DELLWOOD, MN REALTOR · LOCAL GUIDE
LIVING IN DELLWOOD
Dellwood has one of the more interesting histories in the Northeast Metro. Settlement around White Bear Lake began in the 1850s, and after the Stillwater & St. Paul Railroad was completed around the north end of the lake in 1870, Twin Cities families could reach summer homes here easily. Dellwood itself was platted in 1882 as a 250-acre community of large, architect-designed cottages for St. Paul businessmen, including Lucius Ordway and Kirby Barnum. By 1900 the Soo Line also crossed the northern part of Dellwood, and author F. Scott Fitzgerald later spent time in a Dellwood cottage.
White Bear Lake — about 2,400 acres — is the defining feature, and lake life and shoreline care are ongoing topics at city hall. Across Highway 96 is the private, 18-hole Dellwood Country Club. The city is small and residential, with no downtown of its own; for shopping and dining, downtown White Bear Lake and Mahtomedi are a few minutes away. The White Bear Yacht Club, founded by early residents including Kirby Barnum, is part of the same lakeside story, and the mix of old summer estates and quiet wooded streets gives Dellwood a character all its own.
Getting around is straightforward. Highway 96 is the main route through the community and connects west to I-35E, while Highway 244 (Dellwood Avenue) runs along the lake toward Mahtomedi. Downtown St. Paul is roughly 25 minutes away and downtown Minneapolis about 30 to 35, depending on traffic.
Dellwood’s housing reflects its history — lakeshore estates and homes on larger, wooded lots — and with so few homes in the city, each sale deserves careful attention to the property itself. Lakeshore, lot size, age and updates all weigh heavily on value here, and I take the time to compare a home against the right sales before you buy or list.
DELLWOOD AT A GLANCE
Population: 1,171
Size: 2.8 sq mi
Platted: 1882
Schools: Mahtomedi ISD 832
Lakes: White Bear Lake
Commute: Hwy 96 · Hwy 244
County: Washington
Known for: Dellwood Country Club
Drive to MSP Airport: about 35 minutes (22 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown Minneapolis: about 35 minutes (21 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown St. Paul: about 25 minutes (15 miles), off-peak
DELLWOOD SCHOOLS
Dellwood is located within Mahtomedi Public Schools (ISD 832). The district operates Wildwood Elementary and O.H. Anderson Elementary, Mahtomedi Middle School and Mahtomedi High School, all in neighboring Mahtomedi, a short drive from Dellwood. Its schools serve families from Dellwood, Mahtomedi and nearby communities on the east side of White Bear Lake.
As with any address, I confirm school assignments before you make an offer, and I’m happy to help you look into the district’s programs as part of your search.
What the percentages mean: the percentage beside each school below is the share of Dellwood’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 110, 57 and 88 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 Dellwood: Mahtomedi (ISD 832) — all of the city’s school-age children.
HOW DELLWOOD’S SCHOOL DISTRICTS COMPARE STATEWIDE
Mahtomedi (ISD 832): reading 67% and math 68% proficient on the 2025–26 state tests — test-score rank #8 of 326 Minnesota districts; 4-year graduation rate 96% (class of 2025), #76 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 DELLWOOD
Wildwood & Anderson elementary schools: Mahtomedi (ISD 832) — all of Dellwood’s children that age; grades K–5, about 208 students per grade; reading 66%, math 75% proficient (2025–26), #68 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
MIDDLE SCHOOLS SERVING DELLWOOD
Mahtomedi Middle School: Mahtomedi (ISD 832) — all of Dellwood’s children that age; grades 6–8, about 264 students per grade; reading 67%, math 64% proficient (2025–26), #14 of 264 Minnesota middle schools
HIGH SCHOOLS SERVING DELLWOOD
Mahtomedi High School: Mahtomedi (ISD 832) — all of Dellwood’s children that age; grades 9–12, about 285 students per grade; reading 65%, math 58% proficient (2025–26), #14 of 435 Minnesota high schools; 4-year graduation 96%
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 Dellwood, MN in?
The City of Dellwood is located within Mahtomedi Public Schools (ISD 832). The district operates Wildwood and O.H. Anderson elementary schools, Mahtomedi Middle School and Mahtomedi High School, all in nearby Mahtomedi, just a few minutes south of Dellwood along White Bear Lake.
What county is Dellwood in?
Dellwood is in Washington County, on the north shore of White Bear Lake. It is a small city of about 2.8 square miles, near Mahtomedi, Willernie, Grant, Hugo and White Bear Lake. Highway 96 is the main route through the community.
How far is Dellwood from Minneapolis, St. Paul and MSP Airport?
Driving from the center of Dellwood at off-peak times, downtown Minneapolis is about 21 miles (roughly 35 minutes), downtown St. Paul is about 15 miles (roughly 25 minutes) and MSP Airport is about 22 miles (roughly 35 minutes). Rush-hour traffic adds time, and drives vary with which part of Dellwood you start from.
What is there to do in Dellwood?
White Bear Lake is the main attraction, with boating and lake life right at the city’s doorstep. Dellwood Country Club, a private 18-hole course, is on Highway 96, and downtown White Bear Lake and Mahtomedi are just minutes away for shops, restaurants and community events.
Is Dellwood a good place to buy a home?
Dellwood offers White Bear Lake shoreline, historic summer-estate roots, Mahtomedi schools and a quiet, residential setting close to Highway 96. Because few homes come up for sale in a city this size, each property needs careful study, and I can help you price and negotiate with confidence.
NEARBY CITIES I SERVE
Mahtomedi · Willernie · Birchwood Village · White Bear Lake · Grant · Hugo · White Bear Township · Gem Lake · Vadnais Heights · Lino Lakes
Thinking about buying or selling in Dellwood? Use the form at the top of this page, or call or text me at 763-218-2573. — Chuck Glasser, Realtor®, RE/MAX Results