The Town FilesPelican Rapids, Minnesota
City in Otter Tail County · population 2,577 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $174,100
- Household income
- $63,917
- Jan low / Jul high
- -1° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 54 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 38.6
Pelican Rapids is a city of 2,577 people in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $174,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for retirees than 71% of Minnesota towns.
How Pelican Rapids 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 Pelican Rapids is worth $174,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $63,917, which is more affordable than 79% of Minnesota towns. 63.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pelican Rapids | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $174,100 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | — | $991 |
| Median household income | $63,917 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 63.9% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.5% | — |
Who lives in Pelican Rapids
| People | Pelican Rapids | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.3% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.6% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 25.7% | — |
| Work from home | 8.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.9% | 90.2% |
Weather in Pelican Rapids
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows -0.9°F. About 24.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 54.0 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pelican Rapids since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 7, 2007 about 4.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 11, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on September 4, 2014.
Severe weather in Otter Tail County since 1996
Otter Tail County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| May 10, 2011 | Flood | DR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 2, 2010 | Tornado | DR-1921: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 9, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1830: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Otter Tail County
Otter Tail County had 22,910 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,013 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Pelican Rapids itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Public schools in Pelican Rapids
4 public schools with 860 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| VIKING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 460 | 11.2 |
| PELICAN RAPIDS SECONDARY | 7-12 | 400 | 14.8 |
| PELICAN RAPIDS ALT CENTER MID-LEVEL | 7-8 | — | — |
| PELICAN RAPIDS ALT LEARNING CENTER | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Pelican Rapids
- Barnesville, MN16.6 mi · 2,759 people · home $248,700
- Fergus Falls, MN19.7 mi · 14,119 people · home $194,000
- Detroit Lakes, MN19.9 mi · 9,869 people · home $265,800
- Perham, MN24.2 mi · 3,512 people · home $199,000
Pelican Rapids questions
Is Pelican Rapids, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pelican Rapids scores better for retirees than 71% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 37%. 17.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).
How much does a house cost in Pelican Rapids?
The median owner-occupied home in Pelican Rapids is valued at $174,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,917, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Pelican Rapids?
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows -0.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.8 inches of precipitation a year and 54.0 inches of snow.
Does Pelican Rapids get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pelican Rapids since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 7, 2007. 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)