The Town FilesMelrose, Minnesota
City in Stearns County · population 3,602 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $207,200
- Household income
- $59,677
- Jan low / Jul high
- 0° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 38.7
Melrose is a city of 3,602 people in Stearns County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $207,200, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for cycling than 94% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 79% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 74% of Minnesota towns.
How Melrose 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 Melrose is worth $207,200, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $59,677, which is more affordable than 45% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,103 a month. 73.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Melrose | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $207,200 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,103 | $991 |
| Median household income | $59,677 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 73.7% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Melrose
| People | Melrose | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.7 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.3% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.5% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.7% | — |
| Work from home | 15.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.0% | 90.2% |
Weather in Melrose
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 0.1°F. About 29.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.0 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 175 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Melrose since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 5, 1964 about 4.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 1, 2012.
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 Melrose itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.
Public schools in Melrose
7 public schools with 1,339 students, about 14.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MELROSE SECONDARY | 9-12 | 504 | 18.0 |
| MELROSE ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 476 | 12.9 |
| MELROSE MIDDLE | 6-8 | 286 | 16.8 |
| WEST CENTRAL EDUCATION DISTRICT B-2 | PK-PK | 33 | 11.0 |
| WEST CENTRAL AREA LEARNING CENTER | 6-12 | 29 | 7.3 |
| BEACON PROGRAM W CENTRAL ED. DIST. | PK-12 | 11 | 5.5 |
| WCED Credit Recovery | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Melrose
- Sauk Centre, MN7.8 mi · 4,555 people · home $225,700
- Albany, MN12.6 mi · 2,780 people · home $238,500
- Collegeville, MN19.9 mi · 3,344 people · home $468,600
- Long Prairie, MN20.7 mi · 3,661 people · home $152,000
- Wakefield, MN22.4 mi · 2,746 people · home $394,700
- Cold Spring, MN24.0 mi · 4,164 people · home $280,400
- Brockway, MN24.6 mi · 2,895 people · home $363,000
- St. Joseph, MN26.0 mi · 7,029 people · home $237,700
Melrose questions
Is Melrose, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Melrose scores better for retirees than 65% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 42%. 23.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.7).
How much does a house cost in Melrose?
The median owner-occupied home in Melrose is valued at $207,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,677, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,103 a month.
What is the weather like in Melrose?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 0.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.1 inches of precipitation a year and 39.0 inches of snow.
Does Melrose get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Melrose since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 5, 1964. 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)