What it's like to live in Stillwater
Stillwater is a small city in Minnesota with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Stillwater deals with cold, harsh winters and snowy winters.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 50" per year
How Stillwater compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Stillwater
Based on Stillwater's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,244
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $64,880 a year
- 47% of Stillwater renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$82,840
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $41,420
- Homes cost 3.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 15% above US
$1,622/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,622 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 $414,200. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $414,200 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.4% county unemployment
Unemployment in Washington County is 3.4%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Washington County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 76% below US
77 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 862/100k · Stillwater Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 23% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.1 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 22% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 78°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 8°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 42% above US
51% 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
13 public schools inside the boundary
There are 13 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (15 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Stillwater's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold, harsh winters and snowy winters. A year of median rent ($1,622/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (22% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Stillwater
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