The Town Files

Hayland, Minnesota

Township in Mille Lacs County · population 522 (2020 Census)

Map: where Hayland is in MinnesotaHayland
Median home
$332,800
Household income
$96,250
Jan low / Jul high
1° / 80°
Snow a year
49 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
6
Median age
44.4

Hayland is a township of 522 people in Mille Lacs County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $332,800, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 91% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 80% of Minnesota towns, easier by car than 74% of Minnesota towns.

How Hayland 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.

Hayland lifestyle rankings vs other Minnesota townsRetirement5th pctFamilies14th pctQuiet80th pctWalkability10th pctFirst-time buyers91st pctYoung professionals1st pctVibrancy7th pctHip & trendy31st pctCollege town2nd pctUpscale8th pctVacation homes73rd pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit37th pctDriving74th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Hayland is worth $332,800, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $96,250, which is more affordable than 45% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,700 a month. 93.6% of households own their home.

Hayland vs Mille Lacs County vs typical Minnesota townHaylandMille Lacs CountyTypical Minnesota townHome value$332,800$258,300$301,800Household income$96,250$72,729$87,375Monthly rent$1,700$903$991
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Minnesota towns with 500+ people.
HousingHaylandTypical Minnesota town
Median home value$332,800$301,800
Median rent$1,700$991
Median household income$96,250$87,375
Home value ÷ income3.5×3.4×
Homeownership93.6%88.6%
Median year built19991979
Seasonal / vacation homes4.1%—

Who lives in Hayland

PeopleHaylandTypical Minnesota town
Median age44.442.7
Age 65 and over13.6%20.0%
Under 1821.4%—
Bachelor's degree or higher16.5%26.2%
Below the poverty line5.5%6.9%
Veterans6.4%—
Born outside the U.S.1.7%—
Work from home2.0%11.1%
Average commute32.1 min24.5 min
Homes with broadband93.1%90.2%

Weather in Hayland

July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 0.5°F. About 30.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.9 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 179 nights at or below freezing.

Hayland monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing20°1°Jan26°4°Feb38°17°Mar53°30°Apr66°43°May76°54°Jun80°59°Jul78°56°Aug70°46°Sep56°34°Oct39°21°Nov26°9°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue0.87.40.811.11.48.42.74.43.80.14.34.44.03.22.80.81.46.51.110.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Milaca station (8.6 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hayland since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 26, 2019 about 8.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 0 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 26, 2019.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Hayland by decade21950s01960s01970s01980s01990s12000s32010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on September 25, 1998.

Severe weather in Mille Lacs County since 1996

Storm events in Mille Lacs County since 1996 by typeHail96Heat6Flood4Tornado7Heavy Snow12Flash Flood9Funnel Cloud4Winter Storm74
NOAA Storm Events Database, Mille Lacs County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Mille Lacs County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
July 19, 2023FloodDR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding
April 7, 2020BiologicalDR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3453: Covid-19
July 28, 2011Severe StormDR-4009: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes
September 13, 2005HurricaneEM-3242: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in Mille Lacs County

Mille Lacs County had 9,372 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,582 a year. Unemployment was 5.1% in 2023; in Hayland itself the ACS puts it at 7.1%.

Largest industries in Mille Lacs CountyRetail1,141 jobs · $29,038Hotels & restaurants781 jobs · $19,764Manufacturing723 jobs · $52,445Construction464 jobs · $66,709Professional & technical serv…271 jobs · $84,554Other services242 jobs · $28,590
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Mille Lacs County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023Mille Lacs 5.1%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Hayland

Hayland questions

Is Hayland, Minnesota a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hayland scores better for retirees than 5% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 80%. 13.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.4).

How much does a house cost in Hayland?

The median owner-occupied home in Hayland is valued at $332,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,250, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,700 a month.

What is the weather like in Hayland?

July highs average 80.1°F and January lows 0.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.8 inches of precipitation a year and 48.9 inches of snow.

Does Hayland get tornadoes?

6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hayland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 26, 2019. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Hayland's Census boundary (GEOID 2709527908). Comparisons use the median of Minnesota towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.