The Town FilesBrooten, Minnesota
City in Stearns County · population 626 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $144,000
- Household income
- $48,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 1° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 45.8
Brooten is a city of 626 people in Stearns County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $144,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 92% of Minnesota towns, hipper than 83% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 82% of Minnesota towns.
How Brooten 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 Brooten is worth $144,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $48,250, which is more affordable than 69% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $661 a month. 73.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brooten | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $144,000 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $661 | $991 |
| Median household income | $48,250 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 73.4% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Brooten
| People | Brooten | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 14.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.3% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.4% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.3% | — |
| Work from home | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.8% | 90.2% |
Weather in Brooten
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 1.4°F. About 31.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.9 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brooten since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on September 19, 2017 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 20, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 3.25 inches on July 13, 2023.
Severe weather in Stearns County since 1996
Stearns County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 25, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4131: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 28, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-4009: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Stearns County
Stearns County had 87,252 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,313 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Brooten itself the ACS puts it at 9.7%.
Public schools in Brooten
1 public school with 313 students, about 13.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BELGRADE-BROOTEN-ELROSA ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 313 | 13.6 |
Towns near Brooten
- Belgrade, MN6.6 mi · 738 people · home $163,400
- Colfax, MN9.4 mi · 612 people · home $358,100
- Burbank, MN13.0 mi · 571 people · home $360,000
- Glenwood, MN13.9 mi · 1,169 people · home $367,300
- Sauk Centre, MN15.5 mi · 1,180 people · home $314,700
- Lake Andrew, MN15.7 mi · 978 people · home $493,100
- New London, MN16.2 mi · 1,252 people · home $218,800
- Roseville, MN17.1 mi · 637 people · home $332,300
Brooten questions
Is Brooten, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brooten scores better for retirees than 32% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 53%. 20.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.8).
How much does a house cost in Brooten?
The median owner-occupied home in Brooten is valued at $144,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,250, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $661 a month.
What is the weather like in Brooten?
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 1.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.4 inches of precipitation a year and 45.9 inches of snow.
Does Brooten get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brooten since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on September 19, 2017. 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)