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Compare towns

Tower vs Sanborn

284 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (5.9× in Tower) and jobs per worker (7.9× in Tower).

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Tower, MNA regional job hubMinnesota · 367 people
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Sanborn, MNA small town of 299Minnesota · 299 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.

TowerA regional job hub
Work338 jobsbased in Tower, a regional job hub All about Tower →
SanbornA small town of 299
Quiet strengthsSanborn doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Sanborn →
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.

Rent5.9×
Rent runs higher in Tower
Tower $586Sanborn $99
Jobs per worker7.9×
Tower is more of a job hub
Tower 2.60Sanborn 0.33
Property tax bill2.1×
Tax bills are bigger in Tower
Tower $1,555Sanborn $741
Seasonal homes+16.2 pts
Tower has more second homes
Tower 18.4%Sanborn 2.2%
Street grid+77%
Sanborn has the more walkable street grid
Sanborn 23.2Tower 13.1
Work in town+10.4 pts
More of Tower’s workers stay in town
Tower 15.4%Sanborn 5%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,890 more a month in Tower

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.

Tower$2,310/mo
Typical home $359K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.42% · or rent about $586/mo · Housing →
Sanborn$420/mo
Typical home $68K (Census) · tax rate 1.09% · or rent about $99/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,890 a month, about $22,700 a year, between Tower and Sanborn.

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
BTowerBetter than 60% of districts in the state –SanbornNot graded
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
TowerSanborn
Snow a year69″46″
January low-7°F5°F
July high77°F82°F
Growing season (days)89d152d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)43rd27th
Outdoors & history
TowerSanborn
Trails3 mi—
Conserved land6.4%—
Settled1889—
National Register places2—
Community
TowerSanborn
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

284 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

TowerMNSanbornMN
Tower ↔ Sanborn284 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.

TowerSanborn
People
Population 367Highest 299Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -14% MN: +7.6% —
Median age 55.4±9.4Highest 43% above MN 54.1±3.7Lowest 39% above MN
Tower and Sanborn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 14.4%±9.2Lowest MN: 22.9% 16.1%±4.6Highest MN: 22.9%
Sanborn and Tower are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 28.6%±9.1Highest MN: 17.3% 27.1%±7Lowest MN: 17.3%
Tower and Sanborn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12.6%Highest MN: 39.4% 10.5%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.3%±3.4Lowest MN: 5.8% 4.7%±3Highest MN: 5.8%
Sanborn and Tower are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $65,893±$14kHighest 26% below MN $48,750±$16kLowest 45% below MN
Tower and Sanborn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $109,600±$27kHighest 67% below MN $68,200±$14kLowest 79% below MN
Tower and Sanborn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $586±$36Highest 54% below MN $99Lowest 92% below MN
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,555Highest 54% below MN $741Lowest 78% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 30.8%±67Highest MN: 48.1% 14.3%±100Lowest MN: 48.1%
Tower and Sanborn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 9.8%Lowest MN: 9.3% 15.4%Highest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 83.4%Lowest MN: 72.2% 89.3%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1957Highest 22 yrs older than MN 1943Lowest 36 yrs older than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 18% above MN 22 minLowest 5% below MN
Work from home 12.6%±12Highest MN: 17.6% 6.8%±3.8Lowest MN: 17.6%
Tower and Sanborn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 15.4%Highest 5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 23.3 miHighest 14.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.60Highest 0.33Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Virginia (16%)Lamberton (26%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SanbornFew work in Tower
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 6.4%Highest 5.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 2.8 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 13.1Lowest 23.2Highest
Schools
School district ST. LOUIS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT · Vermilion Country School—
High school in town Vermilion Country School—
Students per teacherat that high school 9.3 —
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.

Tower neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Tower’s Town Square.

Sanborn neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sanborn’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Tower and Sanborn

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

Bordering Tower

B
+ Compare
Breitung Township651 people · $246K homes
K
+ Compare
Kugler Township170 people · $210K homes

Towns like Tower

S
+ Compare
Sacred Heart481 people · $86K homes
+ Compare
Akeley289 people · $111K homes
T
+ Compare
Toad Lake Township436 people · $199K homes
+ Compare
Barrett349 people · $132K 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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