The Town Files

Steele County, Minnesota

37,439 people. The median home is worth $245,400 (typical Minnesota town: $301,800) and the median household earns $84,196.

Towns in Steele County

Towns in Steele County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Owatonna26,420$245,200$80,75040.4

People and housing

Steele CountyTypical Minnesota town
Median home value$245,400$301,800
Median rent$1,061$991
Median household income$84,196$87,375
Median age40.542.7
Bachelor's degree or higher28.0%26.2%
Below the poverty line8.3%6.9%

Jobs and pay

18,956 jobs in 2024, average pay $61,897 a year.

Largest industries in Steele CountyManufacturing4,657 jobs · $69,813Retail2,778 jobs · $38,449Health care & social assistan…2,194 jobs · $58,958Hotels & restaurants1,295 jobs · $21,910Other services567 jobs · $40,797Construction545 jobs · $71,994
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Steele County0%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023 3%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 373 storm events in Steele County from 1996 to 2026.

Storm events in Steele County by type since 1996Hail67Tornado16Blizzard22High Wind16Heavy Rain11Heavy Snow16Flash Flood21Winter Storm70Winter Weather14Cold/Wind Chill8
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Steele County has been included in 17 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 28, 2024FloodDR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding
April 7, 2020BiologicalDR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3453: Covid-19
June 12, 2019FloodDR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
November 2, 2016FloodDR-4290: Severe Storms And Flooding
July 21, 2014FloodDR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).