The Town FilesHouston, Minnesota
City in Houston County · population 997 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $180,100
- Household income
- $55,759
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 32.8
Houston is a city of 997 people in Houston County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $180,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks hipper than 71% of Minnesota towns.
How Houston 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 Houston is worth $180,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $55,759, which is more affordable than 62% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $928 a month. 76.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Houston | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $180,100 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $928 | $991 |
| Median household income | $55,759 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 76.4% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1951 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.9% | — |
Who lives in Houston
| People | Houston | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 31.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.4% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 10.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.2% | 90.2% |
Weather in Houston
July highs average 81.2°F and January lows 7.7°F. About 38.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.4 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 160 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Houston since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 5, 1965 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 25, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 10, 2011.
Severe weather in Houston County since 1996
Houston County has been included in 21 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 |
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: 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 |
Jobs and pay in Houston County
Houston County had 5,031 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,489 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Houston itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Houston
3 public schools with 456 students, about 11.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOUSTON SECONDARY | 7-12 | 227 | 12.6 |
| HOUSTON ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 206 | 9.4 |
| SUMMIT LEARNING PROGRAM | 9-12 | 23 | 23.0 |
Towns near Houston
- Money Creek, MN6.0 mi · 578 people · home $281,700
- Mound Prairie, MN7.2 mi · 570 people · home $315,800
- Caledonia, MN8.9 mi · 637 people · home $296,400
- Caledonia, MN9.2 mi · 2,847 people · home $157,900
- Pleasant Hill, MN9.4 mi · 533 people · home $301,700
- Rushford, MN9.9 mi · 1,860 people · home $214,800
- Rushford Village, MN11.1 mi · 790 people · home $279,500
- Hokah, MN11.1 mi · 553 people · home $188,700
Houston questions
Is Houston, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Houston scores better for retirees than 66% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 62%. 20.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.8).
How much does a house cost in Houston?
The median owner-occupied home in Houston is valued at $180,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,759, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $928 a month.
What is the weather like in Houston?
July highs average 81.2°F and January lows 7.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.3 inches of precipitation a year and 43.4 inches of snow.
Does Houston get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Houston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 5, 1965. 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)