The Town FilesFrench, Minnesota
Township in St. Louis County · population 552 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $357,800
- Household income
- $99,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- -4° / 77°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 56.9
French is a township of 552 people in St. Louis County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $357,800, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks quieter than 96% of Minnesota towns, better for a vacation home than 82% of Minnesota towns.
How French 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 French is worth $357,800, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $99,750, which is more affordable than 40% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,375 a month. 96.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | French | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $357,800 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,375 | $991 |
| Median household income | $99,750 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 96.0% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 62.3% | — |
Who lives in French
| People | French | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 35.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 15.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.6% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.6% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 11.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 36.1 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.6% | 90.2% |
Weather in French
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows -4.4°F. About 24.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 205 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of French since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 6, 1969 about 9.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 11 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 14, 2003.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 2, 2018.
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 French itself the ACS puts it at 8.1%.
Towns near French
- Balkan, MN10.8 mi · 808 people · home $218,700
- Chisholm, MN13.7 mi · 4,775 people · home $109,200
- Buhl, MN15.4 mi · 952 people · home $127,700
- Cook, MN18.3 mi · 534 people · home $104,900
- Hibbing, MN19.0 mi · 16,214 people · home $130,200
- Keewatin, MN19.1 mi · 984 people · home $86,800
- Nashwauk, MN19.9 mi · 1,657 people · home $141,300
- Mountain Iron, MN19.9 mi · 2,878 people · home $192,800
French questions
Is French, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, French scores better for retirees than 59% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 96%. 35.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.9).
How much does a house cost in French?
The median owner-occupied home in French is valued at $357,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $99,750, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,375 a month.
What is the weather like in French?
July highs average 76.7°F and January lows -4.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.8 inches of precipitation a year.
Does French get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of French since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 6, 1969. 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)