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St. Michael vs Hanover

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: size (5.5× in St. Michael) and growth since 2010 (+9.6 pts in Hanover).

S ×
St. Michael, MNHomes around $435KMinnesota · 20,010 people
×
Hanover, MNHomes around $452KMinnesota · 3,626 people
Swap order
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.

St. MichaelHomes around $435K
Housing$435K typical home24% above the MN typical home Schools#17 for schools in MNof 230 towns HealthHealthier than 92%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about St. Michael →
HanoverHomes around $452K
Housing$452K typical home29% above the MN typical home Schools#10 for schools in MNof 230 towns Outdoors#45 most conserved land in MN1.9 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves All about Hanover →
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.

Size5.5×
St. Michael is the bigger place
St. Michael 20,010Hanover 3,626
Growth since 2010+9.6 pts
Hanover has grown faster since 2010
Hanover +20.8%St. Michael +11.2%
Trails2.2×
St. Michael has more miles of trail
St. Michael 4.1 miHanover 1.9 mi
Household income+19%
Households in Hanover earn more
Hanover $156,536St. Michael $131,274
Home values+15%
Homes cost more in Hanover
Hanover $447,900St. Michael $390,100
Bachelor’s degree++8.7 pts
More adults in Hanover have a degree
Hanover 52.4%St. Michael 43.7%
★ What stands out · Where they are

St. Michael and Hanover share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

St. MichaelHanoverSt. MichaelHanover
St. Michael ↔ Hanover3.1 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
114 Hanover residents work in St. Michael (5.7% of its workers)
Work & commute in Hanover →
Report cards

Hanover places higher on 14 of 21 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.

Schools
ASt. MichaelBetter than 94% of districts in the state A−HanoverBetter than 80% of districts in the state
Health
ASt. MichaelHealthier than 92% of U.S. towns AHanoverHealthier than 93% of U.S. towns
6St. Michael
14Hanover

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

Lowest depressionHealth · 273 towns #50#118 Most trailsOutdoors · 223 towns #212#165 Most remote workersWork · 272 towns #82#26 Fastest growingGrowth · 272 towns #78#24 Cheapest rentCost of living · 257 towns #190#237 Most conserved landOutdoors · 268 towns #87#45 Highest graduation rateSchools · 238 towns #34#66 Lowest property taxCost of living · 275 towns #209#241

Left end = #1 in Minnesota. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of St. Michael’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.

St. Michael$2,670/mo
Typical home $435K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.08% · or rent about $1,483/mo · Housing →
Hanover$2,770/mo
Typical home $452K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.06% · or rent about $1,853/mo · Housing →

The difference: $100 a month, about $1,200 a year, between Hanover and St. Michael.

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
St. MichaelHanover
Snow a year45″45″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)37th56th
Outdoors & history
St. MichaelHanover
Trails4 mi2 mi
Conserved land6.9%11.4%
Settled1890—
National Register places11
Archive photos2—
Community
St. MichaelHanover
Library hours a week46 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.

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.

St. MichaelHanover
People
Population 20,010Highest 3,626Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +11.2%Lowest MN: +7.6% +20.8%Highest MN: +7.6%
Median age 37.6±2.4Highest 3% below MN 36.1±2.5Lowest 7% below MN
St. Michael and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 27.6%±3.1Lowest MN: 22.9% 33.1%±5.4Highest MN: 22.9%
Hanover and St. Michael are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 10.3%±1.7Highest MN: 17.3% 7.9%±2.3Lowest MN: 17.3%
St. Michael and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 43.7%Lowest MN: 39.4% 52.4%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.9%±1.6Highest MN: 5.8% 3.2%±1.7Lowest MN: 5.8%
St. Michael and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $131,274±$6kLowest 47% above MN $156,536±$14kHighest 76% above MN
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $390,100±$14kLowest 18% above MN $447,900±$21kHighest 36% above MN
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,483±$277Lowest 16% above MN $1,853±$1kHighest 45% above MN
Hanover and St. Michael are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,205Lowest 25% above MN $4,755Highest 42% above MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 29.4%±14.1Highest MN: 48.1% 28%±21.9Lowest MN: 48.1%
St. Michael and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 3.2%Highest MN: 9.3% 0.6%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 90.1%Lowest MN: 72.2% 93%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1998Lowest 19 yrs newer than MN 2003Highest 24 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minLowest 28% above MN 31 minHighest 35% above MN
Work from home 19.1%±3.7Lowest MN: 17.6% 27.4%±5Highest MN: 17.6%
Hanover and St. Michael are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.8%Highest 1.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.3 miHighest 18.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.39Highest 0.37Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Minneapolis (10%)Minneapolis (11%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Hanover6% work in St. Michael
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 6.9%Lowest 11.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 4.1 miHighest 1.9 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 10Highest 2Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 21.0Lowest 26.2Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #17 of 230 in MN#10 of 230 in MN
School district Southwest Metro Intermediate 288 · St. Michael-Albertville SchoolsBuffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools
High school in town ST. Michael-Albertville Senior HighNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 22.0 —
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.

St. Michael neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to St. Michael’s Town Square.

Hanover neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hanover’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside St. Michael and Hanover

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

Bordering St. Michael

R
+ Compare
Rogers13,685 people · $460K homes
+ Compare
Albertville8,207 people · $344K homes
O
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Otsego22,245 people · $397K homes
B
+ Compare
Buffalo Township1,808 people · $431K homes

Towns like St. Michael

H
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Hugo16,340 people · $409K homes
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Lino Lakes22,113 people · $407K homes
F
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Farmington23,902 people · $366K homes
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Rosemount27,562 people · $424K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Minnesota towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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