The Town FilesHeron Lake, Minnesota
City in Jackson County · population 602 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $88,600
- Household income
- $68,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 45.8
Heron Lake is a city of 602 people in Jackson County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $88,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 99% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 84% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 73% of Minnesota towns.
- #7 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Minnesota
- #14 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Minnesota
- #17 in 25 Small Towns in Minnesota With the Cheapest Homes
- #17 in The 25 Best Small Towns for Young Families in Minnesota
- #19 in The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Minnesota
How Heron Lake 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 Heron Lake is worth $88,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.3 times the median household income of $68,000, which is more affordable than 99% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $833 a month. 83.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Heron Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $88,600 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $833 | $991 |
| Median household income | $68,000 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.3× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 83.1% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Heron Lake
| People | Heron Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 14.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.2% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.2% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 13.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.7% | — |
| Work from home | 4.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 18.3 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.0% | 90.2% |
Weather in Heron Lake
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 4.7°F. About 30.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.6 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Heron Lake since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 14, 1976 about 7.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 13, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 11, 2020.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 18 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 Jackson County
Jackson County had 5,021 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,882 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Heron Lake itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Heron Lake
1 public school with 132 students, about 12.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| HERON LAKE-OKABENA ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 132 | 12.0 |
Towns near Heron Lake
- Brewster, MN10.0 mi · 506 people · home $152,200
- Lakefield, MN11.2 mi · 1,735 people · home $133,800
- Windom, MN11.3 mi · 4,798 people · home $169,700
- Fulda, MN15.0 mi · 1,371 people · home $164,700
- Westbrook, MN17.8 mi · 758 people · home $78,200
- Worthington, MN18.2 mi · 13,947 people · home $210,300
- Jackson, MN20.4 mi · 3,323 people · home $128,500
- Mountain Lake, MN22.0 mi · 1,999 people · home $143,100
Heron Lake questions
Is Heron Lake, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Heron Lake scores better for retirees than 73% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 84%. 29.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.8).
How much does a house cost in Heron Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Heron Lake is valued at $88,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,000, so homes cost about 1.3 times income. Median rent is $833 a month.
What is the weather like in Heron Lake?
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 4.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.5 inches of precipitation a year and 45.6 inches of snow.
Does Heron Lake get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Heron Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 14, 1976. 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)