The Town FilesFertile, Minnesota
City in Polk County · population 804 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $129,500
- Household income
- $67,125
- Jan low / Jul high
- -4° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 44.9
Fertile is a city of 804 people in Polk County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $129,500, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 96% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 81% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 78% of Minnesota towns.
How Fertile 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 Fertile is worth $129,500, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $67,125, which is more affordable than 95% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $823 a month. 71.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fertile | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $129,500 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $823 | $991 |
| Median household income | $67,125 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 71.9% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Fertile
| People | Fertile | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.6% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.2% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.4% | 90.2% |
Weather in Fertile
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows -3.9°F. About 25.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.9 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 180 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fertile since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on June 17, 2010 about 8.9 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 37 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 13, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 28, 2016.
Severe weather in Polk County since 1996
Polk County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 13, 2022 | Flood | DR-4659: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Polk County
Polk County had 12,036 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,723 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Fertile itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in Fertile
2 public schools with 492 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| FERTILE-BELTRAMI ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 250 | 12.5 |
| FERTILE-BELTRAMI SECONDARY | 7-12 | 242 | 18.6 |
Towns near Fertile
- Garfield, MN2.0 mi · 519 people · home $247,300
- Woodside, MN9.7 mi · 512 people · home $530,400
- Knute, MN14.4 mi · 563 people · home $291,700
- Twin Valley, MN18.8 mi · 723 people · home $93,400
- Ada, MN19.4 mi · 1,740 people · home $137,800
- McIntosh, MN19.8 mi · 606 people · home $103,600
- Mahnomen, MN20.9 mi · 1,240 people · home $83,200
- Pembina, MN22.2 mi · 621 people · home $174,400
Fertile questions
Is Fertile, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fertile scores better for retirees than 78% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 81%. 27.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.9).
How much does a house cost in Fertile?
The median owner-occupied home in Fertile is valued at $129,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,125, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $823 a month.
What is the weather like in Fertile?
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows -3.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.0 inches of precipitation a year and 49.9 inches of snow.
Does Fertile get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fertile since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on June 17, 2010. 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)