Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Windom vs Pipestone

60 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (11× in Windom) and property tax bill (+68% in Windom).

×
Windom, MNKnown for its schoolsMinnesota · 4,799 people
×
Pipestone, MNHomes around $151KMinnesota · 4,129 people
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.

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.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $200 more a month in Windom

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.

Windom$1,110/mo
Typical home $181K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.11% · or rent about $806/mo · Housing →
Pipestone$920/mo
Typical home $151K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.98% · or rent about $740/mo · Housing →

The difference: $200 a month, about $2,400 a year, between Windom and Pipestone.

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

Windom places higher on 12 of 20 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.

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
WindomPipestone
Snow a year44″40″
January low8°F5°F
July high84°F82°F
Growing season (days)162d152d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)68th19th
Outdoors & history
WindomPipestone
Trails4 mi0 mi
Conserved land5.6%2.4%
Settled18711876
National Register places17
Archive photos—29
Famous people born here—10
Community
WindomPipestone
Library hours a week46 hrs45 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

60 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Windom ↔ Pipestone60 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.

WindomPipestone
People
Population 4,799Highest 4,129Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.3%Highest MN: +7.6% -2.4%Lowest MN: +7.6%
Median age 38.9±6.4Highest about the MN average 38.6±3.1Lowest about the MN average
Windom and Pipestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.7%±3.5Lowest MN: 22.9% 26.2%±3.4Highest MN: 22.9%
Pipestone and Windom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.9%±3.4Highest MN: 17.3% 19.7%±3.3Lowest MN: 17.3%
Windom and Pipestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 26%Highest MN: 39.4% 25.4%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.6%±0.9Lowest MN: 5.8% 2.7%±1.4Highest MN: 5.8%
Pipestone and Windom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $74,899±$15kHighest 16% below MN $67,568±$10kLowest 24% below MN
Windom and Pipestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $169,700±$13kHighest 48% below MN $114,100±$22kLowest 65% below MN
Rentmedian gross, monthly $806±$103Highest 37% below MN $740±$53Lowest 42% below MN
Windom and Pipestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,883Highest 44% below MN $1,121Lowest 67% below MN
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 26.8%±9.9Lowest MN: 48.1% 53.7%±13.3Highest MN: 48.1%
Below poverty line 14.3%Highest MN: 9.3% 13.1%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 68.5%Lowest MN: 72.2% 70.1%Highest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1967Highest 12 yrs older than MN 1955Lowest 24 yrs older than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 13 minLowest 44% below MN 13 minHighest 42% below MN
Work from home 7.9%±3.4Highest MN: 17.6% 6.2%±2.8Lowest MN: 17.6%
Windom and Pipestone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 32.7%Lowest 46%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 8.3 miHighest 7.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.12Lowest 1.23Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Mountain Lake Township (13%)Sioux Falls (5%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in PipestoneFew work in Windom
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.6%Highest 2.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 4.4 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Lowest 8Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 54.6Lowest 59.8Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #176 of 230 in MN#190 of 230 in MN
School district Region 6 and 8-SW/WC Service Coop · Windom Public School DistrictRegion 6 and 8-SW/WC Service Coop · Pipestone Area School District
High school in town Windom Senior HighPipestone Senior High
Students per teacherat that high school 14.2Highest 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.

Windom neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Windom’s Town Square.

Pipestone neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Weekend Plans Ahead

1 neighbor in Pipestone can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Windom and Pipestone

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

Bordering Windom

Towns like Windom

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 Windom

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