The Town FilesMabel, Minnesota
City in Fillmore County · population 716 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $131,400
- Household income
- $59,392
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 49.2
Mabel is a city of 716 people in Fillmore County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $131,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for retirees than 90% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 85% of Minnesota towns, hipper than 85% of Minnesota towns.
How Mabel 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 Mabel is worth $131,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $59,392, which is more affordable than 91% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $729 a month. 86.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mabel | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $131,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $729 | $991 |
| Median household income | $59,392 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 86.7% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Mabel
| People | Mabel | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.2 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 33.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 15.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.4% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.4% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 1.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 30.3 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.7% | 90.2% |
Weather in Mabel
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 4.0°F. About 38.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.1 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mabel since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 5, 1965 about 7.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 25, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on September 4, 2012.
Severe weather in Fillmore County since 1996
Fillmore 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 |
| November 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4290: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Fillmore County
Fillmore County had 6,235 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,287 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Mabel itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Public schools in Mabel
2 public schools with 280 students, about 12.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MABEL-CANTON ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 163 | 13.6 |
| MABEL-CANTON SECONDARY | 7-12 | 117 | 10.6 |
Towns near Mabel
- Spring Grove, MN7.1 mi · 1,256 people · home $156,000
- Canton, MN7.3 mi · 653 people · home $229,200
- Harmony, MN12.2 mi · 1,043 people · home $170,100
- Caledonia, MN12.8 mi · 637 people · home $296,400
- Decorah, IA15.1 mi · 7,587 people · home $244,500
- Caledonia, MN15.6 mi · 2,847 people · home $157,900
- Lanesboro, MN16.9 mi · 724 people · home $213,200
- Preston, MN19.0 mi · 1,322 people · home $185,900
Mabel questions
Is Mabel, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mabel scores better for retirees than 90% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 52%. 33.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.2).
How much does a house cost in Mabel?
The median owner-occupied home in Mabel is valued at $131,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,392, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $729 a month.
What is the weather like in Mabel?
July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 4.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.6 inches of precipitation a year and 40.1 inches of snow.
Does Mabel get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mabel since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 5, 1965. 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)