SHAFER, MN REALTOR · LOCAL GUIDE
LIVING IN SHAFER
Shafer takes its name from Jacob Shafer, who cut hay in the area as early as 1847 before moving on a couple of years later. A Swedish colony settled here in 1853, the surrounding township took the Shafer name in 1873, and the village itself was settled in 1881 and incorporated in 1922. Hay, ginseng and potatoes were among the early crops, and once the railroad linked Taylors Falls to the Twin Cities, Shafer became a busy little commercial hub with car dealers, a creamery, a feed mill and shops.
Today Shafer is one of the faster-growing small towns in Chisago County. It had 147 residents in 1960, its population roughly tripled between 1990 and 2010, and the 2020 Census counted 1,142 people. The city lists more than 350 homes in town — single-family houses, townhomes, apartments and manufactured homes — and the surrounding countryside is still rolling farmland, pastures and barns overlooking the St. Croix Valley.
Shafer’s community calendar is anchored by Shafer Days each September, with a parade, car show, coin hunt, bingo, music, food and vendors, plus Celebration of the Lakes and National Night Out in August. Franconia Sculpture Park, a 43-acre outdoor art park with walking trails, is in the Shafer area, and Interstate State Park on the St. Croix River is about 6 miles away. Wild Mountain is about 13 miles from town.
US Highway 8 is Shafer’s main road, running west about 16 miles to I-35 and east toward Taylors Falls. The city puts Minneapolis–St. Paul about 46 miles away, so most trips into the metro take roughly 50 minutes to an hour. Neighborhoods are a mix of the older village streets near the center of town and newer homes built during Shafer’s growth years.
SHAFER AT A GLANCE
Population: 1,142
Size: 1.3 sq mi
Incorporated: 1922
Schools: Chisago Lakes ISD 2144
Parks: Near Interstate State Park
Commute: US Hwy 8 · I-35
County: Chisago
Known for: Shafer Days each September
Drive to MSP Airport: about 70 minutes (51 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown Minneapolis: about 60 minutes (47 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown St. Paul: about 60 minutes (44 miles), off-peak
SHAFER SCHOOLS
Shafer is served by Chisago Lakes School District (ISD 2144), which covers about 165 square miles and five communities. Elementary students attend the district’s Primary School and Lakeside Elementary in Chisago City or Taylors Falls Elementary, and older students go on to Chisago Lakes Middle School and Chisago Lakes High School, both in Lindström, a short drive west on Highway 8. The district serves roughly 3,000 students in all, so Shafer families share schools with neighbors in Center City, Chisago City, Lindström and Taylors Falls. Attendance areas can shift, so it’s worth confirming the elementary school for any specific address.
What the percentages mean: the percentage beside each school below is the share of Shafer’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 112, 68 and 72 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 Shafer: Chisago Lakes (ISD 2144) — all of the city’s school-age children.
HOW SHAFER’S SCHOOL DISTRICTS COMPARE STATEWIDE
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
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 SHAFER
Taylors Falls Elementary: Chisago Lakes (ISD 2144) — all of Shafer’s children that age; grades K–5, about 55 students per grade; reading 49%, math 46% proficient (2025–26), #471 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
MIDDLE SCHOOLS SERVING SHAFER
Chisago Lakes Middle School: Chisago Lakes (ISD 2144) — all of Shafer’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
HIGH SCHOOLS SERVING SHAFER
Chisago Lakes High School: Chisago Lakes (ISD 2144) — all of Shafer’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%
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 Shafer, MN in?
Shafer is in Chisago Lakes School District (ISD 2144). Elementary students attend the district’s Primary School and Lakeside Elementary in Chisago City or Taylors Falls Elementary, and middle and high school students attend Chisago Lakes Middle School and Chisago Lakes High School in Lindström. I can help you confirm attendance boundaries for any home you’re considering.
What county is Shafer in?
Shafer is in Chisago County, in the Chisago Lakes area along US Highway 8. The county seat, Center City, is just a few miles west, so county offices and services are close by, and Shafer shares schools, shopping and recreation with the other Chisago Lakes communities.
How far is Shafer from Minneapolis, St. Paul and MSP Airport?
Driving from the center of Shafer at off-peak times, downtown Minneapolis is about 47 miles (roughly 60 minutes), downtown St. Paul is about 44 miles (roughly 60 minutes) and MSP Airport is about 51 miles (roughly 70 minutes). Rush-hour traffic adds time, and drives vary with which part of Shafer you start from.
What is there to do in Shafer?
Shafer Days each September brings a parade, car show, coin hunt, bingo, music and vendors, and the city also hosts Celebration of the Lakes and National Night Out in August. Franconia Sculpture Park is in the Shafer area, and Interstate State Park on the St. Croix River is about 6 miles away.
Is Shafer a good place to buy a home?
Shafer offers a small-town setting surrounded by farm country, a range of home types from townhomes to single-family houses, Chisago Lakes schools and easy access to US Highway 8. Whether it fits depends on your budget and commute. I’ll walk you through what’s available and help you price any home carefully.
NEARBY CITIES I SERVE
Center City · Taylors Falls · Lindström · Chisago City · Scandia · North Branch · Wyoming · Stacy
Thinking about buying or selling in Shafer? Use the form at the top of this page, or call or text me at 763-218-2573. — Chuck Glasser, Realtor®, RE/MAX Results