔ Milaca19 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

MoraMilaca

People

Population 3,732Highest 3,044Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.6%Highest MN: +7.6% +2.5%Lowest MN: +7.6%

Median age 43.2±5Lowest 11% above MN 46.6±5Highest 20% above MN

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

Kids under 18 18.9%±4.5Highest MN: 22.9% 14.5%±4.7Lowest MN: 22.9%

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

Age 65+ 28%±5Highest MN: 17.3% 22.5%±5.1Lowest MN: 17.3%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.7%Highest MN: 39.4% 15.2%Lowest MN: 39.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.8%±0.8Lowest MN: 5.8% 1.9%±1.4Highest MN: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $52,535±$17kHighest 41% below MN $49,588±$5kLowest 44% below MN

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $171,800±$15kLowest 48% below MN $203,400±$25kHighest 38% below MN

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $788±$253Lowest 38% below MN $835±$51Highest 35% below MN

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,549Highest 24% below MN $2,385Lowest 29% below MN

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 41.6%±10.6Highest MN: 48.1% 40.2%±11.8Lowest MN: 48.1%

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

Below poverty line 16.6%Lowest MN: 9.3% 16.9%Highest MN: 9.3%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 60.7%Highest MN: 72.2% 58.4%Lowest MN: 72.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest same as MN 1978Lowest 1 yr older than MN

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 26 minLowest 16% above MN 33 minHighest 46% above MN

Work from home 4.4%±3.1Lowest MN: 17.6% 9.5%±4.9Highest MN: 17.6%

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

Work in townworking residents 34.1%Highest 18.6%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.3 miLowest 27.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.00Highest 1.29Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Cambridge (6%)Princeton (7%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MilacaFew work in Mora

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 2.9%Highest 1.3%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 1.9 miHighest 1.4 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.4 mi 0.4 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 3Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 39.0Highest 36.3Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #113 of 230 in MN #162 of 230 in MN

School district Mora Public SchoolsMILACA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT

High school in town Mora High SchoolMilaca Secondary High

Students per teacherat that high school 16.0Lowest 17.4Highest

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.

Mora neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mora’s Town Square.

Milaca neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Milaca’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Mora and Milaca

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

Bordering Mora

+ Compare

Arthur Township1,597 people · $233K homes

Towns like Mora

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Pine City3,468 people · $187K homes

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Wadena4,419 people · $161K homes

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Sauk Centre4,621 people · $226K homes

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Aitkin2,323 people · $181K 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.

Mora vs Milaca

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Mora places higher on 10 of 21 MN lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

19 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Mora and Milaca

Bordering Mora

Towns like Mora

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