The Town FilesButterfield, Minnesota
City in Watonwan County · population 601 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $90,400
- Household income
- $64,083
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 45.0
Butterfield is a city of 601 people in Watonwan County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $90,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 97% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 91% of Minnesota towns.
How Butterfield 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 Butterfield is worth $90,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $64,083, which is more affordable than 99% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $678 a month. 84.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Butterfield | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $90,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $678 | $991 |
| Median household income | $64,083 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 84.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Butterfield
| People | Butterfield | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.0 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 35.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.1% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.4% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 15.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 20.2% | — |
| Work from home | 4.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 68.4% | 90.2% |
Weather in Butterfield
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 5.2°F. About 33.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 50.3 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 160 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Butterfield since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 29, 1998 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 5, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 50 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on September 10, 1986.
Severe weather in Watonwan County since 1996
Watonwan County has been included in 13 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 |
| 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 |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Watonwan County
Watonwan County had 4,510 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,323 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Butterfield itself the ACS puts it at 14.9%.
Public schools in Butterfield
2 public schools with 210 students, about 11.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BUTTERFIELD SECONDARY | 7-12 | 107 | 15.3 |
| BUTTERFIELD ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 103 | 8.6 |
Towns near Butterfield
- Mountain Lake, MN6.6 mi · 1,999 people · home $143,100
- St. James, MN8.6 mi · 4,793 people · home $122,100
- Trimont, MN14.2 mi · 705 people · home $98,800
- Windom, MN17.2 mi · 4,798 people · home $169,700
- Madelia, MN19.6 mi · 2,396 people · home $165,400
- Truman, MN20.0 mi · 1,092 people · home $106,400
- Sherburn, MN21.3 mi · 1,058 people · home $106,900
- Springfield, MN21.4 mi · 2,027 people · home $122,300
Butterfield questions
Is Butterfield, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Butterfield scores better for retirees than 47% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 91%. 35.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.0).
How much does a house cost in Butterfield?
The median owner-occupied home in Butterfield is valued at $90,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,083, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $678 a month.
What is the weather like in Butterfield?
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 5.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.1 inches of precipitation a year and 50.3 inches of snow.
Does Butterfield get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Butterfield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 29, 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)