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Compare towns

Rice vs Plainview

150 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+50.6 pts in Rice) and trails (7× in Rice).

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Rice, MNOne of the healthiest townsMinnesota · 2,085 people
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Plainview, MNKnown for its schoolsMinnesota · 3,500 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.

RiceOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 77%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Rice →
PlainviewKnown for its schools
Schools#62 for schools in MNof 230 towns Outdoors#68 most walkable in MN0.1 miles of trails across 7 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 57%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Plainview →
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.

Growth since 2010+50.6 pts
Rice has grown faster since 2010
Rice +54.9%Plainview +4.3%
Trails7×
Rice has more miles of trail
Rice 0.7 miPlainview 0.1 mi
Street grid3.8×
Plainview has the more walkable street grid
Plainview 68.1Rice 17.9
Household income+30%
Households in Rice earn more
Rice $107,692Plainview $82,926
Typical home built26 yrs
Plainview’s homes are older
Rice 2003Plainview 1977
Jobs per worker+95%
Rice is more of a job hub
Rice 1.11Plainview 0.57
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $340 more a month in Rice

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.

Rice$2,110/mo
Typical home $351K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $1,144/mo · Housing →
Plainview$1,770/mo
Typical home $284K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.17% · or rent about $828/mo · Housing →

The difference: $340 a month, about $4,100 a year, between Rice and Plainview.

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.

Safety
–RiceNot graded APlainviewSafer than 91% of U.S. towns
Schools
BRiceBetter than 58% of districts in the state APlainviewBetter than 89% of districts in the state
Health
A−RiceHealthier than 77% of U.S. towns BPlainviewHealthier than 57% of U.S. towns
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
RicePlainview
Snow a year51″45″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)68th20th
Outdoors & history
RicePlainview
Trails1 mi0 mi
Conserved land1.1%1.8%
Settled1890—
Community
RicePlainview
Library hours a week—45 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

150 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

RiceMNPlainviewMN
Rice ↔ Plainview150 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.

RicePlainview
People
Population 2,085Lowest 3,500Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +54.9%Highest MN: +7.6% +4.3%Lowest MN: +7.6%
Median age 33.2±2Lowest 14% below MN 34±2.4Highest 12% below MN
Plainview and Rice are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 30.9%±3.9Lowest MN: 22.9% 32.1%±5.3Highest MN: 22.9%
Plainview and Rice are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 8.6%±2.1Lowest MN: 17.3% 15.3%±3.1Highest MN: 17.3%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 28.8%Lowest MN: 39.4% 31%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.2%±1.5 MN: 5.8% 3.2%±1.3 MN: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $107,692±$12kHighest 21% above MN $82,926±$8kLowest 7% below MN
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $266,600±$6kHighest 19% below MN $245,300±$15kLowest 26% below MN
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,144±$408Highest 11% below MN $828±$78Lowest 35% below MN
Rice and Plainview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,425Lowest 28% below MN $2,882Highest 14% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 28.6%±25Lowest MN: 48.1% 49.5%±32.4Highest MN: 48.1%
Plainview and Rice are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 3%Lowest MN: 9.3% 5.9%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 88.6%Highest MN: 72.2% 83.7%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 2003Highest 24 yrs newer than MN 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minHighest 7% above MN 23 minLowest about the MN average
Work from home 12%±3.2Highest MN: 17.6% 4.5%±2.7Lowest MN: 17.6%
Work in townworking residents 7.7%Lowest 17.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.8 miLowest 17.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.11Highest 0.57Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town St. Cloud (30%)Rochester (45%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in PlainviewFew work in Rice
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.1%Lowest 1.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.7 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 7Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 17.9Lowest 68.1Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#62 of 230 in MN
School district Sauk Rapids-Rice Public SchoolsPlainview-Elgin-Millville
High school in town None in townPlainview-Elgin-Millville High
Students per teacherat that high school — 17.5
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.

Rice neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Rice’s Town Square.

Plainview neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Plainview’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Rice and Plainview

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

Bordering Rice

L
+ Compare
Langola Township980 people · $370K homes
B
+ Compare
Brockway Township2,951 people · $363K homes
W
+ Compare
Watab Township3,433 people · $318K homes

Towns like Rice

+ Compare
Barnesville2,762 people · $249K homes
+ Compare
Coleraine2,150 people · $212K homes
B
+ Compare
Blue Hill Township2,571 people · $373K homes
G
+ Compare
Glyndon1,098 people · $265K 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.

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