The Town FilesBirchdale, Minnesota
Township in Todd County · population 931 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $393,100
- Household income
- $88,125
- Jan low / Jul high
- 0° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 52.9
Birchdale is a township of 931 people in Todd County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $393,100, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks quieter than 99% of Minnesota towns, easier by car than 80% of Minnesota towns, better for a vacation home than 79% of Minnesota towns.
How Birchdale 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 Birchdale is worth $393,100, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $88,125, which is more affordable than 10% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,375 a month. 95.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Birchdale | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $393,100 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,375 | $991 |
| Median household income | $88,125 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 95.3% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 34.2% | — |
Who lives in Birchdale
| People | Birchdale | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.6% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 10.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.9% | 90.2% |
Weather in Birchdale
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 0.1°F. About 29.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 46.4 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 175 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Birchdale since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 3, 2024 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 3, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 3, 2024.
Severe weather in Todd County since 1996
Todd County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Todd County
Todd County had 7,081 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,332 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Birchdale itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Towns near Birchdale
- Round Prairie, MN5.0 mi · 714 people · home $230,000
- Grey Eagle, MN5.9 mi · 556 people · home $397,100
- Melrose, MN6.1 mi · 729 people · home $298,700
- Kandota, MN6.2 mi · 805 people · home $333,500
- Little Sauk, MN7.4 mi · 873 people · home $242,100
- Sauk Centre, MN8.0 mi · 4,555 people · home $225,700
- Burnhamville, MN8.5 mi · 773 people · home $296,700
- Millwood, MN9.7 mi · 950 people · home $387,700
Birchdale questions
Is Birchdale, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Birchdale scores better for retirees than 70% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 99%. 22.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.9).
How much does a house cost in Birchdale?
The median owner-occupied home in Birchdale is valued at $393,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,125, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $1,375 a month.
What is the weather like in Birchdale?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 0.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.1 inches of precipitation a year and 46.4 inches of snow.
Does Birchdale get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Birchdale since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 3, 2024. 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)