The Town FilesAlden, Minnesota
City in Freeborn County · population 583 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $128,400
- Household income
- $73,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 45
- Median age
- 50.5
Alden is a city of 583 people in Freeborn County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $128,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 98% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 88% of Minnesota towns.
How Alden ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Alden is worth $128,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $73,250, which is more affordable than 97% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,042 a month. 82.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alden | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $128,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,042 | $991 |
| Median household income | $73,250 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 82.8% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Alden
| People | Alden | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.5 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.6% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.2% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.5% | 90.2% |
Weather in Alden
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 4.6°F. About 34.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.1 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
45 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alden since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on June 17, 2010 about 1.0 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 8 deaths and 77 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 52 times; the largest was 3.25 inches on June 27, 1998.
Severe weather in Freeborn County since 1996
Freeborn County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| November 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4290: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Freeborn County
Freeborn County had 11,963 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,099 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Alden itself the ACS puts it at 8.4%.
Public schools in Alden
5 public schools with 481 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALDEN-CONGER ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 235 | 12.4 |
| ALDEN-CONGER SECONDARY | 7-12 | 222 | 14.8 |
| Enrich Alden | K-12 | 13 | — |
| Next Step West (Alden) | 8-12 | 6 | — |
| First Step Alden | PK-PK | 5 | — |
Towns near Alden
- Pickerel Lake, MN5.6 mi · 643 people · home $312,300
- Wells, MN9.7 mi · 2,410 people · home $103,900
- Albert Lea, MN10.3 mi · 18,492 people · home $157,500
- Albert Lea, MN11.4 mi · 602 people · home $257,900
- Bancroft, MN11.7 mi · 792 people · home $260,300
- Clarks Grove, MN13.8 mi · 694 people · home $123,400
- Glenville, MN15.8 mi · 568 people · home $123,300
- New Richland, MN16.1 mi · 1,229 people · home $137,000
Alden questions
Is Alden, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alden scores better for retirees than 31% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 65%. 21.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.5).
How much does a house cost in Alden?
The median owner-occupied home in Alden is valued at $128,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,250, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $1,042 a month.
What is the weather like in Alden?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 4.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.5 inches of precipitation a year and 41.1 inches of snow.
Does Alden get tornadoes?
45 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alden since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on June 17, 2010. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)