The Town FilesDassel, Minnesota
City in Meeker County · population 1,472 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $236,800
- Household income
- $59,946
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 44.1
Dassel is a city of 1,472 people in Meeker County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $236,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 90% of Minnesota towns, better for families than 89% of Minnesota towns.
How Dassel 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 Dassel is worth $236,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $59,946, which is more affordable than 23% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $866 a month. 71.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dassel | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $236,800 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $866 | $991 |
| Median household income | $59,946 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 71.4% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Dassel
| People | Dassel | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.3% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 12.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.5% | 90.2% |
Weather in Dassel
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 2.0°F. About 28.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.1 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dassel since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 16, 1992 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 16, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 56 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on July 1, 2011.
Severe weather in Meeker County since 1996
Meeker County has been included in 11 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 6, 2012 | Severe Storm | DR-4069: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 28, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-4009: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3242: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Meeker County
Meeker County had 8,042 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,874 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Dassel itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Public schools in Dassel
1 public school with 314 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| DASSEL ELEMENTARY | PK-4 | 314 | 14.3 |
Towns near Dassel
- Dassel, MN2.0 mi · 1,601 people · home $358,700
- Collinwood, MN3.8 mi · 1,195 people · home $371,000
- Cokato, MN6.0 mi · 1,369 people · home $329,000
- Cokato, MN6.3 mi · 2,799 people · home $223,300
- Darwin, MN6.7 mi · 678 people · home $340,500
- Ellsworth, MN7.0 mi · 841 people · home $395,000
- Stockholm, MN7.4 mi · 986 people · home $365,100
- Kingston, MN9.1 mi · 1,258 people · home $364,300
Dassel questions
Is Dassel, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dassel scores better for retirees than 49% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 44%. 28.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.1).
How much does a house cost in Dassel?
The median owner-occupied home in Dassel is valued at $236,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,946, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $866 a month.
What is the weather like in Dassel?
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 2.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.7 inches of precipitation a year and 41.1 inches of snow.
Does Dassel get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dassel 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)