The Town FilesMedford, Minnesota
City in Steele County · population 1,315 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $249,600
- Household income
- $108,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 39.3
Medford is a city of 1,315 people in Steele County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $249,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more of a college town than 95% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 83% of Minnesota towns, easier by car than 72% of Minnesota towns.
How Medford 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 Medford is worth $249,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $108,250, which is more affordable than 89% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,175 a month. 80.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Medford | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $249,600 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,175 | $991 |
| Median household income | $108,250 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 80.3% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Medford
| People | Medford | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.9% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.9% | — |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.6% | 90.2% |
Weather in Medford
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 5.1°F. About 35.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.2 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 160 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Medford since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 30, 1967 about 4.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 28, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 60 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 13, 2026.
Severe weather in Steele County since 1996
Steele County has been included in 17 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 Steele County
Steele County had 18,956 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,897 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Medford itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Towns near Medford
- Medford, MN1.3 mi · 843 people · home $57,700
- Deerfield, MN4.6 mi · 542 people · home $350,000
- Walcott, MN4.9 mi · 929 people · home $406,500
- Owatonna, MN5.4 mi · 26,420 people · home $245,200
- Warsaw, MN6.8 mi · 1,276 people · home $387,600
- Owatonna, MN8.0 mi · 613 people · home $352,200
- Warsaw, MN8.5 mi · 644 people · home $301,500
- Meriden, MN8.6 mi · 620 people · home $258,300
Medford questions
Is Medford, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Medford scores better for retirees than 15% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 17%. 10.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.3).
How much does a house cost in Medford?
The median owner-occupied home in Medford is valued at $249,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $108,250, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,175 a month.
What is the weather like in Medford?
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 5.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.5 inches of precipitation a year and 44.2 inches of snow.
Does Medford get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Medford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 30, 1967. 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)