SCANDIA, MN REALTOR · LOCAL GUIDE

LIVING IN SCANDIA

Scandia is believed to be Minnesota’s first Swedish immigrant settlement — the first log cabin was built on the shore of Hay Lake in 1850, and the Elim Lutheran Church sanctuary followed in 1856. A Swedish Settlers Monument, put up in 1900, still lists the names of those first families. Scandia was a township for most of its history and became a city on January 1, 2007, in part to head off annexation by neighboring Forest Lake. More recently, FX’s “Fargo” set part of its fifth season in a heavily fictionalized version of the town.

That Swedish heritage is front and center at Gammelgården Museum, open since 1972 and described by the city as the only open-air museum in the country devoted to Swedish immigrant heritage. It hosts Midsommardagen in June, the Spelmansstämma fiddle festival in August, Swedish coffee parties in the fall and Luciadagen in December. The 1896 Hay Lake School and the 1868 Johannes Erickson Log House are preserved nearby as museums.

Outdoors, Scandia has plenty of room. Big Marine Park Reserve covers about 1,800 acres on the south shore of Big Marine Lake, with most of it set aside as natural habitat, and William O’Brien State Park stretches along the St. Croix River. Hay Lake Park, Lilleskogen Park with the Scandia Veterans Memorial, and Log House Landing on the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway round things out, along with a 16.4-mile barn quilt trail through Scandia, Marine on St. Croix and May Township. The year runs from Vinterfest in January to a Wednesday farmers market in summer, Taco Daze in September and VinterLights in November.

Highways 95 and 97 are Scandia’s main roads — 97 heads west to I-35 at Forest Lake, and 95 runs south along the river toward Stillwater. St. Paul is roughly 30 miles away, about 40 minutes by car. Housing ranges from rural properties and homes near the lakes to houses around the village center.

SCANDIA AT A GLANCE

Population: 3,984
Size: 39.9 sq mi
Incorporated: 2007 (settled 1850)
Schools: Forest Lake/Chisago Lakes
Lakes: Big Marine & Hay Lakes
Commute: Hwy 95 · Hwy 97
County: Washington
Known for: Taco Daze · Gammelgården
Drive to MSP Airport: about 60 minutes (43 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown Minneapolis: about 50 minutes (38 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown St. Paul: about 50 minutes (35 miles), off-peak

SCANDIA SCHOOLS

Scandia is split between two districts. The southern part of the city is in Forest Lake Area Schools (ISD 831), where students attend Scandia Elementary right in town, then Southwest or Central Junior High and Forest Lake Area High School. The northern part of Scandia is in Chisago Lakes School District (ISD 2144), whose middle and high schools are in Lindström. Because the line runs through the city, it’s worth checking the district for any specific address before you fall in love with a house. I can help you confirm which district and school a property is assigned to.

What the percentages mean: the percentage beside each school below is the share of Scandia’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 273, 143 and 223 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 Scandia: Forest Lake (ISD 831) — about 81% of the city’s school-age children; Chisago Lakes (ISD 2144) — about 19% of the city’s school-age children; Stillwater (ISD 834) — under 1% of the city’s school-age children.

HOW SCANDIA’S SCHOOL DISTRICTS COMPARE STATEWIDE

Forest Lake (ISD 831): reading 50% and math 50% proficient on the 2025–26 state tests — test-score rank #115 of 326 Minnesota districts; 4-year graduation rate 85% (class of 2025), #255 of 317
Chisago Lakes (ISD 2144): reading 54% and math 52% proficient on the 2025–26 state tests — test-score rank #76 of 326 Minnesota districts; 4-year graduation rate 94% (class of 2025), #120 of 317
Stillwater (ISD 834): reading 59% and math 58% proficient on the 2025–26 state tests — test-score rank #40 of 326 Minnesota districts; 4-year graduation rate 95% (class of 2025), #95 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 SCANDIA

Scandia Elementary: Forest Lake (ISD 831) — about 85% of Scandia’s children that age; grades K–5, about 44 students per grade; reading 61%, math 67% proficient (2025–26), #168 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
Chisago Lakes & Lakeside elementary schools: Chisago Lakes (ISD 2144) — about 15% of Scandia’s children that age; grades K–5, about 186 students per grade; reading 53%, math 50% proficient (2025–26), #386 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
Stonebridge Elementary: Stillwater (ISD 834) — under 1% of Scandia’s children that age; grades K–5, about 68 students per grade; reading 63%, math 56% proficient (2025–26), #241 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools

MIDDLE SCHOOLS SERVING SCANDIA

Forest Lake Middle School: Forest Lake (ISD 831) — about 79% of Scandia’s children that age; grades 6–8, about 438 students per grade; reading 52%, math 50% proficient (2025–26), #80 of 264 Minnesota middle schools
Chisago Lakes Middle School: Chisago Lakes (ISD 2144) — about 21% of Scandia’s children that age; grades 6–8, about 244 students per grade; reading 63%, math 62% proficient (2025–26), #27 of 264 Minnesota middle schools
Stillwater Middle School: Stillwater (ISD 834) — under 1% of Scandia’s children that age; grades 6–8, about 309 students per grade; reading 63%, math 60% proficient (2025–26), #28 of 264 Minnesota middle schools

HIGH SCHOOLS SERVING SCANDIA

Forest Lake High School: Forest Lake (ISD 831) — about 79% of Scandia’s children that age; grades 9–12, about 460 students per grade; reading 42%, math 41% proficient (2025–26), #153 of 435 Minnesota high schools; 4-year graduation 89%
Chisago Lakes High School: Chisago Lakes (ISD 2144) — about 22% of Scandia’s children that age; grades 9–12, about 249 students per grade; reading 35%, math 29% proficient (2025–26), #277 of 435 Minnesota high schools; 4-year graduation 94%
Stillwater High School: Stillwater (ISD 834) — under 1% of Scandia’s children that age; grades 9–12, about 665 students per grade; reading 50%, math 56% proficient (2025–26), #40 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 Scandia, MN in?

Scandia is split between two districts. The southern part is in Forest Lake Area Schools (ISD 831), with Scandia Elementary in town and Forest Lake Area High School for grades 9–12. The northern part is in Chisago Lakes School District (ISD 2144), with middle and high schools in Lindström. I can help you confirm the district for any address.

What county is Scandia in?

Scandia is in Washington County, in the northern part of the county along the St. Croix River. It became a city in 2007 after many years as a township, and its neighbors include Forest Lake to the west and Marine on St. Croix to the south.

How far is Scandia from Minneapolis, St. Paul and MSP Airport?

Driving from the center of Scandia at off-peak times, downtown Minneapolis is about 38 miles (roughly 50 minutes), downtown St. Paul is about 35 miles (roughly 50 minutes) and MSP Airport is about 43 miles (roughly 60 minutes). Rush-hour traffic adds time, and drives vary with which part of Scandia you start from.

What is there to do in Scandia?

Scandia has Gammelgården Museum and its Swedish celebrations, Big Marine Park Reserve on Big Marine Lake, William O’Brien State Park along the St. Croix, Hay Lake Park and a barn quilt trail. Community events include Vinterfest in January, a summer farmers market, Taco Daze in September and VinterLights in November.

Is Scandia a good place to buy a home?

Scandia offers a rural setting with room to spread out, lakes, state and regional parks, and deep Swedish history, with schools in the Forest Lake or Chisago Lakes districts depending on the address. Whether it fits depends on your commute and what you want in a property. I’ll help you compare homes and price them carefully.

NEARBY CITIES I SERVE

Marine on St. Croix · Forest Lake · Chisago City · Lindström · Center City · Shafer · Grant · Stillwater · Hugo

Thinking about buying or selling in Scandia? Use the form at the top of this page, or call or text me at 763-218-2573. — Chuck Glasser, Realtor®, RE/MAX Results