The Town FilesHill City, Minnesota
City in Aitkin County · population 613 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $162,000
- Household income
- $37,396
- Jan low / Jul high
- -3° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 60 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 52.1
Hill City is a city of 613 people in Aitkin County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $162,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks quieter than 96% of Minnesota towns, better for a vacation home than 78% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 76% of Minnesota towns.
How Hill City 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 Hill City is worth $162,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $37,396, which is more affordable than 15% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $522 a month. 67.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hill City | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $162,000 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $522 | $991 |
| Median household income | $37,396 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 67.8% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 32.5% | — |
Who lives in Hill City
| People | Hill City | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 35.6% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.9% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 26.9% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 17.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 3.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.5% | 90.2% |
Weather in Hill City
July highs average 78.3°F and January lows -2.9°F. About 27.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 59.6 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 185 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hill City since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on August 6, 1969 about 1.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 3 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 29, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on September 13, 1990.
Severe weather in Aitkin County since 1996
Aitkin County has been included in 21 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 Aitkin County
Aitkin County had 4,328 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,689 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Hill City itself the ACS puts it at 17.8%.
Public schools in Hill City
3 public schools with 242 students, about 11.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| HILL CITY ELEMENTARY | PK-4 | 102 | 12.8 |
| HILL CITY SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 73 | 10.4 |
| Hill City Middle School | 5-8 | 67 | 11.2 |
Towns near Hill City
- Harris, MN12.5 mi · 3,276 people · home $301,800
- Blackberry, MN15.2 mi · 827 people · home $246,800
- La Prairie, MN17.6 mi · 653 people · home $212,800
- Grand Rapids, MN17.7 mi · 11,126 people · home $213,800
- Cohasset, MN18.1 mi · 2,689 people · home $330,500
- Coleraine, MN20.0 mi · 2,006 people · home $211,800
- Trout Lake, MN20.3 mi · 1,056 people · home $260,000
- Crooked Lake, MN21.4 mi · 504 people · home $432,600
Hill City questions
Is Hill City, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hill City scores better for retirees than 52% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 96%. 35.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.1).
How much does a house cost in Hill City?
The median owner-occupied home in Hill City is valued at $162,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $37,396, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $522 a month.
What is the weather like in Hill City?
July highs average 78.3°F and January lows -2.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.7 inches of precipitation a year and 59.6 inches of snow.
Does Hill City get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hill City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on August 6, 1969. 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)