The Town FilesPillager, Minnesota
City in Cass County · population 507 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $180,300
- Household income
- $67,679
- Jan low / Jul high
- -1° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 41.2
Pillager is a city of 507 people in Cass County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $180,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 88% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 81% of Minnesota towns, better for a vacation home than 76% of Minnesota towns.
How Pillager 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 Pillager is worth $180,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $67,679, which is more affordable than 79% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,063 a month. 64.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pillager | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $180,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,063 | $991 |
| Median household income | $67,679 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 64.0% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Pillager
| People | Pillager | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.6% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.2% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.4% | 90.2% |
Weather in Pillager
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows -1.2°F. About 27.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.3 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 175 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pillager since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 26, 1977 about 1.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 57 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 12, 2015.
Severe weather in Cass County since 1996
Cass County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: 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 Cass County
Cass County had 10,661 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,904 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Pillager itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Public schools in Pillager
4 public schools with 1,331 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PILLAGER ELEMENTARY | PK-4 | 522 | 12.7 |
| Pillager Middle School | 5-8 | 405 | 16.9 |
| Pillager Senior High School | 9-12 | 364 | 16.5 |
| Central Lakes Adventure School (charter) | 7-12 | 40 | 13.3 |
Towns near Pillager
- Sylvan, MN3.9 mi · 2,889 people · home $298,200
- Scandia Valley, MN5.4 mi · 1,315 people · home $363,100
- Fairview, MN6.3 mi · 889 people · home $481,700
- May, MN6.6 mi · 842 people · home $262,700
- East Gull Lake, MN7.1 mi · 986 people · home $553,700
- Motley, MN7.9 mi · 680 people · home $152,800
- Baxter, MN9.6 mi · 8,612 people · home $324,100
- Fort Ripley, MN9.7 mi · 1,009 people · home $322,300
Pillager questions
Is Pillager, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pillager scores better for retirees than 66% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 81%. 19.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).
How much does a house cost in Pillager?
The median owner-occupied home in Pillager is valued at $180,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,679, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,063 a month.
What is the weather like in Pillager?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows -1.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.1 inches of precipitation a year and 49.3 inches of snow.
Does Pillager get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pillager since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 26, 1977. 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)