The Town FilesPine City, Minnesota
City in Pine County · population 3,130 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $186,900
- Household income
- $52,056
- Jan low / Jul high
- -1° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 41.0
Pine City is a city of 3,130 people in Pine County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $186,900, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks hipper than 94% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 89% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 84% of Minnesota towns.
How Pine City 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 Pine City is worth $186,900, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $52,056, which is more affordable than 40% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $680 a month. 60.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pine City | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $186,900 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $680 | $991 |
| Median household income | $52,056 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 60.9% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.4% | — |
Who lives in Pine City
| People | Pine City | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.9% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.4% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.3% | 90.2% |
Weather in Pine City
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows -0.9°F. About 33.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 47.9 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 183 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pine City since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 21, 1957 about 9.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 17, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 54 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 19, 2019.
Severe weather in Pine County since 1996
Pine County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 9, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4666: 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 |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Pine County
Pine County had 7,799 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,269 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Pine City itself the ACS puts it at 8.3%.
Public schools in Pine City
9 public schools with 1,614 students, about 17.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PINE CITY ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 850 | 17.7 |
| PINE CITY SECONDARY | 7-12 | 699 | 19.4 |
| PINE CITY AREA LEARNING CENTER | 9-12 | 33 | 16.5 |
| Vision | K-12 | 20 | 5.0 |
| EARLY CHILDHOOD | PK-PK | 12 | 6.0 |
| Online Academy Elementary | K-5 | — | — |
| MidLevel ALC | 7-11 | — | — |
| Online Academy High | 9-12 | — | — |
| Online Academy Middle | 6-8 | — | — |
Towns near Pine City
- Pokegama, MN4.2 mi · 2,825 people · home $316,000
- Rush City, MN10.6 mi · 3,228 people · home $233,100
- Mora, MN15.8 mi · 3,665 people · home $171,800
- North Branch, MN22.9 mi · 10,787 people · home $322,300
- Cambridge, MN23.1 mi · 9,611 people · home $251,600
- Isanti, MN27.6 mi · 6,804 people · home $290,600
- Bradford, MN28.7 mi · 3,427 people · home $336,800
Pine City questions
Is Pine City, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pine City scores better for retirees than 23% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 24%. 22.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.0).
How much does a house cost in Pine City?
The median owner-occupied home in Pine City is valued at $186,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,056, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $680 a month.
What is the weather like in Pine City?
July highs average 79.4°F and January lows -0.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.0 inches of precipitation a year and 47.9 inches of snow.
Does Pine City get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pine City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 21, 1957. 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)