The Town FilesClearwater, Minnesota
City in Wright County · population 1,922 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $271,800
- Household income
- $91,346
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 31.1
Clearwater is a city of 1,922 people in Wright County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $271,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 88% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 77% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 75% of Minnesota towns.
How Clearwater 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 Clearwater is worth $271,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $91,346, which is more affordable than 69% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,091 a month. 61.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clearwater | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $271,800 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,091 | $991 |
| Median household income | $91,346 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 61.9% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 2002 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Clearwater
| People | Clearwater | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 28.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.3% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.5% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.7% | — |
| Work from home | 6.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 30.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.4% | 90.2% |
Weather in Clearwater
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 2.9°F. About 28.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 47.9 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 172 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clearwater since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 1, 1997 about 9.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 12 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 1, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 59 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 26, 2019.
Severe weather in Wright County since 1996
Wright County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| May 10, 2011 | Flood | DR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 19, 2010 | Flood | EM-3310: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Wright County
Wright County had 48,758 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,999 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Clearwater itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Towns near Clearwater
- Clearwater, MN3.1 mi · 1,372 people · home $371,400
- Clear Lake, MN3.1 mi · 1,675 people · home $420,100
- Clear Lake, MN3.4 mi · 641 people · home $281,300
- Lynden, MN3.5 mi · 1,816 people · home $365,900
- Silver Creek, MN7.1 mi · 2,559 people · home $452,600
- Haven, MN7.6 mi · 2,610 people · home $346,800
- St. Augusta, MN7.8 mi · 3,497 people · home $388,400
- Becker, MN7.8 mi · 4,877 people · home $271,300
Clearwater questions
Is Clearwater, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clearwater scores better for retirees than 46% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 35%. 12.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.1).
How much does a house cost in Clearwater?
The median owner-occupied home in Clearwater is valued at $271,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,346, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,091 a month.
What is the weather like in Clearwater?
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 2.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.5 inches of precipitation a year and 47.9 inches of snow.
Does Clearwater get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Clearwater since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 1, 1997. 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)