The Town FilesBrewster, Minnesota
City in Nobles County · population 506 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $152,200
- Household income
- $82,583
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 45 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 30.3
Brewster is a city of 506 people in Nobles County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $152,200, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 94% of Minnesota towns, easier by car than 82% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 72% of Minnesota towns.
How Brewster 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 Brewster is worth $152,200, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $82,583, which is more affordable than 97% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $725 a month. 58.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brewster | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $152,200 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $725 | $991 |
| Median household income | $82,583 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 58.7% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Brewster
| People | Brewster | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.7% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.3% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 35.7% | — |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.9% | 90.2% |
Weather in Brewster
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 5.3°F. About 30.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.2 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 167 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brewster since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an F1, struck on April 26, 1986 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 28, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 56 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on May 12, 1986.
Severe weather in Nobles County since 1996
Nobles 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 |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Nobles County
Nobles County had 9,788 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,354 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Brewster itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Brewster
2 public schools with 490 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round Lake-Brewster Elementary | PK-5 | 364 | 14.0 |
| Round Lake-Brewster Middle School | 6-8 | 126 | 18.0 |
Towns near Brewster
- Worthington, MN8.3 mi · 13,947 people · home $210,300
- Heron Lake, MN10.0 mi · 602 people · home $88,600
- Fulda, MN13.7 mi · 1,371 people · home $164,700
- Lakefield, MN14.8 mi · 1,735 people · home $133,800
- Lake Park, IA18.7 mi · 1,167 people · home $168,800
- Windom, MN21.1 mi · 4,798 people · home $169,700
- Adrian, MN23.8 mi · 1,194 people · home $165,500
- Westbrook, MN23.8 mi · 758 people · home $78,200
Brewster questions
Is Brewster, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brewster scores better for retirees than 37% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 72%. 10.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.3).
How much does a house cost in Brewster?
The median owner-occupied home in Brewster is valued at $152,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,583, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $725 a month.
What is the weather like in Brewster?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 5.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.5 inches of precipitation a year and 45.2 inches of snow.
Does Brewster get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brewster since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on April 26, 1986. 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)