The Town FilesBabbitt, Minnesota
City in St. Louis County · population 1,397 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $102,300
- Household income
- $55,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- -7° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 84 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 54.4
Babbitt is a city of 1,397 people in St. Louis County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $102,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks quieter than 97% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 90% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 83% of Minnesota towns.
How Babbitt 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 Babbitt is worth $102,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $55,875, which is more affordable than 97% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $737 a month. 87.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Babbitt | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $102,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $737 | $991 |
| Median household income | $55,875 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 87.4% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 11.8% | — |
Who lives in Babbitt
| People | Babbitt | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.4 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.9% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.5% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 13.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 12.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 33.3 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.9% | 90.2% |
Weather in Babbitt
July highs average 77.0°F and January lows -7.4°F. About 29.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 83.9 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 203 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Babbitt since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an F0, struck on September 16, 1992 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 16, 1992.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 16, 2006.
Severe weather in St. Louis County since 1996
St. Louis County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2025 | Fire | FM-5583: Munger Shaw Fire |
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 13, 2022 | Flood | DR-4659: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in St. Louis County
St. Louis County had 95,504 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,452 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Babbitt itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Babbitt
2 public schools with 216 students, about 9.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| NORTHEAST RANGE SECONDARY | 7-12 | 119 | 9.9 |
| BABBITT ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 97 | 9.7 |
Towns near Babbitt
- Hoyt Lakes, MN9.7 mi · 2,020 people · home $93,300
- Morse, MN14.1 mi · 1,188 people · home $300,400
- Embarrass, MN15.3 mi · 601 people · home $203,800
- Aurora, MN16.5 mi · 1,678 people · home $97,600
- White, MN18.1 mi · 3,136 people · home $123,600
- Ely, MN18.4 mi · 3,268 people · home $157,300
- Biwabik, MN20.6 mi · 961 people · home $111,200
- Breitung, MN21.0 mi · 530 people · home $246,200
Babbitt questions
Is Babbitt, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Babbitt scores better for retirees than 83% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 97%. 29.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.4).
How much does a house cost in Babbitt?
The median owner-occupied home in Babbitt is valued at $102,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,875, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $737 a month.
What is the weather like in Babbitt?
July highs average 77.0°F and January lows -7.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.8 inches of precipitation a year and 83.9 inches of snow.
Does Babbitt get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Babbitt since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on September 16, 1992. 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)