The Town FilesBlooming Prairie, Minnesota
City in Steele County · population 1,974 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $161,300
- Household income
- $63,656
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 31
- Median age
- 44.2
Blooming Prairie is a city of 1,974 people in Steele County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $161,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more walkable than 77% of Minnesota towns, hipper than 76% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 72% of Minnesota towns.
How Blooming Prairie 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 Blooming Prairie is worth $161,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $63,656, which is more affordable than 84% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $907 a month. 86.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Blooming Prairie | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $161,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $907 | $991 |
| Median household income | $63,656 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 86.8% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Blooming Prairie
| People | Blooming Prairie | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.2 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.7% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.5% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.4% | — |
| Work from home | 11.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.8% | 90.2% |
Weather in Blooming Prairie
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows 5.4°F. About 36.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.8 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Blooming Prairie since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 30, 1967 about 8.8 miles from the town center and killed 5. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 11 deaths and 39 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 20, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 3.25 inches on June 17, 2009.
Severe weather in Steele County since 1996
Steele County has been included in 17 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 |
| November 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4290: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Steele County
Steele County had 18,956 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,897 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Blooming Prairie itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Blooming Prairie
3 public schools with 864 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blooming Prairie High School | 7-12 | 380 | 15.8 |
| BLOOMING PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY | PK-4 | 342 | 11.4 |
| Blooming Prairie Intermediate Schoo | 5-6 | 142 | 20.3 |
Towns near Blooming Prairie
- Aurora, MN7.7 mi · 528 people · home $303,500
- Lansing, MN10.4 mi · 906 people · home $265,400
- Hayfield, MN10.5 mi · 1,364 people · home $186,600
- Moscow, MN10.7 mi · 538 people · home $202,800
- Somerset, MN10.9 mi · 733 people · home $283,300
- Geneva, MN11.3 mi · 508 people · home $182,500
- Ellendale, MN12.1 mi · 676 people · home $155,200
- Claremont, MN12.5 mi · 513 people · home $132,800
Blooming Prairie questions
Is Blooming Prairie, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Blooming Prairie scores better for retirees than 65% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 52%. 30.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.2).
How much does a house cost in Blooming Prairie?
The median owner-occupied home in Blooming Prairie is valued at $161,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,656, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $907 a month.
What is the weather like in Blooming Prairie?
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows 5.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.2 inches of precipitation a year and 42.8 inches of snow.
Does Blooming Prairie get tornadoes?
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Blooming Prairie since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 30, 1967. 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)