The Town FilesLe Center, Minnesota
City in Le Sueur County · population 2,517 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $209,600
- Household income
- $80,673
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 36.7
Le Center is a city of 2,517 people in Le Sueur County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $209,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 79% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 75% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 75% of Minnesota towns.
How Le Center 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 Le Center is worth $209,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $80,673, which is more affordable than 82% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $889 a month. 68.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Le Center | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $209,600 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $889 | $991 |
| Median household income | $80,673 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 68.7% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.3% | — |
Who lives in Le Center
| People | Le Center | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.7 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.9% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.0% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 3.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 16.2% | — |
| Work from home | 3.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 18.3 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.2% | 90.2% |
Weather in Le Center
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 3.1°F. About 32.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.1 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 163 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Le Center since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 29, 1998 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 5, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 24, 2006.
Severe weather in Le Sueur County since 1996
Le Sueur County has been included in 19 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 |
| November 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4290: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Le Sueur County
Le Sueur County had 8,667 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,749 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Le Center itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Le Center
2 public schools with 397 students, about 10.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LE CENTER PRE K-8 | PK-8 | 385 | 10.7 |
| SWMetro Level 3 | K-8 | 12 | 12.0 |
Towns near Le Center
- Montgomery, MN8.5 mi · 3,249 people · home $234,700
- Le Sueur, MN10.2 mi · 4,213 people · home $244,000
- St. Peter, MN12.3 mi · 12,066 people · home $250,700
- New Prague, MN13.4 mi · 8,162 people · home $350,500
- Belle Plaine, MN16.2 mi · 7,395 people · home $318,200
- Lonsdale, MN16.4 mi · 4,686 people · home $357,000
- Eagle Lake, MN17.1 mi · 3,278 people · home $276,500
- Mankato, MN19.2 mi · 44,488 people · home $261,700
Le Center questions
Is Le Center, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Le Center scores better for retirees than 50% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 59%. 13.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.7).
How much does a house cost in Le Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Le Center is valued at $209,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,673, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $889 a month.
What is the weather like in Le Center?
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 3.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.4 inches of precipitation a year and 39.1 inches of snow.
Does Le Center get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Le Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 29, 1998. 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)