The Town FilesMinnewaska, Minnesota
Township in Pope County · population 513 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $450,000
- Household income
- $120,833
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 49.1
Minnewaska is a township of 513 people in Pope County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $450,000, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 89% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 84% of Minnesota towns, hipper than 84% of Minnesota towns.
How Minnewaska 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 Minnewaska is worth $450,000, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $120,833, which is more affordable than 34% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,250 a month. 94.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Minnewaska | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $450,000 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,250 | $991 |
| Median household income | $120,833 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 94.1% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 39.4% | — |
Who lives in Minnewaska
| People | Minnewaska | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.6% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.9% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 8.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 11.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.6% | 90.2% |
Weather in Minnewaska
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 1.5°F. About 26.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 46.3 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
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Minnewaska since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 18, 1964 about 0.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 30, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 54 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 11, 2008.
Severe weather in Pope County since 1996
Pope County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 9, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4666: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Pope County
Pope County had 4,459 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,347 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Minnewaska itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Towns near Minnewaska
- Starbuck, MN3.8 mi · 1,365 people · home $168,300
- Glenwood, MN4.1 mi · 2,657 people · home $179,400
- Glenwood, MN5.8 mi · 1,169 people · home $367,300
- Leven, MN7.9 mi · 536 people · home $385,500
- Lake Mary, MN10.9 mi · 1,158 people · home $396,100
- Holmes City, MN13.1 mi · 799 people · home $352,000
- Hudson, MN13.5 mi · 944 people · home $384,200
- Alexandria, MN17.3 mi · 14,335 people · home $275,300
Minnewaska questions
Is Minnewaska, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Minnewaska scores better for retirees than 84% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 64%. 17.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.1).
How much does a house cost in Minnewaska?
The median owner-occupied home in Minnewaska is valued at $450,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $120,833, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,250 a month.
What is the weather like in Minnewaska?
July highs average 82.9°F and January lows 1.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 26.4 inches of precipitation a year and 46.3 inches of snow.
Does Minnewaska get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Minnewaska since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 18, 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)