The Town FilesClarks Grove, Minnesota
City in Freeborn County · population 694 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $123,400
- Household income
- $73,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 40
- Median age
- 35.6
Clarks Grove is a city of 694 people in Freeborn County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $123,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 94% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 89% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 85% of Minnesota towns.
How Clarks Grove 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 Clarks Grove is worth $123,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $73,750, which is more affordable than 98% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $845 a month. 77.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clarks Grove | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $123,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $845 | $991 |
| Median household income | $73,750 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 77.8% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Clarks Grove
| People | Clarks Grove | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.1% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.5% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 24.1% | — |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.7% | 90.2% |
Weather in Clarks Grove
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 5.9°F. About 35.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.4 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 159 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clarks Grove since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 13 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on June 17, 2010 about 9.9 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 12 deaths and 68 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 26, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 46 times; the largest was 3.25 inches on June 27, 1998.
Severe weather in Freeborn County since 1996
Freeborn County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, 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 |
| November 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4290: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Freeborn County
Freeborn County had 11,963 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,099 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Clarks Grove itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Towns near Clarks Grove
- Bancroft, MN3.1 mi · 792 people · home $260,300
- Geneva, MN4.8 mi · 508 people · home $182,500
- Albert Lea, MN7.7 mi · 18,492 people · home $157,500
- Ellendale, MN7.7 mi · 676 people · home $155,200
- Berlin, MN9.1 mi · 506 people · home $279,500
- Albert Lea, MN9.3 mi · 602 people · home $257,900
- Moscow, MN11.1 mi · 538 people · home $202,800
- Pickerel Lake, MN12.2 mi · 643 people · home $312,300
Clarks Grove questions
Is Clarks Grove, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clarks Grove scores better for retirees than 30% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 85%. 11.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.6).
How much does a house cost in Clarks Grove?
The median owner-occupied home in Clarks Grove is valued at $123,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,750, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $845 a month.
What is the weather like in Clarks Grove?
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 5.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.8 inches of precipitation a year and 40.4 inches of snow.
Does Clarks Grove get tornadoes?
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clarks Grove since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on June 17, 2010. 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)