The Town FilesMaine Prairie, Minnesota
Township in Stearns County · population 1,886 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $395,300
- Household income
- $100,313
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 42.3
Maine Prairie is a township of 1,886 people in Stearns County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $395,300, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for families than 77% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 71% of Minnesota towns.
How Maine 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 Maine Prairie is worth $395,300, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $100,313, which is more affordable than 26% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,625 a month. 96.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Maine Prairie | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $395,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,625 | $991 |
| Median household income | $100,313 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 96.1% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.5% | — |
Who lives in Maine Prairie
| People | Maine Prairie | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.6% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 21.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.7% | 90.2% |
Weather in Maine Prairie
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 2.6°F. About 30.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 50.2 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Maine Prairie since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 11, 2016 about 4.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 11, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 49 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 17, 2010.
Severe weather in Stearns County since 1996
Stearns County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 8, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4658: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| July 25, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4131: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 28, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-4009: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Stearns County
Stearns County had 87,252 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,313 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Maine Prairie itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Towns near Maine Prairie
- Kimball, MN2.5 mi · 799 people · home $232,200
- Watkins, MN5.1 mi · 991 people · home $149,100
- Fair Haven, MN6.0 mi · 1,517 people · home $352,300
- Luxemburg, MN6.5 mi · 631 people · home $351,500
- Forest Prairie, MN7.7 mi · 987 people · home $323,300
- Southside, MN7.8 mi · 1,526 people · home $431,500
- Rockville, MN8.1 mi · 2,382 people · home $365,800
- Kingston, MN9.2 mi · 1,258 people · home $364,300
Maine Prairie questions
Is Maine Prairie, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Maine Prairie scores better for retirees than 24% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 71%. 15.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in Maine Prairie?
The median owner-occupied home in Maine Prairie is valued at $395,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $100,313, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,625 a month.
What is the weather like in Maine Prairie?
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 2.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.8 inches of precipitation a year and 50.2 inches of snow.
Does Maine Prairie get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Maine Prairie since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 11, 2016. 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)