The Town FilesClarissa, Minnesota
City in Todd County · population 661 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $102,600
- Household income
- $47,188
- Jan low / Jul high
- -1° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 53 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 52.0
Clarissa is a city of 661 people in Todd County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $102,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 72% of Minnesota towns.
How Clarissa 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 Clarissa is worth $102,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $47,188, which is more affordable than 91% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $775 a month. 77.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clarissa | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $102,600 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $775 | $991 |
| Median household income | $47,188 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 77.6% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Clarissa
| People | Clarissa | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.0 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 37.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.0% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 13.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.3% | — |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.5% | 90.2% |
Weather in Clarissa
July highs average 78.7°F and January lows -0.9°F. About 31.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 53.2 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 178 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clarissa since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on May 30, 2022 about 4.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 30, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 3, 2024.
Severe weather in Todd County since 1996
Todd County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Todd County
Todd County had 7,081 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,332 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Clarissa itself the ACS puts it at 8.8%.
Towns near Clarissa
- Iona, MN4.1 mi · 504 people · home $213,100
- Eagle Bend, MN4.8 mi · 546 people · home $99,100
- Browerville, MN5.2 mi · 839 people · home $130,900
- Hartford, MN7.5 mi · 644 people · home $237,800
- Germania, MN7.6 mi · 527 people · home $211,600
- Reynolds, MN10.2 mi · 735 people · home $215,300
- Bertha, MN11.0 mi · 560 people · home $94,400
- Long Prairie, MN11.4 mi · 3,661 people · home $152,000
Clarissa questions
Is Clarissa, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clarissa scores better for retirees than 36% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 59%. 37.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.0).
How much does a house cost in Clarissa?
The median owner-occupied home in Clarissa is valued at $102,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,188, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $775 a month.
What is the weather like in Clarissa?
July highs average 78.7°F and January lows -0.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.0 inches of precipitation a year and 53.2 inches of snow.
Does Clarissa get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clarissa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on May 30, 2022. 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)