The Town FilesPaynesville, Minnesota
City in Stearns County · population 2,388 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $178,200
- Household income
- $75,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 1° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 36.1
Paynesville is a city of 2,388 people in Stearns County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $178,200, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Minnesota towns, better transit than 98% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 93% of Minnesota towns.
How Paynesville 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 Paynesville is worth $178,200, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $75,250, which is more affordable than 86% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $815 a month. 68.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Paynesville | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $178,200 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $815 | $991 |
| Median household income | $75,250 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 68.6% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.0% | — |
Who lives in Paynesville
| People | Paynesville | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.2% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 9.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 6.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.6% | 90.2% |
Weather in Paynesville
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 1.4°F. About 31.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.0 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Paynesville since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on August 14, 2020 about 9.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 14, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on July 17, 2010.
Severe weather in Stearns County since 1996
Stearns County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| July 25, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4131: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 28, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-4009: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Stearns County
Stearns County had 87,252 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,313 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Paynesville itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Paynesville
2 public schools with 920 students, about 15.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paynesville Area Secondary School | 6-12 | 484 | 15.1 |
| Paynesville Area Elementary | PK-5 | 436 | 16.1 |
Towns near Paynesville
- Paynesville, MN1.8 mi · 1,421 people · home $367,400
- Roseville, MN4.8 mi · 637 people · home $332,300
- Union Grove, MN6.7 mi · 681 people · home $286,000
- Eden Lake, MN7.2 mi · 1,584 people · home $360,900
- Irving, MN8.4 mi · 965 people · home $408,600
- Munson, MN8.5 mi · 1,450 people · home $398,800
- Eden Valley, MN9.3 mi · 1,027 people · home $161,300
- Manannah, MN10.1 mi · 577 people · home $242,400
Paynesville questions
Is Paynesville, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Paynesville scores better for retirees than 93% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 24%. 27.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.1).
How much does a house cost in Paynesville?
The median owner-occupied home in Paynesville is valued at $178,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,250, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $815 a month.
What is the weather like in Paynesville?
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 1.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.4 inches of precipitation a year and 49.0 inches of snow.
Does Paynesville get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Paynesville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on August 14, 2020. 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)