The Town FilesOlivia, Minnesota
City in Renville County · population 2,343 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $159,200
- Household income
- $63,098
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 44.1
Olivia is a city of 2,343 people in Renville County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $159,200, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks hipper than 97% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 94% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 91% of Minnesota towns.
How Olivia 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 Olivia is worth $159,200, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $63,098, which is more affordable than 84% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $780 a month. 66.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Olivia | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $159,200 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $780 | $991 |
| Median household income | $63,098 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 66.0% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Olivia
| People | Olivia | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.3% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 9.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 6.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 17.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.7% | 90.2% |
Weather in Olivia
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 2.1°F. About 27.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.7 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 170 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Olivia since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 16, 1992 about 6.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 9, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 1, 2011.
Severe weather in Renville County since 1996
Renville County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Renville County
Renville County had 5,483 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,239 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Olivia itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Public schools in Olivia
4 public schools with 619 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOLD-Bird Island Elementary | K-4 | 219 | 10.0 |
| BOLD Senior High School | 9-12 | 219 | 10.4 |
| BOLD Middle School | 5-8 | 181 | — |
| BOLD ALP | 7-12 | — | — |
Towns near Olivia
- Bird Island, MN5.1 mi · 1,005 people · home $142,100
- Renville, MN10.2 mi · 1,301 people · home $126,400
- Hector, MN14.2 mi · 1,012 people · home $132,000
- Prinsburg, MN14.3 mi · 520 people · home $197,200
- Redwood Falls, MN16.7 mi · 5,102 people · home $162,100
- Whitefield, MN16.8 mi · 512 people · home $171,100
- Sacred Heart, MN17.3 mi · 510 people · home $85,700
- Cosmos, MN18.4 mi · 507 people · home $105,500
Olivia questions
Is Olivia, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Olivia scores better for retirees than 44% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 9%. 23.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.1).
How much does a house cost in Olivia?
The median owner-occupied home in Olivia is valued at $159,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,098, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $780 a month.
What is the weather like in Olivia?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 2.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.9 inches of precipitation a year and 37.7 inches of snow.
Does Olivia get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Olivia since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 16, 1992. 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)