The Town FilesHancock, Minnesota
City in Stevens County · population 863 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $98,800
- Household income
- $70,481
- Jan low / Jul high
- 1° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 45 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 37.1
Hancock is a city of 863 people in Stevens County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $98,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more of a college town than 97% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 88% of Minnesota towns, better transit than 84% of Minnesota towns.
How Hancock 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 Hancock is worth $98,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $70,481, which is more affordable than 99% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $792 a month. 81.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hancock | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $98,800 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $792 | $991 |
| Median household income | $70,481 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 81.7% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.3% | — |
Who lives in Hancock
| People | Hancock | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.7% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 2.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.8% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 15.5 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.3% | 90.2% |
Weather in Hancock
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows 0.5°F. About 26.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.6 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 173 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hancock since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 10, 1953 about 2.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 30, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 6, 2013.
Severe weather in Stevens County since 1996
Stevens County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 9, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4666: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 8, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4658: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Stevens County
Stevens County had 5,738 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,358 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Hancock itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Hancock
2 public schools with 434 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| HANCOCK ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 227 | 13.4 |
| HANCOCK SEC. | 7-12 | 207 | 12.9 |
Towns near Hancock
- Morris, MN8.1 mi · 5,105 people · home $209,600
- Starbuck, MN15.0 mi · 1,365 people · home $168,300
- Benson, MN15.6 mi · 3,480 people · home $156,000
- Minnewaska, MN18.7 mi · 513 people · home $450,000
- Glenwood, MN22.8 mi · 2,657 people · home $179,400
- Hoffman, MN23.3 mi · 698 people · home $161,800
- Appleton, MN23.4 mi · 1,392 people · home $77,000
- Glenwood, MN23.7 mi · 1,169 people · home $367,300
Hancock questions
Is Hancock, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hancock scores better for retirees than 40% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 10%. 14.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Hancock?
The median owner-occupied home in Hancock is valued at $98,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,481, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $792 a month.
What is the weather like in Hancock?
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows 0.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 26.9 inches of precipitation a year and 44.6 inches of snow.
Does Hancock get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hancock since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 10, 1953. 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)