The Town FilesLakefield, Minnesota
City in Jackson County · population 1,735 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $133,800
- Household income
- $71,648
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 43.3
Lakefield is a city of 1,735 people in Jackson County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $133,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks hipper than 88% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 79% of Minnesota towns.
How Lakefield 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 Lakefield is worth $133,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $71,648, which is more affordable than 95% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $770 a month. 89.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lakefield | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $133,800 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $770 | $991 |
| Median household income | $71,648 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 89.6% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lakefield
| People | Lakefield | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.7% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.5% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 9.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 17.8 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.7% | 90.2% |
Weather in Lakefield
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 4.7°F. About 30.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.5 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakefield since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 31, 1971 about 4.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 17, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 46 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 20, 1998.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 18 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 |
| 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 |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Jackson County
Jackson County had 5,021 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,882 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Lakefield itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Public schools in Lakefield
2 public schools with 411 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| JACKSON COUNTY CENTRAL MIDDLE | 6-8 | 236 | 14.8 |
| PLEASANTVIEW ELEMENTARY | 4-5 | 175 | 12.5 |
Towns near Lakefield
- Jackson, MN9.7 mi · 3,323 people · home $128,500
- Heron Lake, MN11.2 mi · 602 people · home $88,600
- Windom, MN13.7 mi · 4,798 people · home $169,700
- Brewster, MN14.8 mi · 506 people · home $152,200
- Orleans, IA16.1 mi · 521 people · home $573,200
- Lake Park, IA17.8 mi · 1,167 people · home $168,800
- Spirit Lake, IA18.3 mi · 5,439 people · home $215,100
- Okoboji, IA20.1 mi · 768 people · home $299,300
Lakefield questions
Is Lakefield, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lakefield scores better for retirees than 77% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 79%. 29.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.3).
How much does a house cost in Lakefield?
The median owner-occupied home in Lakefield is valued at $133,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,648, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $770 a month.
What is the weather like in Lakefield?
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 4.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.5 inches of precipitation a year and 48.5 inches of snow.
Does Lakefield get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakefield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 31, 1971. 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)