The Town FilesOwatonna, Minnesota
City in Steele County · population 26,420 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $245,200
- Household income
- $80,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 40.4
Owatonna is a city of 26,420 people in Steele County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $245,200, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more walkable than 95% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 94% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 89% of Minnesota towns.
How Owatonna 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 Owatonna is worth $245,200, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $80,750, which is more affordable than 69% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,067 a month. 75.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Owatonna | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $245,200 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,067 | $991 |
| Median household income | $80,750 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 75.6% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Owatonna
| People | Owatonna | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.4 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.3% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.2% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 8.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.7% | — |
| Work from home | 8.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 17.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.9% | 90.2% |
Weather in Owatonna
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 5.1°F. About 35.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.2 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 160 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Owatonna since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 30, 1967 about 0.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 19, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 13, 2026.
Severe weather in Steele County since 1996
Steele County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| November 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4290: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Steele County
Steele County had 18,956 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,897 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Owatonna itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in Owatonna
10 public schools with 2,783 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owatonna Middle School | 6-8 | 1,015 | 15.4 |
| WILSON ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 560 | 17.0 |
| WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 484 | 12.7 |
| MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 483 | 13.8 |
| OWATONNA ECSE | PK-PK | 107 | 6.7 |
| OWATONNA ALC 9-12 | 9-12 | 90 | 8.2 |
| CHOICE Technical Academy (charter) | 7-12 | 44 | 44.0 |
| OWATONNA SUMMER SCHOOL 9-12 | 9-12 | — | — |
| Owatonna Night School | 9-12 | — | — |
| Owatonna Summer School 6-8 | 6-8 | — | — |
Towns near Owatonna
- Waseca, MN13.5 mi · 9,229 people · home $189,200
- Faribault, MN14.5 mi · 24,453 people · home $241,500
- Dodge Center, MN19.3 mi · 2,844 people · home $197,600
- Kasson, MN24.3 mi · 6,851 people · home $285,200
- Northfield, MN25.3 mi · 20,790 people · home $329,400
- Lonsdale, MN28.3 mi · 4,686 people · home $357,000
- Byron, MN29.6 mi · 6,312 people · home $345,300
- Montgomery, MN29.9 mi · 3,249 people · home $234,700
Owatonna questions
Is Owatonna, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Owatonna scores better for retirees than 30% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 6%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.4).
How much does a house cost in Owatonna?
The median owner-occupied home in Owatonna is valued at $245,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,750, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,067 a month.
What is the weather like in Owatonna?
July highs average 81.7°F and January lows 5.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.5 inches of precipitation a year and 44.2 inches of snow.
Does Owatonna get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Owatonna since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 30, 1967. 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)