The Town FilesHector, Minnesota
City in Renville County · population 1,012 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $132,000
- Household income
- $63,362
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 40.1
Hector is a city of 1,012 people in Renville County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $132,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 85% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 71% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 70% of Minnesota towns.
How Hector 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 Hector is worth $132,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $63,362, which is more affordable than 92% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,125 a month. 73.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hector | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $132,000 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,125 | $991 |
| Median household income | $63,362 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 73.9% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Hector
| People | Hector | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.1% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 8.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.1% | — |
| Work from home | 4.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 15.8 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.0% | 90.2% |
Weather in Hector
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 2.1°F. About 27.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.3 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 170 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hector since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 24, 2003 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 16, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 11, 2023.
Severe weather in Renville County since 1996
Renville County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Renville County
Renville County had 5,483 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,239 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Hector itself the ACS puts it at 3.5%.
Public schools in Hector
2 public schools with 446 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart Seconda | 6-12 | 256 | 16.0 |
| Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart Element | PK-5 | 190 | 12.7 |
Towns near Hector
- Buffalo Lake, MN4.7 mi · 660 people · home $113,400
- Bird Island, MN9.1 mi · 1,005 people · home $142,100
- Cosmos, MN13.5 mi · 507 people · home $105,500
- Olivia, MN14.2 mi · 2,343 people · home $159,200
- Fairfax, MN14.7 mi · 1,250 people · home $116,300
- Lynn, MN14.8 mi · 519 people · home $348,900
- Gibbon, MN17.1 mi · 784 people · home $102,700
- Brownton, MN17.7 mi · 731 people · home $162,500
Hector questions
Is Hector, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hector scores better for retirees than 58% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 51%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Hector?
The median owner-occupied home in Hector is valued at $132,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,362, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $1,125 a month.
What is the weather like in Hector?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 2.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.9 inches of precipitation a year and 41.3 inches of snow.
Does Hector get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hector since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 24, 2003. 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)