What it's like to live in Maple Grove
Maple Grove is a smaller city in Minnesota with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Maple Grove deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 54" per year
How Maple Grove compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Maple Grove
Based on Maple Grove's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,736
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $74,720 a year
- 45% of Maple Grove renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$83,660
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $41,830
- Homes cost 3.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 32% above US
$1,868/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,868 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $418,300. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $418,300 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 23% below US
3.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.3%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 66% below US
112 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 1355/100k · Maple Grove Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 29% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 10°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 5.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 59% above US
57% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
16 public schools inside the boundary
There are 16 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (21 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Maple Grove's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,868/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (29% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Maple Grove
All Minnesota guides →Moving to Brooklyn Park →
5 mi away · pop. 83,876
Rent $1,325/mo · Income $89,891
Compare with Maple Grove →Moving to Champlin →
6 mi away · pop. 23,294
Rent $1,689/mo · Income $116,102
Compare with Maple Grove →Moving to Plymouth →
6 mi away · pop. 79,220
Rent $1,766/mo · Income $136,534
Compare with Maple Grove →Not sure Maple Grove is the one?
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