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Ulen vs Cook

175 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (8.2× in Cook) and property tax bill (2.7× in Ulen).

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Ulen, MNA regional job hubMinnesota · 413 people
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Cook, MNA regional job hubMinnesota · 423 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.

UlenA regional job hub
Work365 jobsbased in Ulen, a regional job hub SchoolsBetter than 71%of MN districts All about Ulen →
CookA regional job hub
Work645 jobsbased in Cook, a regional job hub Housing$258K typical home26% below the MN typical home Outdoors15.3% conserved land4.1 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves All about Cook →
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.

Trails8.2×
Cook has more miles of trail
Cook 4.1 miUlen 0.5 mi
Property tax bill2.7×
Tax bills are bigger in Ulen
Ulen $2,667Cook $993
Street grid2.6×
Ulen has the more walkable street grid
Ulen 50.1Cook 19.0
Conserved land+15.3 pts
Cook has more conserved land
Cook 15.3%Ulen 0%
Typical home built21 yrs
Cook’s homes are older
Ulen 1992Cook 1971
Growth since 2010+6 pts
Cook has grown faster since 2010
Cook -7%Ulen -13%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $480 more a month in Ulen

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.

Ulen$2,040/mo
Typical home $313K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.53% · or rent about $903/mo · Housing →
Cook$1,560/mo
Typical home $258K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.95% · or rent about $535/mo · Housing →

The difference: $480 a month, about $5,800 a year, between Ulen and Cook.

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
B+UlenBetter than 71% of districts in the state –CookNot 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
UlenCook
Snow a year41″61″
January low-1°F-5°F
July high82°F77°F
Growing season (days)143d138d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)77th36th
Outdoors & history
UlenCook
Trails—4 mi
Conserved land—15.3%
Settled—1903
Community
UlenCook
Library hours a week—23 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

175 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

UlenMNCookMN
Ulen ↔ Cook175 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.

UlenCook
People
Population 413Lowest 423Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -13%Lowest MN: +7.6% -7%Highest MN: +7.6%
Median age 56.2±12.6Lowest 45% above MN 58.1±11.6Highest 50% above MN
Cook and Ulen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.1%±9.1Highest MN: 22.9% 12.3%±4.5Lowest MN: 22.9%
Ulen and Cook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 36.8%±9.8Lowest MN: 17.3% 38.1%±12.4Highest MN: 17.3%
Cook and Ulen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.7%Lowest MN: 39.4% 24.1%Highest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.5%±2.5Lowest MN: 5.8% 3.1%±2Highest MN: 5.8%
Cook and Ulen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $60,556±$18kHighest 32% below MN $42,250±$14kLowest 53% below MN
Ulen and Cook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $174,300±$90kHighest 47% below MN $104,900±$30kLowest 68% below MN
Ulen and Cook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $903±$393Highest 29% below MN $535±$35Lowest 58% below MN
Ulen and Cook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,667Highest 21% below MN $993Lowest 70% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 67.1%±30.3Highest MN: 48.1% 51.5%±16.2Lowest MN: 48.1%
Ulen and Cook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 24.4%Highest MN: 9.3% 11.6%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 59.3%Lowest MN: 72.2% 67.3%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1992Highest 13 yrs newer than MN 1971Lowest 8 yrs older than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 15 minLowest 36% below MN 17 minHighest 27% below MN
Work from home 0%±7.6Lowest MN: 17.6% 6.4%±6.7Highest MN: 17.6%
Cook and Ulen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.4%Lowest 15.1%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 29.3 miHighest 23.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.97Lowest 3.24Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Fargo (36%)Virginia (24%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CookFew work in Ulen
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 15.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.5 miLowest 4.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miLowest 1.6 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 5Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 50.1Highest 19.0Lowest
Schools
School district ULEN-HITTERDAL PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST—
High school in town Ulen-Hitterdal Secondary—
Students per teacherat that high school 12.7 —
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.

Ulen neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ulen’s Town Square.

Cook neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cook’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Ulen and Cook

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

Bordering Ulen

+ Compare
Ulen Township206 people · $281K homes

Towns like Ulen

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Motley608 people · $153K homes
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Isle695 people · $238K homes
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Hill City503 people · $162K homes
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Hackensack248 people · $177K 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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