The Town FilesJanesville, Minnesota
Township in Waseca County · population 576 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $332,200
- Household income
- $111,719
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 50.8
Janesville is a township of 576 people in Waseca County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $332,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more of a college town than 94% of Minnesota towns, easier by car than 92% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 80% of Minnesota towns.
How Janesville 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 Janesville is worth $332,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $111,719, which is more affordable than 69% of Minnesota towns. 86.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Janesville | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $332,200 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | — | $991 |
| Median household income | $111,719 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 86.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.3% | — |
Who lives in Janesville
| People | Janesville | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 15.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.2% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.1% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 8.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 18.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.1% | 90.2% |
Weather in Janesville
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 4.8°F. About 37.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.6 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Janesville since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 14, 2003 about 4.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 5, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 20, 1968.
Severe weather in Waseca County since 1996
Waseca County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| 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 |
| November 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4290: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Waseca County
Waseca County had 5,530 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,072 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Janesville itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Towns near Janesville
- Janesville, MN2.6 mi · 2,421 people · home $206,800
- Elysian, MN3.5 mi · 708 people · home $285,400
- Iosco, MN5.6 mi · 509 people · home $353,900
- Le Ray, MN6.4 mi · 760 people · home $394,100
- Elysian, MN6.5 mi · 1,017 people · home $392,200
- Madison Lake, MN7.2 mi · 1,247 people · home $303,100
- Waterville, MN7.5 mi · 1,750 people · home $236,000
- Jamestown, MN8.0 mi · 679 people · home $447,600
Janesville questions
Is Janesville, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Janesville scores better for retirees than 40% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 35%. 23.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.8).
How much does a house cost in Janesville?
The median owner-occupied home in Janesville is valued at $332,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $111,719, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Janesville?
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 4.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.9 inches of precipitation a year and 45.6 inches of snow.
Does Janesville get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Janesville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 14, 2003. 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)