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Foreston vs Zimmerman

Foreston, Minnesota versus Zimmerman, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Foreston

Mixed · objective livability45/100

Zimmerman

Mixed · objective livability50/100

Zimmerman edges out Foreston on overall objective livability (50 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorForestonZimmerman
Affordability
Median Household Income$86k$80k
Cost of Living$46k$52k
Home Value$231k$262k
Monthly Rent$1k$1k
Monthly Owner Costs$210$2k
Property Tax Rate1.12%0.97%
Income Tax9.90%9.90%
Sales Tax8.04%8.04%
Estimated total tax burden15.57%15.73%
Unemployment3.1%0.3%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)12°F14°F
Summer Temp (Jul)70°F72°F
Annual Precipitation30.8 in31.0 in
Annual Snowfall48.9 in35.7 in
Sunny Days234 days234 days
Summer Humidity60°F60°F
Comfortable Days82 days92 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk59.424.8
Air Quality49 AQI46 AQI
School Quality44.366.1
Violent Crime1418/100k401/100k
Property Crime2060/100k792/100k
Community
Population6936,243
Median Age34.832.3
Racial Diversity0.060.29
Male/Female Ratio1.200.83
Political LeaningR+39R+33
White (%)94.4%79.7%
Black (%)0.0%1.4%
Hispanic (%)4.3%6.6%
Asian (%)0.6%2.2%
Other / Multiracial (%)0.7%10.1%
Getting Around
Commute Time36 min
Walkability6.5/205.7/20
Airport Distance63 mi43 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.0%95.5%
Amenities Nearby346.3243.25
Park & Nature AccessExcellentExcellent

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 Foreston or Zimmerman more affordable?
Foreston has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Foreston's $46k and Zimmerman's $52k. Median rent is $1k in Foreston versus $1k in Zimmerman.
Is Foreston or Zimmerman safer?
Zimmerman has the lower violent crime rate. Foreston reports 1418/100k and Zimmerman reports 401/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Foreston or Zimmerman?
The median home value is $231k in Foreston and $262k in Zimmerman, so homes are more affordable in Foreston.
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