Becker is home to a major Minnesota power plant
For nearly 50 years, Becker has been home to Minnesota’s largest coal-fired power plant. The Sherburne County Generating Station, aka Sherco, occupies over 2,000 acres in an area about 45 miles northwest of Minneapolis, right next to the Mississippi River. The town is home to around 5,000 people and serves as a hub for surrounding rural communities like Salida. “The big driver is the energy plant. That employs quite a few people,” says Luke DeLacey, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker who has seven years of experience in the region. But big changes are on the horizon: Sherco’s parent company plans to shut down the power plant by 2030 and replace it with a massive solar facility. The transition should lessen the environmental hazards associated with coal energy while keeping plenty of jobs in the area.
Split-level and New Traditional homes on large lots
U.S. Route 10 cuts a diagonal path through Becker and leads to St. Cloud, about 20 miles away, and Minneapolis, about 45 miles away. “Becker provides that get-away-from-the-city feel,” DeLacey says. “A lot of people live there because they want space. Places that far north of Minneapolis have a lot of acreage.” In rural areas where forests and cornfields border the country roads, properties can measure several acres. In the central section of Becker, lot sizes measure a quarter to a third of an acre, with shaded front yards separating the houses from the road. Some of these residential streets include paved sidewalks. Most homes date from the 1990s to the mid-2000s, with some newer construction in the mix. Ranch-style, split-level and New Traditional homes with attached garages sell for $225,000 to $400,000. Larger Craftsman-style builds might cost $400,000 to $625,000, while riverfront properties sell for $700,000 to $800,000. Homeowners typically pay lower property taxes compared to some surrounding cities.
Football and robotics at Becker High School
Becker Primary School receives a B-minus from Niche. For grades 3 through 5, students move to B-plus-rated Becker Intermediate School, followed by Becker Middle School, also rated B-plus. B-rated Becker High School is known for its football program and robotics team.
Becker City Park is a four-season destination
Becker City Park spans over 100 acres, with hiking and horse trails, a disc golf course, a dog park, a horseshoe pit and a huge playground. Cross-country ski trails, a skating rink and a sledding hill make the park an inviting winter destination. The Sherburne History Center offers bird walks, history lectures and other programs, including kids’ activities like story hour and craft time on weekends. The 27 holes and practice areas at Pebble Creek Golf Course are open to the public.
Taking Route 10 to St. Cloud or Minneapolis
No regular public transit options are available, but the Tri-County Action Program (Tri-CAP) provides on-demand transportation. Travelers have a 60-mile drive to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The closest hospital is CentraCare in Monticello, about 9 miles away.
Coffee shops, cafés and chain restaurants on Route 10
Cafés, pubs and fast-food chains line Route 10 in the heart of Becker. Charlie’s Sports Bar & Grill and Dueling Brews, a coffee shop and bar hybrid, are popular with locals. Becker Furniture opened in 1946 and evolved into a regional chain with several locations. The Becker Farmers Market sets up next to the furniture store on Friday afternoons from June through September. BILL’S Family Foods is a convenient grocery option, but most residents head to Cub Foods, Aldi or Walmart Supercenter in nearby Monticello when it’s time to stock the cupboards.
Becker Freedom Days and Kindness Week
In early June, the Becker Freedom Days event celebrates local veterans with a car show, live music, a silent auction, food vendors and a beer garden. November’s Kindness Week invites residents to share acts of kindness that they’ve witnessed from their neighbors; subjects and sharers are all eligible for rewards.
Sherco power plant contributes to air pollution
In 2020, Minnesota’s Pollution Control Agency listed Becker as the state’s largest single source of carbon dioxide emissions. The situation could improve with Sherco’s transition to solar energy, but air pollution is still a concern while the coal power plant remains operational.
