The Town FilesPembina, Minnesota
Township in Mahnomen County · population 621 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $174,400
- Household income
- $59,191
- Jan low / Jul high
- -2° / 79°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 33.2
Pembina is a township of 621 people in Mahnomen County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $174,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks hipper than 79% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 77% of Minnesota towns, better transit than 75% of Minnesota towns.
How Pembina 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 Pembina is worth $174,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $59,191, which is more affordable than 74% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $600 a month. 63.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pembina | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $174,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $600 | $991 |
| Median household income | $59,191 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 63.5% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Pembina
| People | Pembina | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.2 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 32.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.7% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.5% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.7% | — |
| Work from home | 5.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 17.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.1% | 90.2% |
Weather in Pembina
July highs average 78.5°F and January lows -2.5°F. About 26.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 185 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pembina since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 24, 2023 about 3.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 24, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 10, 1972.
Severe weather in Mahnomen County since 1996
Mahnomen 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 |
| July 13, 2022 | Flood | DR-4659: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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 |
Jobs and pay in Mahnomen County
Mahnomen County had 1,989 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,380 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Pembina itself the ACS puts it at 9.2%.
Towns near Pembina
- Mahnomen, MN3.8 mi · 1,240 people · home $83,200
- Twin Valley, MN11.8 mi · 723 people · home $93,400
- White Earth, MN12.8 mi · 765 people · home $163,200
- White Earth, MN13.5 mi · 522 people · home —
- Naytahwaush, MN17.8 mi · 504 people · home $88,800
- Twin Lakes, MN20.1 mi · 727 people · home $121,500
- Fertile, MN22.2 mi · 804 people · home $129,500
- Garfield, MN22.2 mi · 519 people · home $247,300
Pembina questions
Is Pembina, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pembina scores better for retirees than 16% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 20%. 18.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.2).
How much does a house cost in Pembina?
The median owner-occupied home in Pembina is valued at $174,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,191, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $600 a month.
What is the weather like in Pembina?
July highs average 78.5°F and January lows -2.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 26.4 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Pembina get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pembina since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 24, 2023. 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)