Living in Afton, MN: Old Village, State Park & River Life

Afton is a Washington County city of about 25 square miles along the St. Croix River, with Interstate 94 along its northern border and Denmark Township to the south. Its 2040 Comprehensive Plan describes bluffs and wooded hillsides in the east, rolling farmland in the west, a historic Old Village on the river and homes served by private wells and septic systems. Afton State Park lies partly within the city.

This guide covers those topics using city, state and conservancy sources, plus a dated MLS snapshot. Because Afton is small, its market figures rest on a limited number of sales, and the snapshot section explains why that matters, including what the zero Townhouse-Condo count does and does not mean. The guide does not rank neighborhoods, schools or businesses. For the property-oriented resource, use the Afton neighborhood page; this article supplements that page rather than replacing it.

Afton at a glance

Measure	Figure and source date
Population, 2020 Census	2,955 (2010: 2,886)
Households, 2020 Census	1,091 (2010: 1,081)
Area	About 25 square miles (city 2040 Comprehensive Plan)
MLS median sales price, All Property Types	$936,434; trailing 12 months through Oct 2026

Population and household counts come from the Metropolitan Council's summary of initial 2020 Census results. Census QuickFacts does not publish profiles for places under 5,000 people, so this guide uses the Metropolitan Council’s summary of 2020 Census counts and does not cite a Census median home value. The area figure is from the city's 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

Settlement, mills and the Old Village

The comprehensive plan says Afton was settled by New Englanders. It credits Joseph Haskell with planting three acres of corn and potatoes in 1839, which the plan calls the first farm in Minnesota, and says the state's first flour mill was built in Afton in 1843. The plan lists the Bolles Mill Site and the Bolles House (1856) among the township's historic sites.

Within the Village Historic Site District, the plan lists the Afton Theological Academy (1867), the "Little Red House" (1859), the Afton House (1867) and the Little Brick Schoolhouse (1857). The township was established in 1859, and in 1971 the village and township incorporated together as the City of Afton.

The Afton Historical Museum is in the Old Village at 3165 St. Croix Trail South. The city's community resources page says the museum occupies the former Congregational Church, dated 1868, while the comprehensive plan dates that building, the Village Hall, to 1895. The two dates are quoted separately. The museum's website posts volunteer opportunities and events, and the city notes its research files on area families, census records and Afton's cemeteries.

Afton State Park: where it is

Afton State Park is on the bluffs south of the Old Village. According to the comprehensive plan, 787 acres of the park are within Afton's city limits, and another 715 acres are in Denmark Township to the south, surrounding Afton Alps and its golf course. The plan says the park was authorized by legislation in 1969 and opened to the public in 1982.

The DNR's park map gives the park's address as 6959 Peller Avenue South, Hastings, a mailing address, even though much of the park is inside Afton. The DNR describes ravines dropping about 300 feet to the St. Croix and notes that the campground is backpack-only and the swimming beach is about a half-mile walk from parking. Check the DNR for current conditions and fees.

Afton Alps is often associated with Afton, but the comprehensive plan places it in Denmark Township, not in the city.

The river, parks and open space

The plan names two city parks in the Old Village: Town Square Park, for active recreation, and Steamboat Park, a passive-use area along the river that lies mostly in the floodplain. The plan's text describes Steamboat Park as approximately 30 acres, while its parks table lists 27 acres. Similarly, the text gives 53.44 acres of designated city park land, while the table subtotal is 53.39 acres. Both versions are quoted here rather than reconciled.

Belwin Conservancy, at 1553 Stagecoach Trail South, is a nonprofit land trust and outdoor education center. The plan says Belwin owns about 1,400 acres, and the conservancy's website describes more than 10 miles of trails through prairie, woodlands and wetlands.

The city's St. Croix Riverway page calls landowners the key stewards of the river's bluffs and shoreland. It links to a Landowner's Guide to the Lower St. Croix Riverway and a 2021 FEMA flood map revision. Properties near the river or bluffs can face extra rules on setbacks, vegetation and building, so read those documents before planning any work.

Getting around

The comprehensive plan identifies Interstate 94 as the principal arterial along the city's northern border. Highway 95, Washington County Road 18 and County Road 21 (from the village south to Denmark Township) serve as minor arterials. The Old Village's main street is part of the St. Croix Scenic Byway. The plan notes two trails: one along St. Croix Trail South from the northern edge of the Old Village to I-94, and the Afton Bluffs Regional Trail along County Road 18, which it says is not separated from the roadway. The plan also describes a planned St. Croix Valley Regional Trail that would link Afton State Park with other parks along the river; check Washington County for current status.

The plan lists other nearby parks used by Afton residents, including Lucy Winton Bell Athletic Fields, Lake Elmo Regional Park Reserve, St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park and Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park, and notes that the Rinta Community Garden was created in 2012.

Wells, septic and rural services

The 2040 plan says all homes in Afton are served by private wells and septic systems, and that the city is outside the Metropolitan Urban Service Area and does not intend to use regional sewer and water. A separate subsurface treatment and gravity sewer system serves properties in the Historic Village service area. For a specific property, ask for well and septic records and any required inspections.

The city's community resources page also lists the Afton Area Business Association and notes that burning permits for most outdoor fires come through the Lower St. Croix Valley Fire District.

Afton housing market

Afton market snapshot — trailing 12 months through October 2026

InfoSparks area: Afton (CITY). With All Property Types selected, the median sales price was $936,434 (-0.6% year over year), with 31 closed sales (-6.1%). Median days on market were 32 (-33.3%); months supply was 4.8 (+60.0%), as displayed in InfoSparks' October 2026, 12 Months view.

Separately reported closed-sale categories: Single-Family: 31 (-6.1%). Townhouse-Condo: 0 — no closed sales were reported in the period. InfoSparks displays a 0.0% year-over-year figure, but with no sales in the category there is no townhouse-condo median price, days-on-market or trend to report, and the zero should not be read as a statement about whether such homes exist in the city or could sell there. These are reported categories, not shares of all sales; they should not be assumed to exhaust or reconcile to the total.

NorthstarMLS Matrix showed 15 active-only listings as of Nov 6, 2026 for the municipality. This count uses the Single Family search class, which includes multiple residential styles; it excludes Coming Soon, Pending and other statuses, as well as Lots/Land, Multi-Family, Commercial, Farm and Rental classes. It is not InfoSparks' “Homes for Sale” measure.

These figures summarize recorded activity for Afton as a whole; they are not a prediction of future prices or a guarantee of how quickly a particular property will sell. Small-sample caution: with only 31 closed sales and 15 active-only listings, a few high- or low-priced sales can move the median noticeably. The zero Townhouse-Condo count means none closed in the period, not that the market lacks such homes or that none could sell. The +60.0% change in months supply and the 33.3% drop in median days on market also rest on a small set of sales; neither should be read as a trend. Use comparable properties for an individual address.

Source: NorthstarMLS via InfoSparks, trailing 12 months through October 2026; active-only count from NorthstarMLS Matrix as of Nov 6, 2026. Data deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Local restaurants and everyday stops

Afton's restaurants cluster in the Old Village along St. Croix Trail South. Each place below was checked today on its own website with an Afton address. This is a short list because few food businesses operate inside the city, and it is not ranked:

• Current Restaurant, 3291 St. Croix Trail South — a restaurant focused on scratch cooking that says it supports independent, local farms and businesses.
• Afton House Inn, 3291 St. Croix Trail South — a historic inn and hotel; its website lists Current Restaurant and Swirl Wine Bar under its dining.
• The Lumberyard Pub, 3121 St. Croix Trail South — a neighborhood pub with a scratch kitchen and a patio.
• Freyja's Folly, 3291 Saint Croix Trail South — a fika-style cafe with a dedicated gluten-free kitchen.

Several other Afton-area destinations, such as orchards and the ski area, are outside city limits and are not listed here. Businesses change, and some services are seasonal; confirm before visiting.

Schools: verify by address

The Stillwater Area Public School District lists Afton among the communities it serves and describes its boundaries as running from Marine on St. Croix south to Afton. South Washington County Schools also says its district includes all or parts of Afton. This guide does not compare or rank schools. Confirm the resident district and assigned school for the exact address with the district, because boundaries can change.

Questions to ask about a specific address

• What do the well and septic records and any required inspections show?
• Is the property in the Historic Village sewer service area?
• Is the property in a shoreland, bluffland or floodplain area, and which Lower St. Croix Riverway rules and FEMA maps apply?
• How close is the home to Afton State Park, Belwin or other open space, and how do access points and seasonal traffic affect it?
• Which school district and attendance area apply, according to the district?

Frequently asked questions

Is Afton State Park in Afton?

Partly. The city’s 2040 Comprehensive Plan says 787 acres of the park are within Afton and 715 acres are in Denmark Township to the south. The DNR uses a Hastings mailing address, 6959 Peller Avenue South. 2040 Comprehensive Plan; DNR park map.

Is Afton Alps in the city of Afton?

No. The comprehensive plan places Afton Alps and its golf course in Denmark Township, surrounded by the southern portion of Afton State Park. 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

Do Afton homes have city sewer and water?

Generally not. The plan says all homes are served by private wells and septic systems and the city is outside the Metropolitan Urban Service Area. A separate system serves the Historic Village area. 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

When did Afton become a city?

The plan says the village and township incorporated together as the City of Afton in 1971. The township dates to 1859. 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

What are the Afton housing-market figures?

For the trailing 12 months through October 2026, All Property Types had a $936,434 median sales price (-0.6% year over year), 31 closed sales (-6.1%), 32 median days on market (-33.3%) and 4.8 months supply (+60.0%). Matrix showed 15 active-only listings as of Nov 6, 2026. With so few sales, these dated figures can swing widely and are not a forecast. See the snapshot above for filters and attribution. No Townhouse-Condo sales were reported in the period, so there is no category trend to report.

Why does Afton show zero Townhouse-Condo sales?

InfoSparks reported 0 Townhouse-Condo closed sales in the trailing 12 months through October 2026. That means none closed in the period. It does not show whether such homes exist in the city, and the displayed 0.0% change is not a measured trend.

What parks are in Afton?

The plan names Town Square Park and Steamboat Park in the Old Village. It describes Steamboat Park as about 30 acres in its text and 27 acres in its parks table. Belwin Conservancy and Afton State Park also offer open space. 2040 Comprehensive Plan.

What is Belwin Conservancy?

Belwin is a nonprofit land trust and outdoor education center at 1553 Stagecoach Trail South. The city plan says it owns about 1,400 acres, and Belwin describes more than 10 miles of trails. Belwin Conservancy.

Where is the Afton Historical Museum?

The museum is at 3165 St. Croix Trail South, in the Old Village. The city says it occupies the former Congregational Church (1868); the comprehensive plan dates that building to 1895. Community Resources.

Which school district serves Afton?

The Stillwater Area Public School District lists Afton among the communities it serves. South Washington County Schools also lists all or parts of Afton, so confirm the district and school for the exact address. District map.

Talk through an address-specific plan

Bryce Schuenke, REALTOR®, eXp Realty; MN Broker #41012271 | WI Salesperson #88518; (651) 302-4812; Info@RealtorBryce.com; 20731 Holyoke Ave Ste 103, Lakeville, MN 55044; www.RealtorBryce.com.