The Town FilesBird Island, Minnesota
City in Renville County · population 1,005 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $142,100
- Household income
- $75,833
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 50.9
Bird Island is a city of 1,005 people in Renville County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $142,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 93% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 80% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 78% of Minnesota towns.
How Bird Island 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 Bird Island is worth $142,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $75,833, which is more affordable than 95% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $617 a month. 87.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bird Island | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $142,100 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $617 | $991 |
| Median household income | $75,833 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 87.1% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.5% | — |
Who lives in Bird Island
| People | Bird Island | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.6% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.7% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 9.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 4.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.9% | 90.2% |
Weather in Bird Island
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 2.1°F. About 27.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.7 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 170 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bird Island since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 18, 1998 about 4.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 18, 1998.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 2, 2009.
Severe weather in Renville County since 1996
Renville County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Renville County
Renville County had 5,483 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,239 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Bird Island itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Towns near Bird Island
- Olivia, MN5.1 mi · 2,343 people · home $159,200
- Hector, MN9.1 mi · 1,012 people · home $132,000
- Buffalo Lake, MN13.7 mi · 660 people · home $113,400
- Cosmos, MN15.3 mi · 507 people · home $105,500
- Renville, MN15.3 mi · 1,301 people · home $126,400
- Redwood Falls, MN18.2 mi · 5,102 people · home $162,100
- Fairfax, MN18.4 mi · 1,250 people · home $116,300
- Prinsburg, MN18.5 mi · 520 people · home $197,200
Bird Island questions
Is Bird Island, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bird Island scores better for retirees than 39% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 78%. 25.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.9).
How much does a house cost in Bird Island?
The median owner-occupied home in Bird Island is valued at $142,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,833, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $617 a month.
What is the weather like in Bird Island?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 2.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.9 inches of precipitation a year and 37.7 inches of snow.
Does Bird Island get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bird Island since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 18, 1998. 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)