The Town FilesHinckley, Minnesota
City in Pine County · population 1,904 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $182,800
- Household income
- $50,714
- Jan low / Jul high
- -1° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 45 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 45.0
Hinckley is a city of 1,904 people in Pine County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $182,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 71% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 70% of Minnesota towns.
How Hinckley 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 Hinckley is worth $182,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $50,714, which is more affordable than 40% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $956 a month. 56.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hinckley | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $182,800 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $956 | $991 |
| Median household income | $50,714 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 56.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in Hinckley
| People | Hinckley | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.0 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.5% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.7% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 14.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.1% | 90.2% |
Weather in Hinckley
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows -0.9°F. About 33.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.8 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 183 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hinckley since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on May 30, 2022 about 0.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 30, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 5.00 inches on June 13, 1956.
Severe weather in Pine County since 1996
Pine County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| 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 |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Pine County
Pine County had 7,799 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,269 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Hinckley itself the ACS puts it at 6.8%.
Public schools in Hinckley
5 public schools with 903 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| HINCKLEY ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 449 | 12.8 |
| HINCKLEY-FINLAYSON SECONDARY | 7-12 | 421 | 14.0 |
| Empower Learning Center | 10-12 | 18 | 18.0 |
| Pine County Transition Program | 9-12 | 15 | 7.5 |
| Pine County Transition Program | 12-12 | — | — |
Towns near Hinckley
- Barry, MN2.2 mi · 550 people · home $293,800
- Hinckley, MN4.9 mi · 744 people · home $278,100
- Mission Creek, MN5.2 mi · 539 people · home $251,300
- Sandstone, MN8.3 mi · 2,462 people · home $166,300
- Dell Grove, MN8.5 mi · 752 people · home $217,100
- Sandstone, MN9.3 mi · 805 people · home $209,000
- Chengwatana, MN10.6 mi · 917 people · home $262,800
- Pokegama, MN12.1 mi · 2,825 people · home $316,000
Hinckley questions
Is Hinckley, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hinckley scores better for retirees than 14% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 57%. 24.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.0).
How much does a house cost in Hinckley?
The median owner-occupied home in Hinckley is valued at $182,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,714, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $956 a month.
What is the weather like in Hinckley?
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows -0.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.0 inches of precipitation a year and 44.8 inches of snow.
Does Hinckley get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hinckley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on May 30, 2022. 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)