The Town FilesGood Thunder, Minnesota
City in Blue Earth County · population 560 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $178,700
- Household income
- $81,667
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 52.2
Good Thunder is a city of 560 people in Blue Earth County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $178,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 99% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 87% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 82% of Minnesota towns.
How Good Thunder 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 Good Thunder is worth $178,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $81,667, which is more affordable than 91% of Minnesota towns. 88.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Good Thunder | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $178,700 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | — | $991 |
| Median household income | $81,667 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 88.6% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Good Thunder
| People | Good Thunder | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.2 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.2% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.0% | 90.2% |
Weather in Good Thunder
July highs average 84.1°F and January lows 8.3°F. About 32.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.0 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Good Thunder since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 25, 2010 about 1.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 7 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 20, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on April 13, 2026.
Severe weather in Blue Earth County since 1996
Blue Earth County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms 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 Blue Earth County
Blue Earth County had 41,255 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,997 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Good Thunder itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.
Towns near Good Thunder
- Rapidan, MN3.5 mi · 1,051 people · home $311,400
- Decoria, MN7.0 mi · 1,146 people · home $382,600
- Garden City, MN7.3 mi · 844 people · home $280,900
- Mapleton, MN7.9 mi · 1,710 people · home $181,900
- Amboy, MN9.3 mi · 535 people · home $134,400
- South Bend, MN9.4 mi · 1,581 people · home $260,400
- Lake Crystal, MN10.1 mi · 2,539 people · home $204,400
- Judson, MN11.7 mi · 534 people · home $264,100
Good Thunder questions
Is Good Thunder, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Good Thunder scores better for retirees than 53% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 87%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.2).
How much does a house cost in Good Thunder?
The median owner-occupied home in Good Thunder is valued at $178,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,667, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Good Thunder?
July highs average 84.1°F and January lows 8.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.8 inches of precipitation a year and 43.0 inches of snow.
Does Good Thunder get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Good Thunder since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 25, 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)