Elk River vs Maple Grove
Elk River, Minnesota versus Maple Grove, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Elk River and Maple Grove score about the same overall (46 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Elk River | Maple Grove |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $96k | $127k |
| Cost of Living | $52k | $52k |
| Home Value | $306k | $380k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.19% | 1.12% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.36% | 15.91% |
| Unemployment | 2.0% | 4.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 15°F | 16°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 32.9 in | 32.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 35.7 in | 54.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 234 days | 182 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 94 days | 98 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 50.1 | 29.5 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 33 AQI |
| School Quality | 66.1 | 67.2 |
| Violent Crime | 641/100k | 462/100k |
| Property Crime | 1712/100k | 1934/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 25,936 | 70,110 |
| Median Age | 35.7 | 40.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.25 | 0.35 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.04 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | R+33 | D+44 |
| White (%) | 85.3% | 78.8% |
| Black (%) | 3.8% | 7.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.7% | 2.5% |
| Asian (%) | 1.1% | 6.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.0% | 4.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 6.0/20 | 7.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 34 mi | 20 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.4% | 97.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 24.29 | 26.53 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Elk River or Maple Grove more affordable?
- Maple Grove has the lower cost of living: its index is $52k, compared with Elk River's $52k and Maple Grove's $52k. Median rent is $1k in Elk River versus $2k in Maple Grove.
- Is Elk River or Maple Grove safer?
- Maple Grove has the lower violent crime rate. Elk River reports 641/100k and Maple Grove reports 462/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Elk River or Maple Grove?
- The median home value is $306k in Elk River and $380k in Maple Grove, so homes are more affordable in Elk River.