The Town FilesNowthen, Minnesota
City in Anoka County · population 4,536 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $460,000
- Household income
- $160,417
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 56 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 40.3
Nowthen is a city of 4,536 people in Anoka County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $460,000, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for families than 98% of Minnesota towns, more upscale than 95% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 94% of Minnesota towns.
How Nowthen 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 Nowthen is worth $460,000, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $160,417, which is more affordable than 74% of Minnesota towns. 97.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Nowthen | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $460,000 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | — | $991 |
| Median household income | $160,417 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 97.3% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Nowthen
| People | Nowthen | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 29.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.9% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 24.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.6% | 90.2% |
Weather in Nowthen
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 3.5°F. About 32.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 56.0 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 163 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Nowthen since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 19, 1951 about 9.8 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 9 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 29, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 94 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 5, 2019.
Severe weather in Anoka County since 1996
Anoka County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| June 7, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1990: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3242: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| May 16, 2001 | Flood | DR-1370: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Anoka County
Anoka County had 133,130 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,235 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Nowthen itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Towns near Nowthen
- St. Francis, MN4.4 mi · 8,142 people · home $327,600
- Elk River, MN5.7 mi · 25,835 people · home $370,100
- Ramsey, MN5.7 mi · 27,646 people · home $359,600
- Oak Grove, MN5.9 mi · 8,929 people · home $423,300
- Andover, MN8.3 mi · 32,601 people · home $410,200
- Livonia, MN8.4 mi · 6,174 people · home $411,200
- Anoka, MN9.3 mi · 17,921 people · home $308,700
- Zimmerman, MN9.8 mi · 6,189 people · home $323,600
Nowthen questions
Is Nowthen, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Nowthen scores better for retirees than 22% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 24%. 12.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.3).
How much does a house cost in Nowthen?
The median owner-occupied home in Nowthen is valued at $460,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $160,417, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Nowthen?
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 3.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.9 inches of precipitation a year and 56.0 inches of snow.
Does Nowthen get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Nowthen since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 19, 1951. 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)