The Town FilesAppleton, Minnesota
City in Swift County · population 1,392 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $77,000
- Household income
- $43,958
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 51 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 46.5
Appleton is a city of 1,392 people in Swift County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $77,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for retirees than 94% of Minnesota towns, hipper than 93% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 82% of Minnesota towns.
How Appleton 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 Appleton is worth $77,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $43,958, which is more affordable than 97% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $717 a month. 68.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Appleton | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $77,000 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $717 | $991 |
| Median household income | $43,958 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 68.5% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Appleton
| People | Appleton | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.5 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.3% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.9% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.0% | 90.2% |
Weather in Appleton
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 4.4°F. About 27.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 51.0 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Appleton since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 28, 2025 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 28, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 28, 2021.
Severe weather in Swift County since 1996
Swift County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 9, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4666: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 8, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4658: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Swift County
Swift County had 3,737 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,905 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Appleton itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.
Public schools in Appleton
1 public school with 223 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton-Milan Elementary | PK-4 | 223 | 11.7 |
Towns near Appleton
- Madison, MN15.2 mi · 1,518 people · home $97,000
- Dawson, MN18.7 mi · 1,466 people · home $137,500
- Ortonville, MN21.6 mi · 2,021 people · home $166,300
- Benson, MN21.8 mi · 3,480 people · home $156,000
- Montevideo, MN22.8 mi · 5,398 people · home $141,000
- Hancock, MN23.4 mi · 863 people · home $98,800
- Sparta, MN24.3 mi · 741 people · home $255,200
- Morris, MN27.3 mi · 5,105 people · home $209,600
Appleton questions
Is Appleton, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Appleton scores better for retirees than 94% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 82%. 28.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.5).
How much does a house cost in Appleton?
The median owner-occupied home in Appleton is valued at $77,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $43,958, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $717 a month.
What is the weather like in Appleton?
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 4.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.4 inches of precipitation a year and 51.0 inches of snow.
Does Appleton get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Appleton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 28, 2025. 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)