About Mahtomedi
Mahtomedi is the quintessential lake town: a tight-knit community of about 8,000 people anchored by Long Lake, known for excellent schools, a strong sense of community, and the kind of small-town feel that is increasingly rare in the Twin Cities metro.
Whether you are researching a move to the area, curious about a specific neighborhood, or just want to know more about the community, this guide covers the essentials: schools, lifestyle, and what makes Mahtomedi distinct from its neighbors.
New here? Start with the umbrella guide, Living in Twin Cities Lake Communities, for the honest comparison of Mahtomedi, White Bear Lake, and Grant.
Mahtomedi at a Glance
Population
8,138 (2020 U.S. Census)
Schools
Mahtomedi Public Schools (ISD 832)
Long Lake
About 102 acres, 22 feet deep, no developed boat ramp (DNR)
White Bear Lake
2,428 acres, up to 83 feet deep, on the town's east shore (DNR)
To downtown St. Paul
About 15-16 miles by car, 20-25 minutes
To downtown Minneapolis
About 21 miles by car, roughly 26-31 minutes
Median home price
Roughly $500,000-$575,000 (mid-2026 market data)
Typical housing styles
Ranches and ramblers, walkouts, two-story homes, lakeside cottages, newer villas
Population: 2020 U.S. Census. Lake data: Minnesota DNR. Prices: approximate mid-2026 market data from public sources such as Redfin, Homes.com, and Zillow; prices change and vary by property.
Mahtomedi by the Numbers
8,138
Population
2020 U.S. Census
~$543,000
Median home price
Redfin/Zillow market data, mid-2026; approximate
~$200-$220
Price per sq ft
Redfin/Zillow market data, mid-2026; approximate
~25 days
Average days on market
Redfin market data, mid-2026; approximate
Mahtomedi wraps around Long Lake at its heart and rises along the east shore of White Bear Lake, where the city's public swimming beach, Mahtomedi Beach, faces west across the water. The median figure sits within the roughly $500,000-$575,000 range seen across mid-2026 data. Market figures are approximate: local sales volumes are small and prices vary widely.
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.
What is Mahtomedi known for?
Mahtomedi is known first for its water and second for its schools. Long Lake sits at the city's heart, the public beach on White Bear Lake anchors the summer calendar, and the small footprint of ISD 832 gives the schools a personal, community feel. People who live here will also tell you it is a town where families stay, the kind of place where kids learn to swim in the same water their parents did.
Practical Info: Sewer Service Line Repair Grant
The City of Mahtomedi offers a Sanitary Sewer Service Line Repair Grant, referenced in the July-August 2026 city newsletter and funded through a Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) grant. Homeowners can apply for help repairing, relining, or replacing the sanitary sewer service line running from the house to the City mainline in the street. The City reimburses up to 50% of approved costs, up to $5,000 per property, on a first-come, first-served basis; work must be approved by the City before it begins and completed by the end of 2026. Eligible issues include root intrusions and separations causing water infiltration. The program remains active as of October 2026: the city's 2026 grant notice is still posted, so if you own an older home in the city, this is a genuinely useful program to look into before the year ends. For application details, contact Mahtomedi City Hall at 600 Stillwater Road, Public Works Director Bob Goebel at 651-773-9730, or visit the City of Mahtomedi website and check the latest city newsletter.
Park Projects: Fall 2026 Status
Three city park projects are moving forward this year. The new off-leash dog park at Southwest Park (29 Long Lake Road) is under construction: the City Council approved the construction contract in August 2026, with fencing, a drinking fountain, benches, and separate small-breed and all-breed areas planned, and a ribbon cutting is being arranged. The floating boardwalk at Katherine Abbott Park, roughly 238 feet of accessible walkway with railing built under a $138,000 contract awarded in May, is under construction this season and will give kayakers and paddleboarders easier access to the water. At Wildwood Park, the city's Lost Lake Phase 2 shoreline restoration was reported complete in the August 2026 public works update. For construction timelines and opening dates, check the city's July-August newsletter and the City of Mahtomedi website.
What Is It Like to Live in Mahtomedi?
Mahtomedi runs on a small lake town's pace, with the calm of a beach town and the routines of a school community. On a summer afternoon you will see families at Mahtomedi Beach, canoes crossing Long Lake, and the shore path around Wildwood Park carrying walkers at sunset. The school year drives the social calendar, and the town's position along Minnesota Highway 61 keeps downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul to a manageable commute while the streets themselves stay quiet. If you want the dock-and-boat life without the crowds of a resort town, this is what that looks like.
What does it cost to live in Mahtomedi?
The median home price in Mahtomedi ran roughly $500,000 to $575,000 across mid-2026 data from Redfin, Homes.com, and Zillow, with lakefront and walkout properties at the higher end and the newer villas and townhomes pulling the low end down. Most of the market is single-family: ranches and walkout ramblers, two-story traditional homes, custom builds, and lakeside cottages along White Bear Lake, where some waterfront homes run past a million.
What lakes are in Mahtomedi?
Two lakes define the town. Long Lake, about 102 acres and 22 feet deep per the DNR, sits right in town; it has no developed public boat ramp, so small boats and canoes are carried in off city property, and its water quality is rated fair at best, with a history of oxygen issues in winter. White Bear Lake, 2,428 acres with up to 83 feet of depth, laps the town's east shore, and Mahtomedi Beach faces west across it. Most residents are minutes from one or the other without owning any shoreline.
What are the schools like?
Mahtomedi Public Schools (ISD 832) serves the city and parts of surrounding communities including Grant, and its compact size keeps schools personal enough that teachers know families by name. Attendance boundaries and programs shift year to year, so the current specifics live on the district website and in our Mahtomedi schools guide.
How far is Mahtomedi from St. Paul?
About 15 to 16 miles by car to downtown St. Paul, typically 20 to 25 minutes, and roughly 21 miles to downtown Minneapolis, about 26 to 31 minutes on a normal day. Highway 61 runs along the community, and both downtowns are practical daily commutes, which is a big part of why Mahtomedi attracts metro professionals who want the lake lifestyle with a real paycheck nearby.
Pros and Cons of Living in Mahtomedi
What works well
- A lake at the center of town and a public beach on White Bear Lake
- Small, personal school district (ISD 832)
- Genuine small-town community, rare this close to the metro
- Lakes and beach without resort-town crowds
- Downtown St. Paul within 20-25 minutes
What to weigh honestly
- Older housing stock that often needs updating
- Property taxes on desirable lake-adjacent addresses
- Long Lake has no developed boat ramp, so powerboats use White Bear's public launches
- Winter brings real maintenance: snow, ice, and heating costs
- Limited downtown retail and dining compared with neighboring towns
"Mahtomedi remains a place where the whole town turns out at the beach in June, everyone knows whose boat is whose, and the kids learn to swim in the same water their parents did. That continuity is hard to find anywhere in the metro."
Melissa A Johnson, Minnesota & Wisconsin Realtor
See also: Living in Twin Cities Lake Communities · Forest Lake · White Bear Lake · Grant · Stillwater · Hudson, WI
Mahtomedi FAQ
Honest, straight answers to the questions people ask most while researching a move to Mahtomedi. No spin, just what living here is actually like.
Is Mahtomedi a good place to live?
For a lot of people, yes, and for others it depends, so here is the honest picture. Mahtomedi is a small, quiet lakeside village on the southeast shore of White Bear Lake with a close-knit feel, popular Mahtomedi Public Schools, quick access to lake recreation, and an easy drive to St. Paul. The tradeoffs are a smaller housing stock, less retail than bigger suburbs, and home prices that run higher than some neighboring towns, with a median of roughly $543,000 in mid-2026 (approximate, Redfin/Zillow, small sample area). Whether it fits really depends on what you value: the lake-first, small-town rhythm is the point here, and that is not what everyone is after.
How long is the commute from Mahtomedi?
About 20 minutes to downtown St. Paul and roughly 35 to 40 minutes to downtown Minneapolis in typical traffic, and those times vary with the time of day. Mahtomedi sits close to Hwy 244, I-694, and I-94, so both downtowns are practical daily drives.
What are the schools like?
Mahtomedi Public Schools (ISD 832) serves Mahtomedi and the surrounding lake communities, and the district is a common reason families choose the area. Families here will tell you the schools feel small and personal, with teachers who know students by name. Attendance boundaries and programs shift year to year, so the current details live in our Mahtomedi schools guide.
What is lake living like here?
Most of the village sits within minutes of the water. White Bear Lake offers the big-lake boating, swimming, and fishing, the Wildwood waterfront area is where the town gathers, and boat launches plus year-round recreation keep the lakes busy from open water to ice. Our waterfront homes guide digs into what living on the water here is actually like.
How does Mahtomedi compare to White Bear Lake or Stillwater?
Short version: Mahtomedi is the small village, with lake living and a quiet, residential feel. White Bear Lake is the larger town, with more retail, restaurants, and amenities. Stillwater is the historic river town, with tourism and the biggest downtown. Each has a distinct personality, so it helps to visit all three. See our White Bear Lake and Stillwater guides for the full picture.
Are property taxes high in Mahtomedi?
Washington County sets the property tax levy, and what you pay varies with your home's value and your school district, so the amount differs from property to property. Some lake-adjacent addresses carry a premium, while a modest home away from the water is a different story. There is no single answer, so the number depends entirely on the specific property.
Mahtomedi vs. Neighboring Communities
How four communities in the same corner of the metro stack up on the things movers actually ask about: character, the drive to St. Paul, and what a home runs. Median prices are approximate mid-2026 figures from Redfin and Zillow; local sales volumes are small, so treat them as a range rather than a precise number.
Mahtomedi
- Vibe
- Small lakeside village on White Bear Lake's southeast shore with a close-knit, residential feel.
- Commute to St. Paul
- About 20 minutes.
- Median home price
- Roughly $543,000 (approximate, mid-2026, small sample area)
White Bear Lake
- Vibe
- Larger town with more retail, restaurants, and amenities wrapped around the metro's big lake.
- Commute to St. Paul
- About 15 to 20 minutes.
- Median home price
- Roughly $400,000 (approximate, mid-2026)
Stillwater
- Vibe
- Historic river town with tourism, bluff-top views, and the biggest downtown of the four.
- Commute to St. Paul
- About 25 minutes via Highway 36.
- Median home price
- Roughly $475,000 (approximate, mid-2026)
Lake Elmo
- Vibe
- Quiet, semirural township with acre lots, parks, and room to spread out.
- Commute to St. Paul
- A manageable metro commute.
- Median home price
- Roughly $500,000 (approximate, mid-2026)
Median prices are approximate mid-2026 figures from Redfin and Zillow. Mahtomedi closes comparatively few sales in any given window, so its median is based on a small sample; treat all four figures as a general range, not a precise number.
Cost of Living, Schools & Commute
Cost of living
Everyday costs in Mahtomedi run close to metro averages, approximate, with housing the biggest variable. Home prices sit higher than some neighboring towns, and lakefront properties sit higher still. Home styles and prices vary by neighborhood, so browse the Mahtomedi neighborhoods guide.
Commute
About 20 minutes to downtown St. Paul via I-694 and Hwy 244, and roughly 35 to 40 minutes to downtown Minneapolis in typical traffic. Times stretch at rush hour, and the drive depends on where you are headed.
Schools
Mahtomedi Public Schools (ISD 832) serves Mahtomedi and the surrounding lake communities, and its compact size is a big part of its draw. District details and attendance boundaries live in the Mahtomedi schools guide.
Browse Mahtomedi Homes for Sale
Pemberton Realty's MLS search covers current Mahtomedi-area listings, straight from the Northstar MLS.
Thinking about Mahtomedi?
Whether you are looking for a home, selling, or just curious: reach out. We know this community inside and out.