The Town FilesPine River, Minnesota
City in Cass County · population 911 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $180,400
- Household income
- $43,080
- Jan low / Jul high
- -1° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 38.8
Pine River is a city of 911 people in Cass County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $180,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 81% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 78% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 76% of Minnesota towns.
How Pine River 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 River is worth $180,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $43,080, which is more affordable than 18% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $700 a month. 48.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pine River | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $180,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $700 | $991 |
| Median household income | $43,080 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 48.6% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.9% | — |
Who lives in Pine River
| People | Pine River | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.2% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.1% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 11.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.3% | — |
| Work from home | 8.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.4% | 90.2% |
Weather in Pine River
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows -0.8°F. About 28.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.2 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 178 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pine River since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on August 6, 1969 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 12, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 28, 1989.
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 Pine River itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Public schools in Pine River
4 public schools with 879 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PINE RIVER-BACKUS ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 477 | 12.2 |
| PINE RIVER-BACKUS HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 352 | 12.6 |
| Pine River-Backus ALP | 9-12 | 50 | 25.0 |
| Pine River-Backus Midlevel ALP | 7-8 | — | — |
Towns near Pine River
- Wilson, MN2.6 mi · 667 people · home $223,100
- Barclay, MN3.0 mi · 525 people · home $255,300
- Pine River, MN4.1 mi · 1,186 people · home $229,200
- Walden, MN5.3 mi · 539 people · home $207,600
- Ponto Lake, MN8.8 mi · 589 people · home $359,500
- Loon Lake, MN9.2 mi · 626 people · home $371,300
- Powers, MN9.2 mi · 811 people · home $242,200
- Ideal, MN9.9 mi · 1,210 people · home $461,300
Pine River questions
Is Pine River, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pine River scores better for retirees than 75% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 76%. 23.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in Pine River?
The median owner-occupied home in Pine River is valued at $180,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $43,080, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $700 a month.
What is the weather like in Pine River?
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows -0.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.8 inches of precipitation a year and 39.2 inches of snow.
Does Pine River get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pine River since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on August 6, 1969. 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)