The Town FilesHay Creek, Minnesota
Township in Goodhue County · population 947 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $450,900
- Household income
- $127,670
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 45.6
Hay Creek is a township of 947 people in Goodhue County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $450,900, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for cycling than 91% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 82% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 76% of Minnesota towns.
How Hay Creek 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 Hay Creek is worth $450,900, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $127,670, which is more affordable than 45% of Minnesota towns. 98.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hay Creek | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $450,900 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | — | $991 |
| Median household income | $127,670 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 98.4% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Hay Creek
| People | Hay Creek | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.6% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 4.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.5% | 90.2% |
Weather in Hay Creek
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 5.7°F. About 32.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.1 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 154 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hay Creek since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 2, 1990 about 6.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 21, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 53 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on April 13, 2026.
Severe weather in Goodhue County since 1996
Goodhue County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
| November 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4290: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Goodhue County
Goodhue County had 21,366 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,513 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Hay Creek itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Towns near Hay Creek
- Featherstone, MN5.3 mi · 745 people · home $398,200
- Florence, MN6.3 mi · 1,555 people · home $366,800
- Red Wing, MN7.7 mi · 16,547 people · home $237,300
- Goodhue, MN7.8 mi · 542 people · home $383,900
- Goodhue, MN9.3 mi · 1,250 people · home $243,500
- Hartland, WI10.2 mi · 830 people · home $306,700
- Trenton, WI10.2 mi · 1,911 people · home $301,800
- Vasa, MN11.3 mi · 857 people · home $389,000
Hay Creek questions
Is Hay Creek, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hay Creek scores better for retirees than 76% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 44%. 17.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.6).
How much does a house cost in Hay Creek?
The median owner-occupied home in Hay Creek is valued at $450,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $127,670, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Hay Creek?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 5.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.4 inches of precipitation a year and 44.1 inches of snow.
Does Hay Creek get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hay Creek since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 2, 1990. 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)