The Town FilesOrtonville, Minnesota
City in Big Stone County · population 2,021 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $166,300
- Household income
- $56,133
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 46.9
Ortonville is a city of 2,021 people in Big Stone County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $166,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks hipper than 94% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 87% of Minnesota towns, better transit than 86% of Minnesota towns.
How Ortonville 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 Ortonville is worth $166,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $56,133, which is more affordable than 69% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $747 a month. 78.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ortonville | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $166,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $747 | $991 |
| Median household income | $56,133 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 78.3% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 12.2% | — |
Who lives in Ortonville
| People | Ortonville | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.3% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.1% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 10.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.6% | 90.2% |
Weather in Ortonville
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 3.5°F. About 25.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.6 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ortonville since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 17, 1996 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 13, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 13, 1958.
Severe weather in Big Stone County since 1996
Big Stone County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Big Stone County
Big Stone County had 1,694 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,377 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Ortonville itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Ortonville
3 public schools with 497 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| KNOLL ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 267 | 15.7 |
| ORTONVILLE SECONDARY | 7-12 | 230 | 12.8 |
| Contract - 02 | K-12 | — | — |
Towns near Ortonville
- Milbank, SD10.9 mi · 3,544 people · home $155,000
- Graceville, MN18.4 mi · 529 people · home $121,400
- Appleton, MN21.6 mi · 1,392 people · home $77,000
- Madison, MN23.5 mi · 1,518 people · home $97,000
- Browns Valley, MN27.7 mi · 558 people · home $73,800
Ortonville questions
Is Ortonville, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ortonville scores better for retirees than 82% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 58%. 29.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.9).
How much does a house cost in Ortonville?
The median owner-occupied home in Ortonville is valued at $166,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,133, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $747 a month.
What is the weather like in Ortonville?
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 3.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.4 inches of precipitation a year and 43.6 inches of snow.
Does Ortonville get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ortonville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 17, 1996. 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)