The Town FilesForest Prairie, Minnesota
Township in Meeker County · population 987 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $323,300
- Household income
- $107,981
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 37.0
Forest Prairie is a township of 987 people in Meeker County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $323,300, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 85% of Minnesota towns, better transit than 76% of Minnesota towns, better for families than 74% of Minnesota towns.
How Forest 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 Forest Prairie is worth $323,300, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $107,981, which is more affordable than 69% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $838 a month. 96.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forest Prairie | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $323,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $838 | $991 |
| Median household income | $107,981 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 96.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.7% | — |
Who lives in Forest Prairie
| People | Forest Prairie | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.0 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.6% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 30.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.7% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 38.0 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 90.2% |
Weather in Forest Prairie
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 2.6°F. About 30.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.5 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest Prairie since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 11, 2016 about 1.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 11, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on July 17, 2010.
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 Forest Prairie itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Towns near Forest Prairie
- Watkins, MN2.9 mi · 991 people · home $149,100
- Forest City, MN5.7 mi · 635 people · home $332,300
- Luxemburg, MN6.2 mi · 631 people · home $351,500
- Eden Valley, MN6.2 mi · 1,027 people · home $161,300
- Manannah, MN6.6 mi · 577 people · home $242,400
- Kingston, MN7.0 mi · 1,258 people · home $364,300
- Kimball, MN7.1 mi · 799 people · home $232,200
- Maine Prairie, MN7.7 mi · 1,886 people · home $395,300
Forest Prairie questions
Is Forest Prairie, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forest Prairie scores better for retirees than 29% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 65%. 14.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.0).
How much does a house cost in Forest Prairie?
The median owner-occupied home in Forest Prairie is valued at $323,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $107,981, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $838 a month.
What is the weather like in Forest Prairie?
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 2.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.8 inches of precipitation a year and 48.5 inches of snow.
Does Forest Prairie get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest Prairie since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 11, 2016. 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)