The Town FilesArlington, Minnesota
City in Sibley County · population 2,247 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $206,300
- Household income
- $68,073
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 35.5
Arlington is a city of 2,247 people in Sibley County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $206,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 97% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 91% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 70% of Minnesota towns.
How Arlington 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 Arlington is worth $206,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $68,073, which is more affordable than 69% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $549 a month. 71.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Arlington | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $206,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $549 | $991 |
| Median household income | $68,073 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 71.5% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Arlington
| People | Arlington | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.5 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.6% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.6% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.7% | — |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.1% | 90.2% |
Weather in Arlington
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 3.4°F. About 31.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.2 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arlington since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 6, 1965 about 6.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 75 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 30, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 43 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 17, 1986.
Severe weather in Sibley County since 1996
Sibley County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| 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 |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Sibley County
Sibley County had 3,884 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,827 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Arlington itself the ACS puts it at 0.3%.
Public schools in Arlington
2 public schools with 583 students, about 20.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SIBLEY EAST-ARLINGTON SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 349 | 20.5 |
| Sibley East Middle School | 6-8 | 234 | 21.3 |
Towns near Arlington
- Green Isle, MN5.4 mi · 518 people · home $401,700
- Green Isle, MN6.1 mi · 591 people · home $200,700
- Gaylord, MN7.6 mi · 2,273 people · home $171,600
- Henderson, MN8.8 mi · 665 people · home $352,100
- Henderson, MN9.9 mi · 960 people · home $223,500
- Helen, MN10.0 mi · 833 people · home $396,900
- Hamburg, MN10.2 mi · 566 people · home $239,900
- Glencoe, MN11.7 mi · 5,744 people · home $227,900
Arlington questions
Is Arlington, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Arlington scores better for retirees than 44% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 25%. 21.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.5).
How much does a house cost in Arlington?
The median owner-occupied home in Arlington is valued at $206,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,073, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $549 a month.
What is the weather like in Arlington?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 3.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.7 inches of precipitation a year and 43.2 inches of snow.
Does Arlington get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Arlington since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 6, 1965. 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)