The Town FilesClarkfield, Minnesota
City in Yellow Medicine County · population 852 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $95,600
- Household income
- $63,359
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 31.9
Clarkfield is a city of 852 people in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $95,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 82% of Minnesota towns, easier by car than 73% of Minnesota towns.
How Clarkfield 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 Clarkfield is worth $95,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $63,359, which is more affordable than 99% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $833 a month. 78.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clarkfield | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $95,600 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $833 | $991 |
| Median household income | $63,359 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 78.7% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Clarkfield
| People | Clarkfield | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.3% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.7% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.0% | — |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.2% | 90.2% |
Weather in Clarkfield
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 2.0°F. About 29.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.1 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 172 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clarkfield since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 16, 1992 about 0.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 25, 2002.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 9, 2022.
Severe weather in Yellow Medicine County since 1996
Yellow Medicine County has been included in 24 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 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Yellow Medicine County
Yellow Medicine County had 3,621 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,625 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Clarkfield itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Towns near Clarkfield
- Montevideo, MN11.9 mi · 5,398 people · home $141,000
- Sparta, MN12.0 mi · 741 people · home $255,200
- Granite Falls, MN13.1 mi · 2,737 people · home $136,700
- Cottonwood, MN14.1 mi · 1,149 people · home $176,200
- Dawson, MN15.3 mi · 1,466 people · home $137,500
- Minneota, MN17.9 mi · 1,366 people · home $161,300
- Sacred Heart, MN22.4 mi · 510 people · home $85,700
- Canby, MN23.2 mi · 1,695 people · home $128,300
Clarkfield questions
Is Clarkfield, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clarkfield scores better for retirees than 47% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 69%. 21.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.9).
How much does a house cost in Clarkfield?
The median owner-occupied home in Clarkfield is valued at $95,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,359, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $833 a month.
What is the weather like in Clarkfield?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 2.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.4 inches of precipitation a year and 48.1 inches of snow.
Does Clarkfield get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clarkfield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 16, 1992. 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)