The Town FilesOrono, Minnesota
City in Hennepin County · population 8,315 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,004,500
- Household income
- $173,527
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 55 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 46.6
Orono is a city of 8,315 people in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $1,004,500, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more upscale than 98% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 97% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 92% of Minnesota towns.
How Orono 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 Orono is worth $1,004,500, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $173,527, which is more affordable than 1% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,818 a month. 90.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Orono | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,004,500 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,818 | $991 |
| Median household income | $173,527 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 90.9% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.7% | — |
Who lives in Orono
| People | Orono | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.6% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 72.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.2% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.3% | — |
| Work from home | 31.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.4% | 90.2% |
Weather in Orono
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 5.6°F. About 32.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 54.7 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orono since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 6, 1965 about 2.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 8 deaths and 220 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 28, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 134 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 5, 2019.
Severe weather in Hennepin County since 1996
Hennepin County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| November 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4290: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| July 25, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4131: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Hennepin County
Hennepin County had 917,117 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $90,157 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Orono itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Towns near Orono
- Wayzata, MN3.5 mi · 4,434 people · home $1,153,400
- Deephaven, MN3.5 mi · 3,899 people · home $935,900
- Mound, MN4.0 mi · 9,398 people · home $370,800
- Shorewood, MN4.1 mi · 7,783 people · home $703,200
- Medina, MN5.1 mi · 6,837 people · home $736,700
- Minnetrista, MN6.3 mi · 8,262 people · home $658,300
- Minnetonka, MN6.7 mi · 53,781 people · home $475,800
- Victoria, MN7.4 mi · 10,546 people · home $581,200
Orono questions
Is Orono, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orono scores better for retirees than 68% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 12%. 17.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.6).
How much does a house cost in Orono?
The median owner-occupied home in Orono is valued at $1,004,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $173,527, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $1,818 a month.
What is the weather like in Orono?
July highs average 81.4°F and January lows 5.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.8 inches of precipitation a year and 54.7 inches of snow.
Does Orono get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orono since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 6, 1965. 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)