About Grant
Grant is the rural-residential side of lake-community living: a low-density township in northeast Washington County that incorporated as the City of Grant in 1996 specifically to protect its rural character. Homes sit on large lots, many with horses or hobby farms, and most properties run on private wells and septic systems. Life here is quiet and spread out, within a short drive of Stillwater, the St. Croix River valley, Mahtomedi, and White Bear Lake, with downtown St. Paul about a half hour to the southwest.
This guide covers the essentials: the character of the community, what homes cost, schools, commutes, and the honest pros and cons of choosing acreage over the closer-in suburbs.
Grant by the Numbers
3,966
Population
2020 U.S. Census
~$700K-$1.1M
Median home price
Redfin/Zillow market data, early-to-mid 2026; approximate
~$330
Price per sq ft
Redfin/Zillow market data, early-to-mid 2026; approximate
~22 days
Average days on market
Washington County overall; Redfin market data, mid-2026; approximate
Grant's market is small, and the median swings with acreage: smaller lots can list in the $500,000s while a 10-plus acre estate can clear a million. With so few sales, the true figure can swing well above or below the typical range, so treat these as a starting point rather than a precise number. Grant itself sells too few homes to quote a reliable days-on-market figure, so that figure reflects Washington County overall.
Over the past year, Stillwater homes averaged about 2% above asking price and Lake Elmo about 2% below; Mahtomedi and Grant close too few sales to quote a reliable sale-to-list figure. Approximate market data, mid-2026.
Grant at a Glance
Population
3,966 (2020 U.S. Census)
Size
About 27 square miles
Lot sizes
5-acre minimum since 1976 zoning (10-acre average)
School districts
Mahtomedi ISD 832 and Stillwater Area ISD 834
To downtown St. Paul
About 13 miles as the crow flies; roughly 25-35 minutes by car
Utilities
Private wells and septic for most properties
Median home price
Roughly $700,000-$1.1M (Redfin, early-to-mid 2026; small market with a wide spread)
Character
Acreage estates, horse properties, hobby farms, quiet roads
Population: 2020 U.S. Census. Zoning and character: City of Grant. Prices: approximate early-to-mid 2026 market data from public sources such as Redfin and Zillow; the market is small, and price figures swing with acreage.
What is Grant like?
Grant is what rural exurbia looks like in Washington County: about 27 square miles of woods, fields, and estate lots, with no commercial strip and no major lake at its center. The city incorporated in 1996 under a charter built to keep it that way, and zoning has required a 5-acre minimum lot since 1976. Daily life centers on your own property: the garden, the animals, the mowing, the long driveway. Neighbors are close-knit but spread out, and the nearest groceries, restaurants, and services are a short drive away in Stillwater, Mahtomedi, or White Bear Lake.
What do homes cost in Grant?
The Grant market is small, so price figures move more than they do in the cities. Approximate 2025-26 public market data puts median prices roughly between $700,000 and $1.1 million, and the spread comes almost entirely from acreage: smaller lots can list in the $500,000s, while a 10-plus acre estate can clear a million. What you are buying is land first and house second, and in Grant the land is the point.
Is Grant a good place to raise a family?
If the goal is room to roam, horses, and a quieter school experience close to the metro, Grant works very well. Children who live here attend either Mahtomedi Public Schools (ISD 832) or Stillwater Area Public Schools (ISD 834), depending on where the property sits, and both are well-regarded east-metro districts. The trade-offs are real: bus rides can be long, activities and playdates mean driving to Stillwater or Mahtomedi, and the social calendar is what you and your neighbors make of it rather than what a walkable downtown provides.
How far is Grant from St. Paul?
Grant sits about 13 miles from downtown St. Paul as the crow flies, and the drive typically lands around 25 to 35 minutes depending on your route and the time of day. Mahtomedi and White Bear Lake are roughly 10 to 15 minutes west, Stillwater about 10 to 15 minutes east, and the St. Croix River valley is close enough to be an everyday destination. For downtown Minneapolis, plan on a longer drive, generally more than 40 minutes on a normal commute.
Pros and Cons of Living in Grant
What works well
- Space and privacy that no suburban lot can match
- Acreage built for horses, hobby farms, and gardens, protected by zoning
- Rural character preserved by charter since 1996
- Minutes from Stillwater, the St. Croix valley, Mahtomedi, and White Bear Lake
- Choice of two strong school districts, ISD 832 or ISD 834
What to weigh honestly
- Acreage upkeep: mowing, snow removal on long driveways, and building maintenance
- Private wells and septic systems, with testing, maintenance, and replacement costs
- Longer commutes to metro jobs, especially downtown Minneapolis
- Limited commercial areas: shopping, dining, and services require a drive
- No municipal water or sewer for most of the township
- Higher entry price, since land itself commands the premium
"Grant has always been the place people move to when they want the lake country without living on the water itself. You trade the dock for a hay field and a quiet road, and the St. Croix is always fifteen minutes away when the mood hits."
Melissa A Johnson, neighbor and author of Twin Cities East Metro
See also: Living in Twin Cities Lake Communities · Mahtomedi · White Bear Lake · Stillwater · St. Croix River · Hudson, WI