The Town FilesDuluth, Minnesota
City in St. Louis County · population 86,697 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $242,700
- Household income
- $68,807
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 56 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 35.2
Duluth is a city of 86,697 people in St. Louis County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $242,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks hipper than 99% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 98% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 95% of Minnesota towns.
How Duluth 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 Duluth is worth $242,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $68,807, which is more affordable than 45% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,087 a month. 59.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Duluth | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $242,700 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,087 | $991 |
| Median household income | $68,807 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 59.4% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1951 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Duluth
| People | Duluth | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.2 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.8% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.1% | — |
| Work from home | 13.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 17.3 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.3% | 90.2% |
Weather in Duluth
July highs average 76.1°F and January lows 5.8°F. About 31.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 56.0 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Duluth since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on August 9, 2012 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 9, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 96 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on September 8, 1958.
Severe weather in St. Louis County since 1996
St. Louis County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2025 | Fire | FM-5583: Munger Shaw Fire |
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 13, 2022 | Flood | DR-4659: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in St. Louis County
St. Louis County had 95,504 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,452 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Duluth itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Duluth
30 public schools with 10,246 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| East High School | 9-12 | 1,486 | 22.9 |
| ORDEAN EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 1,069 | 20.6 |
| DENFELD HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 917 | 15.5 |
| NORTH STAR ACADEMY (charter) | K-8 | 590 | 10.9 |
| LINCOLN PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 568 | 12.3 |
| BAY VIEW ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 558 | 14.0 |
| LESTER PARK ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 526 | 13.5 |
| CONGDON ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 473 | 16.9 |
| HOMECROFT ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 435 | 17.4 |
| PIEDMONT ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 417 | 9.9 |
| Lowell Elementary Spanish Immersion | K-5 | 340 | 22.7 |
| MYERS-WILKINS ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 319 | 7.6 |
Towns near Duluth
- Proctor, MN5.0 mi · 3,120 people · home $224,700
- Hermantown, MN5.4 mi · 10,221 people · home $382,300
- Superior, WI6.2 mi · 26,751 people · home $180,400
- Rice Lake, MN9.3 mi · 4,112 people · home $309,600
- Thomson, MN11.5 mi · 5,465 people · home $339,000
- Grand Lake, MN15.4 mi · 2,720 people · home $329,000
- Cloquet, MN17.7 mi · 12,568 people · home $212,700
- Two Harbors, MN27.9 mi · 3,633 people · home $206,800
Duluth questions
Is Duluth, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Duluth scores better for retirees than 18% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 4%. 17.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.2).
How much does a house cost in Duluth?
The median owner-occupied home in Duluth is valued at $242,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,807, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,087 a month.
What is the weather like in Duluth?
July highs average 76.1°F and January lows 5.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.4 inches of precipitation a year and 56.0 inches of snow.
Does Duluth get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Duluth since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on August 9, 2012. 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)