STILLWATER, MN REALTOR · LOCAL GUIDE

LIVING IN STILLWATER

Stillwater was founded on October 26, 1843, when four partners formed the Stillwater Lumber Company, and it was incorporated on March 4, 1854. The city is known as the birthplace of Minnesota because it hosted the 1848 territorial convention that started Minnesota on the road to statehood. Lumber drove the local economy through the 19th century, and that history still shapes the look of the riverfront and the historic downtown.

The Stillwater Lift Bridge, finished in 1931, is the town’s best-known landmark. It closed to cars in 2017 after the St. Croix Crossing opened that August, carrying Highway 36 between Oak Park Heights and Wisconsin, and since 2020 the Lift Bridge has been part of a five-mile trail loop through Stillwater and Houlton, Wisconsin. Downtown draws visitors from across the metro for its restaurants, shops and bed-and-breakfasts, and Lumberjack Days, held every July, has been a Stillwater tradition since the 1930s.

Away from the river, Stillwater has a good amount of green space. Lily Lake Park sits on South Greeley Street, McKusick Lake has its own park and trail, and the Long Lake natural area offers open space on the city’s west side. The Brown’s Creek State Trail runs 5.9 miles on a former railroad grade from Grant to the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, and the Brown’s Creek Nature Preserve has trails for hiking and cross-country skiing.

Highway 36 is the main route west toward I-694, I-35E and St. Paul, roughly 20 miles and about 30 minutes to downtown depending on traffic. Highway 95 follows the river north and south, and Highway 96 runs west toward White Bear Lake. Neighborhoods range from historic homes on the hills around downtown to newer subdivisions farther from the river.

STILLWATER AT A GLANCE

Population: 19,394
Size: 9.1 sq mi
Incorporated: 1854
Schools: Stillwater ISD 834
Lakes: Lily · McKusick · Long
Commute: Hwy 36 · Hwy 95 · Hwy 96
County: Washington (seat)
Summer festival: Lumberjack Days
Drive to MSP Airport: about 40 minutes (28 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown Minneapolis: about 40 minutes (27 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown St. Paul: about 30 minutes (21 miles), off-peak

STILLWATER SCHOOLS

Stillwater is served by Stillwater Area Public Schools (ISD 834), which also covers Bayport, Lake St. Croix Beach, Lakeland, Lakeland Shores, Marine on St. Croix, Oak Park Heights and St. Mary’s Point, plus most of Afton and Lake Elmo and parts of Grant, Hugo and Woodbury. The district has one high school, Stillwater Area High School, serving grades 9–12. Because the district covers so much of the St. Croix Valley, elementary and middle school assignments depend on the address, so it’s worth confirming boundaries for any home you’re considering. I’m happy to help with that.

What the percentages mean: the percentage beside each school below is the share of Stillwater’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 1,460, 888 and 1,328 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 Stillwater: Stillwater (ISD 834) — all of the city’s school-age children.

HOW STILLWATER’S SCHOOL DISTRICTS COMPARE STATEWIDE

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 STILLWATER

Lily Lake Elementary: Stillwater (ISD 834) — about 48% of Stillwater’s children that age; grades K–5, about 70 students per grade; reading 66%, math 65% proficient (2025–26), #144 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
Stonebridge Elementary: Stillwater (ISD 834) — about 40% of Stillwater’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
Rutherford Elementary: Stillwater (ISD 834) — about 12% of Stillwater’s children that age; grades K–5, about 91 students per grade; reading 61%, math 62% proficient (2025–26), #215 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools

MIDDLE SCHOOLS SERVING STILLWATER

Stillwater Middle School: Stillwater (ISD 834) — all of Stillwater’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 STILLWATER

Stillwater High School: Stillwater (ISD 834) — all of Stillwater’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 Stillwater, MN in?

Stillwater is in Stillwater Area Public Schools (ISD 834). The district serves Stillwater and several nearby communities, including Bayport, Oak Park Heights and Marine on St. Croix, and all of its high school students attend Stillwater Area High School. I can help you confirm elementary and middle school boundaries for any address.

What county is Stillwater in?

Stillwater is in Washington County and is the county seat. It sits on the west bank of the St. Croix River, across from Houlton, Wisconsin, on the eastern edge of the Twin Cities metro area, so county offices and services are right in town.

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

Driving from the center of Stillwater at off-peak times, downtown Minneapolis is about 27 miles (roughly 40 minutes), downtown St. Paul is about 21 miles (roughly 30 minutes) and MSP Airport is about 28 miles (roughly 40 minutes). Rush-hour traffic adds time, and drives vary with which part of Stillwater you start from.

What is there to do in Stillwater?

Stillwater has a historic downtown on the St. Croix River with restaurants and shops, the 1931 Lift Bridge and its five-mile trail loop, Lily Lake and McKusick Lake parks, and the Brown’s Creek State Trail. Lumberjack Days, a tradition since the 1930s, takes over town each July.

Is Stillwater a good place to buy a home?

Stillwater offers a historic river downtown, parks and trails, Stillwater Area schools and a manageable commute to St. Paul on Highway 36, with homes ranging from historic houses to newer neighborhoods. Whether it fits depends on your budget and priorities. I’ll help you compare homes and price them carefully before you make a move.

NEARBY CITIES I SERVE

Grant · Dellwood · Mahtomedi · Willernie · Birchwood Village · White Bear Lake · Marine on St. Croix · Hugo · Scandia

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