2009-0713-Mayer-CH, 2009
Mayer’s story
138 years in pictures
Census counts: 161 in 1910, 2,453 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2009 and 2 maps from 1957 on.
- 1888Mayer is settled
MayerMN
A town of 2,563, settled in 1888.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Jon Platek · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
2,563
2025 Census estimate · +4.5% since 2020
Typical home
$392K
+2.9% in a year
Household income
$125K
median
Median age
34.1
years
Jobs based here
126
A commuter town
TownGrade
A−
#97 of 271 in MN
Is Mayer a good place to live?
Mayer is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades A− overall, ranked 97th of 271 in Minnesota, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is incomes: the median household earns $125K. It also does better than most on health: it is healthier than 81% of U.S. towns. A typical home there costs about $392K, 3.9 years of the Minneapolis metro’s $100K median household income. Mayer’s trail density is 1.4 miles per square mile, above both the Minnesota town median (0.5) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 84% of U.S. towns. Among 273 Minnesota towns, just 4 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Mayer.
What makes Mayer stand out
Where Mayer beats most towns.
A growing town
Mayer has grown 47% since 2010
1,749 counted in 2010 and 2,453 in 2020; an estimated 2,563 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Mayer grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Mayer is from typical.
Jobs & incomeAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.2 of 20; 1.5% of households have no car; 0.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →HealthRidgeview Medical Center 6 miles awayA−Open →SchoolsA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 48% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listC+Open →Cost of livingBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trailsB−Open →History1 notable person born hereC−Open →Civic life4.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market15 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 34.1; 36% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Mayer: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Mayer, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy17.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMayer water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Mayer’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCarver County Government Center - Administration BldgCarver County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5536055360 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Mayer.
Mayer has less heart disease than most of Minnesota, sends most of its workers to Waconia and beyond and has a shorter frost-free season than most of the country, though not than most of Minnesota.
#26for trails in MN
0%
conserved · 0 of 890 acres
1.9 mi
of trails · 1.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Old Schoolhouse Park | — | 17 |
| 2. Meadow Park | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
76%of MN districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zion Lutheran School PrivateLargest elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 164 | – |
| Mayer Lutheran High School PrivateLargest high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 190 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
HealthA−
A smaller share of adults have high blood pressure in Mayer than in most of Minnesota or the rest of the country
Its widest gap with Minnesota is heart disease: 3.8% of its 1,631 adults have heart disease, against 5.9% statewide. Against the 5,068 U.S. towns with household incomes like Mayer’s, it is healthier than 53%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
23% of adults have high blood pressure in Mayer, against 31% in Minnesota’s towns and 35% across U.S. towns. 6.9% of Mayer adults have diabetes. Mayer beats the Minnesota average on 9 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5.
81%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Mayer | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 18% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 31% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 71% | 75% | 79% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 6.9% | 10% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
9 better18 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Mayer | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 3.8% | 5.9% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2.1% | 3.1% |
| More binge drinkers | 22.6% | 17.8% |
Ridgeview Medical Center
6 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
64th
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Most working residents commute out of Mayer
Mayer has 126 jobs for its 1,250 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out.
Most working residents leave Mayer for work: only 1% work in town. Since 2013, Mayer has added 48 jobs, to 126 in 2023. Mayer’s average trip to work is 28 minutes.
1%work in town
| Mayer | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $125,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 15% | 14% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Mayer1%
Waconia10%
Eden Prairie6%
Minneapolis6%
Minnetonka5%
21 mi
median commute distance
126
jobs based in Mayer
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 16% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Who lives here
A smaller share of residents in Mayer are 65 or older than in the typical Minnesota or U.S. town
7.2% of residents are 65 or older in Mayer. Mayer has grown 4.5% since 2020, to 2,563 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 28% of residents are under 18 in Mayer.
34.1median age · MN 38.8
| Mayer | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 7.2% | 18% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 28% | 23% | 22% |
| Median age | 34.1 years | 39.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 36% | 33% | 29% |
MayerMinnesotaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
23%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma2%
High school24%
Some college19%
Associate’s19%
Bachelor’s29%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3 points. Across Minnesota, 49.9% of residents are women. Median age: women 32.1, men 35.5.
| Mayer | MN | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 14.8% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.5% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.1% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 17.8% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 22.6% | 13.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.8% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.1% | 12.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 5.8% | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 1.5% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1.9% | 6.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 24.3% | 23.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.5% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 18.8% | 11.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 28.5% | 25.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.9% | 13.8% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,600, single groups can be off by several points
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Mayer
The Chaska 2nw weather station, 14 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 151 days: shorter than most of the country, but longer than 82% of Minnesota places with climate records. July afternoons average 82.2°: cooler than most of the country, but hotter than 81% of Minnesota places with climate records; January nights average 5.1°.
Mayer has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The January low in Mayer is 5°F. About 52 inches of snow falls in a winter.
52″snow a winter
| Mayer | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 5°F | 6°F | 22°F |
| July high | 82°F | 82°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter9–26°
Spring35–55°
Summer59–80°
Fall38–57°
Oct 8
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade B
For cost of living, Mayer earns a B
The typical Mayer home is worth about $392,000, up 2.9% in a year, 12% above the Minnesota typical home.
$392KZillow home value
| Mayer | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 96% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,563 a month | $1,192 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Mayer$392K
Minnesota$349K
Market temperature
15
days on market
101.6%
sale-to-list price
+2.9%
value change, 1 year
5
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Moderate risk in Mayer, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 52% of U.S. communities.
48risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Mayer
19pages on Mayer
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Mayer
About 5 of every 100 Mayer residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Minnesota.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Mayer for work
Where Mayer’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
126jobs based in Mayer
1%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Mayer
City in Minnesota, United States
Mayer ( MAY-ər) is a city in Carver County, Minnesota, United States, along the South Fork of the Crow River. The population was 2,453 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 961 ft
- ZIP code
- 55360
- Area code
- 952
Mayer’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Mayer.
Watertown TownshipCamden TownshipWaconia TownshipHollywood TownshipMayer
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayer | #97 | A− | B | — | A− | A− |
| Watertown Township | — | — | C | — | A− | A− |
| Camden Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Waconia Township | — | — | C− | — | A | A |
| Hollywood Township | — | — | C+ | — | A− | A− |
Watertown Township, Waconia Township and Hollywood Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Mayer, Watertown Township, Waconia Township and Hollywood Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Camden Township isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Mayer with a neighbor →
Questions about Mayer
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Mayer, MN a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Mayer grades A− overall, better than 85% of U.S. towns and #97 of 271 in Minnesota. It grades A− for health and A− for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Mayer, MN expensive?
Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.