Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Pipestone vs Windom

60 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (11× in Windom) and property tax bill (+68% in Windom).

×
Pipestone, MNHomes around $151KMinnesota · 4,129 people
×
Windom, MNKnown for its schoolsMinnesota · 4,799 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 · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $200 more a month in Windom

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.

Pipestone$920/mo
Typical home $151K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.98% · or rent about $740/mo · Housing →
Windom$1,110/mo
Typical home $181K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $806/mo · Housing →

The difference: $200 a month, about $2,400 a year, between Windom and Pipestone.

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

Windom places higher on 12 of 20 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.

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
PipestoneWindom
Snow a year40″44″
January low5°F8°F
July high82°F84°F
Growing season (days)152d162d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)19th68th
Outdoors & history
PipestoneWindom
Trails0 mi4 mi
Conserved land2.4%5.6%
Settled18761871
National Register places71
Archive photos29—
Famous people born here10—
Community
PipestoneWindom
Library hours a week45 hrs46 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

60 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Pipestone ↔ Windom60 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.

PipestoneWindom
People
Population 4,129Lowest 4,799Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2.4%Lowest MN: +7.6% +3.3%Highest MN: +7.6%
Median age 38.6±3.1Lowest about the MN average 38.9±6.4Highest about the MN average
Windom and Pipestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.2%±3.4Highest MN: 22.9% 23.7%±3.5Lowest MN: 22.9%
Pipestone and Windom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.7%±3.3Lowest MN: 17.3% 22.9%±3.4Highest MN: 17.3%
Windom and Pipestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.4%Lowest MN: 39.4% 26%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.7%±1.4Highest MN: 5.8% 1.6%±0.9Lowest MN: 5.8%
Pipestone and Windom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $67,568±$10kLowest 24% below MN $74,899±$15kHighest 16% below MN
Windom and Pipestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $114,100±$22kLowest 65% below MN $169,700±$13kHighest 48% below MN
Rentmedian gross, monthly $740±$53Lowest 42% below MN $806±$103Highest 37% below MN
Windom and Pipestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,121Lowest 67% below MN $1,883Highest 44% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 53.7%±13.3Highest MN: 48.1% 26.8%±9.9Lowest MN: 48.1%
Below poverty line 13.1%Lowest MN: 9.3% 14.3%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 70.1%Highest MN: 72.2% 68.5%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1955Lowest 24 yrs older than MN 1967Highest 12 yrs older than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 13 minHighest 42% below MN 13 minLowest 44% below MN
Work from home 6.2%±2.8Lowest MN: 17.6% 7.9%±3.4Highest MN: 17.6%
Windom and Pipestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 46%Highest 32.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 7.3 miLowest 8.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.23Highest 1.12Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Sioux Falls (5%)Mountain Lake Township (13%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WindomFew work in Pipestone
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.4%Lowest 5.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miLowest 4.4 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 1.0 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 8Highest 5Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 59.8Highest 54.6Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #190 of 230 in MN#176 of 230 in MN
School district Region 6 and 8-SW/WC Service Coop · Pipestone Area School DistrictRegion 6 and 8-SW/WC Service Coop · Windom Public School District
High school in town Pipestone Senior HighWindom Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school 12.7Lowest 14.2Highest
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.

Pipestone neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Weekend Plans Ahead

1 neighbor in Pipestone can answer.

Windom neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Windom’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Pipestone and Windom

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

Bordering Pipestone

Towns like Pipestone

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.

Post to Pipestone

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in