Is Montrose, MN a Good Place to Live?
Montrose is a small town of 3,779 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $89,100 and a 4.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.
Strengths: Montrose stands out for solid school ratings (B-).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Montrose is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Montrose city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 104.5Montrose's overall cost of living index is 104.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Montrose costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Montrose, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $251,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,243 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 78.5% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $89,100 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeMontrose's violent crime rate is 64.3 per 100,000 residents — 83% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Montrose is served primarily by Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Montrose, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 6 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 3 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 17.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 23.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 90.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Montrose sees average highs of 23.0°F in January and 82.9°F in July, with 30.6 inches of annual precipitation and 45.1 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Montrose, MN |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 23.0°F |
| Average High — July | 82.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 30.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 45.1" |
Demographics
| Metric | Montrose, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,779 | — |
| Median Age | 34.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 36.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 86.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 32.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 7.6% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Montrose
Montrose, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: