The Town FilesDane Prairie, Minnesota
Township in Otter Tail County · population 883 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $375,200
- Household income
- $117,708
- Jan low / Jul high
- 0° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 52 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 50.4
Dane Prairie is a township of 883 people in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $375,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks quieter than 92% of Minnesota towns, better for a vacation home than 88% of Minnesota towns, better for families than 87% of Minnesota towns.
How Dane Prairie 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 Dane Prairie is worth $375,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $117,708, which is more affordable than 62% of Minnesota towns. 98.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dane Prairie | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $375,200 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | — | $991 |
| Median household income | $117,708 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 98.7% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 27.9% | — |
Who lives in Dane Prairie
| People | Dane Prairie | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.4 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.5% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 15.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 18.2 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.3% | 90.2% |
Weather in Dane Prairie
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows -0.4°F. About 26.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 51.7 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 174 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dane Prairie since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on July 8, 2020 about 8.4 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 10 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 12, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 40 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on August 9, 2005.
Severe weather in Otter Tail County since 1996
Otter Tail County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| May 10, 2011 | Flood | DR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 2, 2010 | Tornado | DR-1921: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 9, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1830: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Otter Tail County
Otter Tail County had 22,910 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,013 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Dane Prairie itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Towns near Dane Prairie
- Tordenskjold, MN6.5 mi · 527 people · home $291,200
- Fergus Falls, MN6.7 mi · 14,119 people · home $194,000
- Aurdal, MN7.2 mi · 1,540 people · home $358,600
- Sverdrup, MN8.1 mi · 646 people · home $337,600
- Fergus Falls, MN9.7 mi · 747 people · home $306,300
- Battle Lake, MN11.7 mi · 857 people · home $257,600
- Friberg, MN12.0 mi · 800 people · home $301,700
- Maine, MN12.6 mi · 665 people · home $398,400
Dane Prairie questions
Is Dane Prairie, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dane Prairie scores better for retirees than 83% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 92%. 23.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.4).
How much does a house cost in Dane Prairie?
The median owner-occupied home in Dane Prairie is valued at $375,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $117,708, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Dane Prairie?
July highs average 80.8°F and January lows -0.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 26.9 inches of precipitation a year and 51.7 inches of snow.
Does Dane Prairie get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dane Prairie since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on July 8, 2020. 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)