Grand Marais vs Silver Bay
Grand Marais, Minnesota versus Silver Bay, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Grand Marais edges out Silver Bay on overall objective livability (51 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Grand Marais | Silver Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $69k | $66k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $47k |
| Home Value | $260k | $129k |
| Monthly Rent | $901 | $941 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $515 | $674 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.90% | 0.72% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.98% | 13.97% |
| Unemployment | 1.4% | 3.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 15°F | 14°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 61°F | 65°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 25.8 in | 32.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 50.9 in | 94.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 237 days | 214 days |
| Summer Humidity | 56°F | 56°F |
| Comfortable Days | 53 days | 62 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 51.8 | 72.4 |
| Air Quality | 45 AQI | 37 AQI |
| School Quality | 82.2 | 69.2 |
| Violent Crime | 0/100k | 429/100k |
| Property Crime | 0/100k | 214/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,768 | 1,690 |
| Median Age | 45.1 | 48.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.17 | 0.13 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.10 | 0.90 |
| Political Leaning | D+35 | Even |
| White (%) | 90.6% | 91.8% |
| Black (%) | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.6% | 1.7% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.4% | 5.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 8.3/20 | 6.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 242 mi | 191 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.2% | 86.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 124.43 | 53.25 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
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 Grand Marais or Silver Bay more affordable?
- Grand Marais has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Grand Marais's $44k and Silver Bay's $47k. Median rent is $901 in Grand Marais versus $941 in Silver Bay.
- Is Grand Marais or Silver Bay safer?
- Grand Marais has the lower violent crime rate. Grand Marais reports 0/100k and Silver Bay reports 429/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Grand Marais or Silver Bay?
- The median home value is $260k in Grand Marais and $129k in Silver Bay, so homes are more affordable in Silver Bay.