The Town FilesMontevideo, Minnesota
City in Chippewa County · population 5,398 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $141,000
- Household income
- $68,596
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 41.9
Montevideo is a city of 5,398 people in Chippewa County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $141,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks hipper than 96% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 90% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 87% of Minnesota towns.
How Montevideo 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 Montevideo is worth $141,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $68,596, which is more affordable than 92% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $851 a month. 65.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Montevideo | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $141,000 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $851 | $991 |
| Median household income | $68,596 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 65.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Montevideo
| People | Montevideo | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.6% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 10.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.2% | — |
| Work from home | 4.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 15.2 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.7% | 90.2% |
Weather in Montevideo
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 2.0°F. About 29.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.5 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 172 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Montevideo since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on July 25, 2000 about 4.2 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 15 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 54 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on September 12, 2005.
Severe weather in Chippewa County since 1996
Chippewa County has been included in 21 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 Chippewa County
Chippewa County had 5,290 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,949 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Montevideo itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.
Public schools in Montevideo
9 public schools with 1,480 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MONTEVIDEO MIDDLE | 5-8 | 422 | 18.3 |
| MONTEVIDEO SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 400 | 16.7 |
| RAMSEY ELEMENTARY | K-2 | 282 | 14.1 |
| Sanford Elementary School | 1-4 | 259 | 14.4 |
| MN River Valley ALC-Seatbased | 7-12 | 58 | 11.6 |
| Hawks Nest Early Childhood Center | PK-PK | 33 | 16.5 |
| SWWC ELC - Montevideo | K-12 | 26 | 5.2 |
| MN RIVER VALLEY ALC-SUMMER | 7-10 | — | — |
| MN River Valley Ed-Online Learning | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Montevideo
- Granite Falls, MN13.0 mi · 2,737 people · home $136,700
- Benson, MN25.8 mi · 3,480 people · home $156,000
Montevideo questions
Is Montevideo, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Montevideo scores better for retirees than 90% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 18%. 22.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.9).
How much does a house cost in Montevideo?
The median owner-occupied home in Montevideo is valued at $141,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,596, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $851 a month.
What is the weather like in Montevideo?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 2.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.4 inches of precipitation a year and 45.5 inches of snow.
Does Montevideo get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Montevideo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on July 25, 2000. 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)