The Town FilesLester Prairie, Minnesota
City in McLeod County · population 1,894 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $237,400
- Household income
- $96,544
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 32.8
Lester Prairie is a city of 1,894 people in McLeod County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $237,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better transit than 91% of Minnesota towns, easier by car than 85% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 71% of Minnesota towns.
How Lester Prairie 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 Lester Prairie is worth $237,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $96,544, which is more affordable than 84% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $688 a month. 85.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lester Prairie | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $237,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $688 | $991 |
| Median household income | $96,544 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 85.8% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lester Prairie
| People | Lester Prairie | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.0% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.9% | — |
| Work from home | 8.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.5% | 90.2% |
Weather in Lester Prairie
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 2.0°F. About 28.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 46.4 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lester Prairie since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 19, 1951 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 28, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 60 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 27, 2016.
Severe weather in McLeod County since 1996
McLeod County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| 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 |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in McLeod County
McLeod County had 15,697 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,991 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Lester Prairie itself the ACS puts it at 0.8%.
Public schools in Lester Prairie
2 public schools with 459 students, about 15.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LESTER PRAIRIE SECONDARY | 7-12 | 242 | 20.2 |
| LESTER PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 217 | 12.8 |
Towns near Lester Prairie
- Bergen, MN3.0 mi · 910 people · home $389,200
- Winsted, MN3.9 mi · 936 people · home $428,600
- Camden, MN4.8 mi · 924 people · home $456,400
- Winsted, MN5.2 mi · 2,240 people · home $201,900
- Hollywood, MN5.6 mi · 1,058 people · home $453,900
- Mayer, MN7.0 mi · 2,453 people · home $342,700
- Silver Lake, MN8.0 mi · 866 people · home $202,600
- Rich Valley, MN8.2 mi · 669 people · home $305,500
Lester Prairie questions
Is Lester Prairie, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lester Prairie scores better for retirees than 9% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 70%. 11.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.8).
How much does a house cost in Lester Prairie?
The median owner-occupied home in Lester Prairie is valued at $237,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,544, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $688 a month.
What is the weather like in Lester Prairie?
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 2.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.7 inches of precipitation a year and 46.4 inches of snow.
Does Lester Prairie get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lester Prairie since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 19, 1951. 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)