The Town FilesMotley, Minnesota
City in Morrison County · population 680 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $152,800
- Household income
- $47,222
- Jan low / Jul high
- -1° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 56.1
Motley is a city of 680 people in Morrison County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $152,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks quieter than 91% of Minnesota towns, hipper than 82% of Minnesota towns, better for a vacation home than 73% of Minnesota towns.
How Motley 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 Motley is worth $152,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $47,222, which is more affordable than 62% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $653 a month. 63.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Motley | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $152,800 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $653 | $991 |
| Median household income | $47,222 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 63.6% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Motley
| People | Motley | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 15.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.7% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.9% | 90.2% |
Weather in Motley
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows -1.2°F. About 27.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.3 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 175 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Motley since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 26, 1977 about 6.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 48 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 17, 2010.
Severe weather in Morrison County since 1996
Morrison County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms 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 |
| July 25, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4131: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Morrison County
Morrison County had 11,175 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,270 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Motley itself the ACS puts it at 7.1%.
Towns near Motley
- May, MN4.2 mi · 842 people · home $262,700
- Villard, MN4.6 mi · 667 people · home $286,200
- Fawn Lake, MN7.6 mi · 538 people · home $232,200
- Pillager, MN7.9 mi · 507 people · home $180,300
- Staples, MN8.6 mi · 2,989 people · home $130,000
- Scandia Valley, MN9.0 mi · 1,315 people · home $363,100
- Staples, MN10.0 mi · 597 people · home $191,800
- Fairview, MN11.4 mi · 889 people · home $481,700
Motley questions
Is Motley, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Motley scores better for retirees than 15% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 91%. 31.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.1).
How much does a house cost in Motley?
The median owner-occupied home in Motley is valued at $152,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,222, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $653 a month.
What is the weather like in Motley?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows -1.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.1 inches of precipitation a year and 49.3 inches of snow.
Does Motley get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Motley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 26, 1977. 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)