Anoka, Minnesota, is a former mill town where sawmills, flour mills and woodworking plants cropped up during the mid-1840s. Nowadays, it’s firmly a residential suburb, located 20 miles northwest of Minneapolis and 26 miles northwest of St. Paul. It’s located at the confluence of the Mississippi River and Rum River, and its name comes from a combination of the Dakota word a-no-ka-tan-han, meaning on both sides of the river, and the Ojibwa word on-o-kay, which means working waters. The rivers continue to play a large role in the city’s identity today and is also the site of the city's key park - Peninsula Point Park. “There’s a lot of events that take place there throughout the year,” local and Realtor Lonn Boles of The Boles Group says. “There’s always something going on.”
Anoka is located next to the Mississippi River.
Peninsula Park is in the Coon Rapids neighborhood of Minneapolis.
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Home prices vary by neighborhood in Anoka
Home prices can vary widely in Anoka, depending on the neighborhood. For example, the Rum River Shores neighborhood features mostly new construction options and prices typically range from the mid $400,000s to $1 million. The 7th Ave and Main neighborhood is a more established area, with condos and midcentury designs like ramblers and Colonial Revivals, and prices ranging from $250,000 to $350,000. The median home price in Anoka is $345,000, which is lower than the national median.
Classic houses are located throughout central Anoka.
Anoka has new housing developments in the north end of town.
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Anoka is the Halloween Capital of the World
In 1937, a 12-year-old named Harold Blair traveled to Washington, D.C., and spoke to Congress. He left that meeting with an official document declaring Anoka as the Halloween Capital of the World (yes, it’s trademarked). Anoka is believed to be one of the first cities in the U.S. to celebrate Halloween, with the first spooky festival and parade held in 1920. The event was said to be started as a way to divert local kids from Halloween pranks like cow tipping and disassembling wagons. More than 100 years later, the only times the festival was canceled were in 1942 and 1943 because of World War II. Otherwise, the show goes on and includes both a day parade and a night parade, a house decorating contest and more.
Anoka Middle School for the Arts is located in Anoka, MN the Halloween capitol of the world.
Anoka parks offer year-round recreation
Anoka has parks located throughout the city, with a few taking advantage of the rivers’ shorelines. Peninsula Point Park is situated at the convergence of the Rum River and Mississippi River and has walking trails, a playground and an area for fishing from the shorelines of the rivers. The parks also cater to both Minnesota’s warm summers and cold winters, with the Anoka Aquatic Center featuring a pool and water slides, and Rick Sorenson Park boasting multiple ice-skating rinks and a warming house.
The Anoka aquatic center has slides and other water features.
Rick Sorenson Park has an ice rink in the winter.
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A busy Main Street with shops, restaurants
Main Street in Anoka is busy, with four lanes across, but it retains that classic downtown feel with many local shops and restaurants housed in attached brick buildings. There are antique shops, a French market, cafes, a quilt shop, and numerous bars and restaurants. Despite its traffic, Main Street does have sidewalks and crosswalks for those who want to shop and stroll safely. Second Avenue and Jackson Street also have shops and restaurants, and its quieter location means there are al fresco dining options. “It’s a great little downtown,” Boles says. “You can get pretty much anything there.” Anoka is also home to Riverdale Commons, which has box store staples like Target, Walgreens and PetSmart.
Downtown Anoka has various restaurants serving classic fare.
Downtown Anoka has various local shops selling, antiques, house decor, and clothing.
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Commuter rail and highway access makes Anoka well-connected
Anoka has a stop on the Northstar commuter rail line from Minneapolis. It also has quick access U.S. Highways 10 and 169, as well as Minnesota State Highway 47, which connect to larger interstates in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The closest hospital is Mercy Hospital, which is about 2 miles away.
Anoka-Hennepin is largest school district in Minnesota
Anoka is part of the Anoka-Hennepin School District, which earns an A-minus rating from Niche. The district is the largest in the state, with 25 elementary schools, six middle schools and seven high schools. Of those high schools, five are traditional, while two are alternative high schools. The district serves 13 communities in Anoka and Hennepin counties.
Anoka High School enrolls over 2300 students.
Anoka Middle School for the Arts serves over1600 students
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Important to know
Overall, Anoka has a low crime rate. Its violent crime rate has stayed consistently low, while incidences of property crime dropped 63% from 2015 to 2023.
Written By
Tanner Harding
Video By
Jason Jacot
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Anoka by the Numbers
18,310
Population
39
Average Days on Market
Home Trends
Median Price (12 Mo)$340,250
Median Single Family Price$370,000
Average Price Per Sq Ft$190
Months Of Supply2
Demographics and Finance
Population Density139 ppl/acre
Median Household Income$66K
Lower than National Average$71K
% Owners54%
Lower than National Average63%
College Graduates27%
Lower than National Average34%
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Top Schools in Anoka, MN
Source:
Best Public Elementary Schools
#1 Crooked Lake Elementary School
A-
Niche
9
GreatSchools
#2 Champlin-Brooklyn Park Academy
A-
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#3 Dayton Elementary School
A-
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#4 Franklin Elementary School
B
Niche
#5 Ramsey Elementary School
B+
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#6 Wilson Elementary School
B
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#7 Lincoln Elementary School for the Arts
B
Niche
4
GreatSchools
#8 Elementary Virtual School
Best Public Middle Schools
#1 Oak View Middle School
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Niche
6
GreatSchools
#2 Jackson Middle School
B+
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#3 Anoka Middle School for the Arts - Fred Moor Campus
Since 1996, Christy has focused on assisting home buyers and sellers achieve their housing dreams. Her goal is to provide her clients with peace of mind throughout the real estate process by being their resource now & in the future. Christy is a Certified Residential Specialist & Graduate REALTOR Institute and is a U of M Graduate.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
