The Town FilesIda, Minnesota
Township in Douglas County · population 1,404 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $420,000
- Household income
- $103,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 44.6
Ida is a township of 1,404 people in Douglas County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $420,000, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 91% of Minnesota towns, better for families than 89% of Minnesota towns.
How Ida 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 Ida is worth $420,000, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $103,250, which is more affordable than 20% of Minnesota towns. 98.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ida | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $420,000 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | — | $991 |
| Median household income | $103,250 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 98.7% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 44.6% | — |
Who lives in Ida
| People | Ida | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.6% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.4% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.7% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.0% | — |
| Work from home | 12.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.6% | 90.2% |
Weather in Ida
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 2.3°F. About 24.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 46.3 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 167 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ida since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on June 17, 2010 about 8.5 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 16 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 12, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 63 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on June 17, 2010.
Severe weather in Douglas County since 1996
Douglas County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| July 25, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4131: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Douglas County
Douglas County had 19,527 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,062 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Ida itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Towns near Ida
- Carlos, MN5.6 mi · 2,221 people · home $458,300
- Brandon, MN6.2 mi · 763 people · home $353,700
- La Grand, MN6.6 mi · 4,279 people · home $384,600
- Brandon, MN6.9 mi · 501 people · home $175,800
- Miltona, MN7.7 mi · 914 people · home $449,500
- Alexandria, MN8.5 mi · 14,335 people · home $275,300
- Moe, MN9.2 mi · 763 people · home $419,200
- Evansville, MN11.4 mi · 603 people · home $133,000
Ida questions
Is Ida, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ida scores better for retirees than 91% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 64%. 19.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.6).
How much does a house cost in Ida?
The median owner-occupied home in Ida is valued at $420,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $103,250, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Ida?
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 2.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.1 inches of precipitation a year and 46.3 inches of snow.
Does Ida get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ida since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on June 17, 2010. 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)