The Town Files

Nicollet, Minnesota

City in Nicollet County · population 1,143 (2020 Census)

Map: where Nicollet is in MinnesotaNicollet
Median home
$239,700
Household income
$84,643
Jan low / Jul high
4° / 81°
Snow a year
38 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
25
Median age
32.8

Nicollet is a city of 1,143 people in Nicollet County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $239,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 84% of Minnesota towns, more upscale than 74% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 71% of Minnesota towns.

How Nicollet 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.

Nicollet lifestyle rankings vs other Minnesota townsRetirement62nd pctFamilies64th pctQuiet39th pctWalkability28th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals71st pctVibrancy23rd pctHip & trendy26th pctCollege town65th pctUpscale74th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling60th pctTransit50th pctDriving84th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Nicollet is worth $239,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $84,643, which is more affordable than 77% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $855 a month. 65.7% of households own their home.

Nicollet vs Nicollet County vs typical Minnesota townNicolletNicollet CountyTypical Minnesota townHome value$239,700$270,300$301,800Household income$84,643$79,756$87,375Monthly rent$855$970$991
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Minnesota towns with 500+ people.
HousingNicolletTypical Minnesota town
Median home value$239,700$301,800
Median rent$855$991
Median household income$84,643$87,375
Home value ÷ income2.8×3.4×
Homeownership65.7%88.6%
Median year built19821979
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Nicollet

PeopleNicolletTypical Minnesota town
Median age32.842.7
Age 65 and over12.3%20.0%
Under 1822.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher24.2%26.2%
Below the poverty line6.6%6.9%
Veterans3.2%—
Born outside the U.S.1.6%—
Work from home13.9%11.1%
Average commute18.8 min24.5 min
Homes with broadband84.8%90.2%

Weather in Nicollet

July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 3.6°F. About 32.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.3 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.

Nicollet monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing23°4°Jan27°7°Feb40°20°Mar56°33°Apr68°46°May78°57°Jun81°61°Jul79°58°Aug73°50°Sep59°36°Oct42°23°Nov28°12°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue0.88.30.97.41.85.83.12.04.55.13.94.13.22.60.21.65.01.19.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the New Ulm 3Se station (11.0 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 3 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Nicollet since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 29, 1998 about 7.2 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 19 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 16, 2025.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Nicollet by decade01950s01960s21970s41980s71990s12000s82010s32020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on March 29, 1998.

Severe weather in Nicollet County since 1996

Storm events in Nicollet County since 1996 by typeHail91Flood12Tornado20Blizzard30High Wind15Heavy Snow13Flash Flood12Winter Storm66
NOAA Storm Events Database, Nicollet County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

Nicollet County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
June 28, 2024FloodDR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding
April 7, 2020BiologicalDR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3453: Covid-19
June 12, 2019FloodDR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
September 5, 2018FloodDR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding

Jobs and pay in Nicollet County

Nicollet County had 14,609 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,235 a year. Unemployment was 2.2% in 2023; in Nicollet itself the ACS puts it at 2%.

Largest industries in Nicollet CountyManufacturing3,228 jobs · $59,347Retail1,232 jobs · $36,188Hotels & restaurants911 jobs · $18,409Other services397 jobs · $46,292Construction349 jobs · $63,950Information341 jobs · $94,167
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Nicollet County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023Nicollet 2.2%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Nicollet

3 public schools with 338 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Nicollet High School7-1217013.1
NICOLLET ELEMENTARY SCHOOLPK-616313.6
Nicollet Early Childhood Special EdPK-PK5—

Towns near Nicollet

Nicollet questions

Is Nicollet, Minnesota a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Nicollet scores better for retirees than 62% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 39%. 12.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.8).

How much does a house cost in Nicollet?

The median owner-occupied home in Nicollet is valued at $239,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,643, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $855 a month.

What is the weather like in Nicollet?

July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 3.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.8 inches of precipitation a year and 38.3 inches of snow.

Does Nicollet get tornadoes?

25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Nicollet since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 29, 1998. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Nicollet's Census boundary (GEOID 2746150). Comparisons use the median of Minnesota towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.