CENTERVILLE, MN REALTOR · LOCAL GUIDE
LIVING IN CENTERVILLE
Centerville is where I live, and I think it’s one of the best-kept small towns in the Northeast Metro. It was established in 1857 and named for its spot roughly in the center of Saint Paul, the Mississippi River at Anoka and the St. Croix River at Stillwater. It incorporated in 1910, and today about 3,900 people live in its 2.4 square miles — a town completely surrounded by Lino Lakes.
The lakes are what most people fall for. Centerville Lake and Peltier Lake sit at the edge of town, and the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Park Reserve, run by Anoka County, is right next door, with a swimming beach on Centerville Lake, a campground, a boat launch, a fishing pier, Chomonix Golf Course and miles of trails. In town, Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park is the big one — ballfields, soccer fields, a hockey rink, a pleasure rink with a warming house, a play structure and a walking trail that connects to the park reserve. Smaller spots like Acorn Creek, Eagle and Hidden Spring parks are tucked into the neighborhoods, and Cornerstone Park on Main Street holds the town’s veterans memorial.
Main Street (County Road 14) is the heart of town, and every summer it fills up for Fête des Lacs, the “festival of the lakes” that celebrates Centerville’s French roots and doubles as the city’s motto. It’s the kind of weekend where you run into half your neighbors.
Getting around is easy. I‑35E is just east of town and I‑35W is a few minutes west, so downtown St. Paul is usually around 25 minutes away and Minneapolis a little farther, traffic permitting. Neighborhoods range from older homes near Main Street to newer streets near the lakes and parks, and because the city is so small, the right house doesn’t come up often — which is exactly why I watch this market so closely.
CENTERVILLE AT A GLANCE
Population: 3,896
Size: 2.4 sq mi
Founded: 1857
Schools: Centennial ISD 12
Lakes: Centerville & Peltier
Commute: I-35E · CR 14
County: Anoka
Summer festival: Fête des Lacs
Drive to MSP Airport: about 40 minutes (25 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown Minneapolis: about 35 minutes (23 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown St. Paul: about 30 minutes (18 miles), off-peak
CENTERVILLE SCHOOLS
All of Centerville is served by Centennial Schools (ISD 12), the district that also covers Circle Pines, Lexington and parts of Blaine and Lino Lakes. Centerville students attend elementary school right in town, middle school at Centennial Middle School in Lino Lakes, and high school at Centennial High School in Circle Pines. Because the whole city sits inside one district, you won’t have to check which side of a boundary line a home is on — something buyers in neighboring Lino Lakes do have to watch.
What the percentages mean: the percentage beside each school below is the share of Centerville’s children of that school’s age who live in its attendance area — ages 5–10 for elementary, 11–13 for middle and 14–17 for high school (about 296, 194 and 275 children in the 2020 Census). District percentages use all children ages 5–17. It shows where the city’s kids are assigned; it is not a test score or a rating. Students per grade is each school’s 2025–26 enrollment divided by the number of grades it serves.
School districts serving Centerville: Centennial (ISD 12) — all of the city’s school-age children.
HOW CENTERVILLE’S SCHOOL DISTRICTS COMPARE STATEWIDE
Centennial (ISD 12): reading 57% and math 57% proficient on the 2025–26 state tests — test-score rank #48 of 326 Minnesota districts; 4-year graduation rate 92% (class of 2025), #155 of 317
Proficient = share of tested students who met or exceeded Minnesota’s grade-level standards (MCA, MTAS and Alternate MCA, all tested grades). Test-score rank = position among Minnesota school districts (charter schools not included) by the average of reading and math proficiency; school ranks compare each school with all Minnesota public schools at the same level. Ranks are calculated by Minnesota Chuck from Minnesota Department of Education data and are not an official state rating.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS SERVING CENTERVILLE
Centerville Elementary: Centennial (ISD 12) — all of Centerville’s children that age; grades K–5, about 107 students per grade; reading 61%, math 66% proficient (2025–26), #185 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
MIDDLE SCHOOLS SERVING CENTERVILLE
Centennial Middle School: Centennial (ISD 12) — all of Centerville’s children that age; grades 6–8, about 535 students per grade; reading 53%, math 47% proficient (2025–26), #88 of 264 Minnesota middle schools
HIGH SCHOOLS SERVING CENTERVILLE
Centennial High School: Centennial (ISD 12) — all of Centerville’s children that age; grades 9–12, about 520 students per grade; reading 52%, math 53% proficient (2025–26), #42 of 435 Minnesota high schools; 4-year graduation 95%
Sources: Minnesota Department of Education, School Attendance Areas, SY2025-26; Minnesota Department of Education 2025–26 assessment results and graduation rates (Minnesota Report Card); U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (children by age, by census block); Minnesota Department of Education 2025–26 enrollment. Boundaries can change, so confirm the assigned school with the district for a specific address.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What school district is Centerville, MN in?
Centerville is entirely within Centennial Schools, Independent School District 12. Students attend elementary school in Centerville, middle school at Centennial Middle School in Lino Lakes, and high school at Centennial High School in Circle Pines. Because the whole city is in one district, every Centerville address feeds into the same schools.
What county is Centerville in?
Centerville is in Anoka County, in the Northeast Metro of the Twin Cities. It’s an unusual town on the map: the city is completely surrounded by Lino Lakes, which is also in Anoka County. Hugo and the Washington County line are just a few minutes east.
How far is Centerville from Minneapolis, St. Paul and MSP Airport?
Driving from the center of Centerville at off-peak times, downtown Minneapolis is about 23 miles (roughly 35 minutes), downtown St. Paul is about 18 miles (roughly 30 minutes) and MSP Airport is about 25 miles (roughly 40 minutes). Rush-hour traffic adds time, and drives vary with which part of Centerville you start from.
What is there to do in Centerville?
Most of it centers on the lakes. The Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Park Reserve next door has a swimming beach on Centerville Lake, camping, a boat launch, trails and Chomonix Golf Course. In town, Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park has ballfields, rinks and a trail into the park reserve, and Fête des Lacs brings the community out on Main Street every summer.
Is Centerville a good place to buy a home?
It’s a small town with a real Main Street, lake access, one school district (Centennial) and quick access to I‑35E. The tradeoff is size — about 3,900 people means fewer homes come up for sale. I live in Centerville and watch this market closely, so I can help you know what a home is worth and move quickly when the right one lists.
NEARBY CITIES I SERVE
Lino Lakes · Hugo · Circle Pines · Lexington · Blaine · White Bear Township · White Bear Lake · Forest Lake · Columbus
Thinking about buying or selling in Centerville? Use the form at the top of this page, or call or text me at 763-218-2573. — Chuck Glasser, Realtor®, RE/MAX Results