The Town FilesClara City, Minnesota
City in Chippewa County · population 1,423 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $114,300
- Household income
- $63,636
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 36.9
Clara City is a city of 1,423 people in Chippewa County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $114,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 81% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 77% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 74% of Minnesota towns.
How Clara City 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 Clara City is worth $114,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $63,636, which is more affordable than 97% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,068 a month. 65.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clara City | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $114,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,068 | $991 |
| Median household income | $63,636 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 65.8% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Clara City
| People | Clara City | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.5% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.8% | — |
| Work from home | 3.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 14.8 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.0% | 90.2% |
Weather in Clara City
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 2.7°F. About 28.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.6 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clara City since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 23, 1981 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 15, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 25, 2010.
Severe weather in Chippewa County since 1996
Chippewa County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Chippewa County
Chippewa County had 5,290 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,949 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Clara City itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Public schools in Clara City
2 public schools with 758 students, about 11.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MACCRAY Secondary | 6-12 | 402 | 14.4 |
| MACCRAY Elementary | PK-5 | 356 | 8.7 |
Towns near Clara City
- Raymond, MN7.7 mi · 782 people · home $158,100
- Prinsburg, MN9.0 mi · 520 people · home $197,200
- Sacred Heart, MN12.2 mi · 510 people · home $85,700
- Granite Falls, MN13.4 mi · 2,737 people · home $136,700
- Renville, MN14.0 mi · 1,301 people · home $126,400
- Whitefield, MN15.4 mi · 512 people · home $171,100
- Sparta, MN15.6 mi · 741 people · home $255,200
- Kerkhoven, MN16.3 mi · 805 people · home $166,000
Clara City questions
Is Clara City, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clara City scores better for retirees than 77% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 38%. 19.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).
How much does a house cost in Clara City?
The median owner-occupied home in Clara City is valued at $114,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,636, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $1,068 a month.
What is the weather like in Clara City?
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 2.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.6 inches of precipitation a year and 48.6 inches of snow.
Does Clara City get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clara City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 23, 1981. 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)