What it's like to live in Hermantown
Hermantown is a small city in Minnesota with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Hermantown deals with a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, brutally cold winters, heavy snowfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High rent burden for renters
- Brutally cold winters
- Heavy snowfall — 90" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Hermantown compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Hermantown
Based on Hermantown's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,926
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $58,520 a year
- 63% of Hermantown renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$76,460
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $38,230
- Homes cost 4.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,463/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,463 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $382,300. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $382,300 · 63% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.6% county unemployment
Unemployment in St. Louis County is 4.6%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
St. Louis County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 82% below US
58 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 2073/100k · Hermantown Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 32% below US
18 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 17.7 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 74°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 4°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 11% above US
40% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 40% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (75 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Hermantown's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin and brutally cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,463/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Hermantown
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