Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Stephen vs Alden

367 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+85% in Alden) and street grid (2.4× in Stephen).

×
Stephen, MNKnown for its schoolsMinnesota · 526 people
×
Alden, MNHomes around $161KMinnesota · 629 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.

StephenKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 86%of MN districts All about Stephen →
AldenHomes around $161K
Housing$161K typical home54% below the MN typical home All about Alden →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Property tax bill+85%
Tax bills are bigger in Alden
Alden $1,921Stephen $1,041
Street grid2.4×
Stephen has the more walkable street grid
Stephen 86.5Alden 35.4
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $500 more a month in Alden

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.

Stephen$550/mo
Typical home $88K (Census) · tax rate 1.19% · or rent about $1,063/mo · Housing →
Alden$1,040/mo
Typical home $161K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.50% · or rent about $1,042/mo · Housing →

The difference: $500 a month, about $6,000 a year, between Alden and Stephen.

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.

Schools
AStephenBetter than 86% of districts in the state BAldenBetter than 55% of districts in the state
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
StephenAlden
Snow a year44″40″
January low-5°F5°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)134d158d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)74th40th
Outdoors & history
StephenAlden
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Settled—1869
Archive photos—2
Famous people born here—1
Community
StephenAlden
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

367 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

StephenMNAldenMN
Stephen ↔ Alden367 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.

StephenAlden
People
Population 526Lowest 629Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -10%Highest MN: +7.6% -11.8%Lowest MN: +7.6%
Median age 51.6±8.4Highest 33% above MN 50.5±7.5Lowest 30% above MN
Stephen and Alden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 17.3%±3.4 MN: 22.9% 17.3%±4.3 MN: 22.9%
Age 65+ 24.1%±0.8Highest MN: 17.3% 21.6%±3.8Lowest MN: 17.3%
Stephen and Alden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.7%Highest MN: 39.4% 18.2%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.5%±3.2Lowest MN: 5.8% 6.5%±4.5Highest MN: 5.8%
Alden and Stephen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $71,250±$23kLowest 20% below MN $73,250±$14kHighest 18% below MN
Alden and Stephen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $87,500±$27kLowest 73% below MN $128,400±$20kHighest 61% below MN
Alden and Stephen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,063±$577Highest 17% below MN $1,042±$505Lowest 19% below MN
Stephen and Alden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,041Lowest 69% below MN $1,921Highest 43% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 66.7%±55.7Highest MN: 48.1% 28.9%±27.1Lowest MN: 48.1%
Stephen and Alden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 9.9%Highest MN: 9.3% 4.5%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 88.6%Highest MN: 72.2% 82.8%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1959Highest 20 yrs older than MN 1957Lowest 22 yrs older than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minHighest 6% below MN 20 minLowest 11% below MN
Work from home 2.8%±1.5Lowest MN: 17.6% 6.1%±3.2Highest MN: 17.6%
Alden and Stephen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 8.7%Highest 4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.8 miHighest 12.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.61Lowest 0.74Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Warren (12%)Albert Lea (41%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in AldenFew work in Stephen
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 86.5Highest 35.4Lowest
Schools
School district STEPHEN-ARGYLE CENTRAL SCHOOLSSouthern MN Education Consortium · ALDEN-CONGER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town Stephen-Argyle Central High SchoolAlden-Conger Secondary
Students per teacherat that high school 13.2Highest 12.7Lowest
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.

Stephen neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Stephen’s Town Square.

Alden neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Alden’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Stephen and Alden

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

Bordering Stephen

T
+ Compare
Tamarac Township83 people · $198K homes
S
+ Compare
Sinnott Township29 people · $213K homes

Towns like Stephen

M
+ Compare
Mabel730 people · $131K homes
H
+ Compare
Hillsdale Township833 people
+ Compare
Herman441 people · $106K homes
W
+ Compare
Wood Lake368 people · $92K 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.

Post to Stephen

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