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Nov 3, 2022

Tour of Elk River, Minnesota

Updated: Feb 7, 2023

Today we're taking you on a tour of Elk River, MN!


The second largest city in the central MN region behind St. Cloud and technically part of the Twin Cities metro, Elk River has a sparse suburban vibe, good schools, nice outdoor spaces, and the NorthStar Commuter Rail stops here for those commuting to the cities.


Let's dive in!



Elk River Vibes


Located about 40 minutes northwest of downtown Minneapolis, Elk River is home to around 27k residents and growing slow and steady at about 2% per year over the last decade. It essentially the further edge of the metro and was once not considered part of the TWC metro. However, the metro


The schools here are pretty good, but not outstanding. You're probably going to find the schools in say St. Michael/Albertville are a little bit better, probably due to the population growth and development of those cities. Needless to say, according to niche.com, Elk River Senior High School comes in rated at a B+ and serves all of Elk River. For Middle Schools you have Salk Middle School which is rated an A- and serves the city primarily east of US-169. You also have Vandenberge Middle School which comes in at a B+ and serves the city primarily west of US-169. There are four Elementary Schools serving Elk River - Twin Lakes, Parker, Meadowvale, and Lincoln, rated A-, B+, B, and B- respectively.


Some of the reasons folks are drawn to this area is the affordability coupled with the combination of the lifestyle elements. They want that cozy, small-town, rural feel, but with access to good schools and suburban amenities less than an hour from the major metro cities.


Home Price Statistics


The median home sale price in Elk River comes in around $370k, which is slightly above the Twin Cities median, but you get more house for the money here. At the time of writing this, single-family homes on the market ranged from as low as $200k and all the way up to $2.25m. Although there are fewer options for condos and townhomes in Elk River, they are available. Prices at the time of writing this ranged from as low as $185k and upwards of $415k. And lastly, approximately 80% of Elk River residents own their own.



Pros + Cons


Pros

  • Good schools

  • Relatively affordable for the Twin Cities - technically above the median but lots of house for the money

  • Beautiful, well-kept public outdoor spaces and LOTS of open space

  • Good blend of rural, small town, and suburban lifestyles available

  • Fairly diverse housing stock

  • Plenty of suburban amenities

  • Basically 'Up North', aka Cabin Country - somewhat close to Lake Mille Lacs

Cons

  • Over 30 minutes from the Twin Cities

  • Echoes of a rural past

  • Probably too rural for some folks

  • End of the road


For Fans Of


Basically if you like this area, you might want to check out these other areas 👇

  • Near Elk River - Otsego, Monticello, and Buffalo

  • Just South of Elk River - St. Michael, Albertville, and Rogers

  • Northeast Metro - Lino Lakes, Hugo, and Forest Lake

  • Southwest Metro - Prior and Elko-New Market, and a special shoutout to Northfield

  • Southeast Metro - Rosemount and Hastings


To Sum Up Elk River in Three Points

  1. Beautiful outdoor spaces

  2. Good schools

  3. Good blend of rural, small town, and suburban lifestyles available


As We Depart


Every day I help people who are moving or relocating to the Twin Cities area, find the home of their dreams in one of the best metropolitan areas in the country! If you're looking for a full-service Real Estate company that specializes in these cross-country moves, or just across the city, look no further.


Welcome to the Twin Cities - Make Yourself at Home!


Jesse Lynch - The New Face of Real Estate

Brokered By REAL Broker LLC


Call/Text (612) 564-1868



*According to niche.com



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