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%

Taconite$1,320/mo

Typical home $220K (Census) · tax rate 0.93% · or rent about $2,625/mo · Housing →

Marble$790/mo

Typical home $134K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $658/mo · Housing →

The difference: $530 a month, about $6,300 a year, between Taconite and Marble.

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.

Where they are

Taconite and Marble share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

TaconiteMarble

Taconite ↔ Marble4.5 miles apart · They share a border

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

TaconiteMarble

Snow a year60″60″

January low-2°F -2°F

July high80°F 80°F

Growing season (days)130d 130d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)33rd 33rd

Outdoors & history

TaconiteMarble

Trails32 mi 6 mi

Conserved land4.2%19.4%

Settled1907 —

Community

TaconiteMarble

Library hours a week—22 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.

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

TaconiteMarble

People

Population 468Lowest 669Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -13% MN: +7.6%

Median age 54.8±5.9Highest 41% above MN 30.8±12.6Lowest 21% below MN

Kids under 18 13.2%±5.1 MN: 22.9% 13.2%±5.2 MN: 22.9%

Age 65+ 25.2%±5.6Highest MN: 17.3% 10%±4.8Lowest MN: 17.3%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.1%Highest MN: 39.4% 6.1%Lowest MN: 39.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.6%±2.7Lowest MN: 5.8% 6%±4.3Highest MN: 5.8%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $84,375±$40kHighest 5% below MN $53,958±$14kLowest 39% below MN

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $219,600±$29kHighest 33% below MN $102,500±$22kLowest 69% below MN

Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,625±$2kHighest 105% above MN $658±$589Lowest 49% below MN

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,032Highest 39% below MN $811Lowest 76% below MN

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 95.8%±41.7Highest MN: 48.1% 31.1%±32.7Lowest MN: 48.1%

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

Below poverty line 3.6%Lowest MN: 9.3% 17%Highest MN: 9.3%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 89.4%Highest MN: 72.2% 78%Lowest MN: 72.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than MN 1951Lowest 28 yrs older than MN

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 15% above MN 22 minLowest 4% below MN

Work from home 4.8%±4.1Lowest MN: 17.6% 5.5%±4Highest MN: 17.6%

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

Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 2.2%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miLowest 14.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.04Lowest 0.57Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Grand Rapids (31%)Grand Rapids (30%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MarbleFew work in Taconite

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 4.2%Lowest 19.4%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 32.4 miHighest 5.8 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.1 miLowest 1.3 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.5Lowest 7.2Highest

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.

Taconite neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Taconite’s Town Square.

Marble neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marble’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Taconite and Marble

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

Bordering Taconite

+ Compare

Coleraine2,150 people · $212K homes

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Lawrence Township541 people · $201K homes

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Bovey646 people · $123K homes

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Greenway Township2,039 people · $138K homes

Towns like Taconite

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Crystal Bay Township469 people · $221K homes

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Hill Lake Township441 people · $247K homes

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Albert Lea Township428 people · $258K homes

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Good Thunder456 people · $179K 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.

Taconite vs Marble

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

A typical home costs $530 more a month in Taconite

Taconite and Marble share a border

What daily life feels like in each

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Taconite and Marble

Bordering Taconite

Towns like Taconite

Post to Taconite

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