The Town FilesPlainview, Minnesota
City in Wabasha County · population 3,483 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $245,300
- Household income
- $82,926
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 34.0
Plainview is a city of 3,483 people in Wabasha County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $245,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better transit than 89% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 86% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 85% of Minnesota towns.
How Plainview 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 Plainview is worth $245,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $82,926, which is more affordable than 69% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $828 a month. 83.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Plainview | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $245,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $828 | $991 |
| Median household income | $82,926 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 83.7% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.1% | — |
Who lives in Plainview
| People | Plainview | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.0 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 32.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.9% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.1% | 90.2% |
Weather in Plainview
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 4.2°F. About 35.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.3 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 170 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plainview since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 17, 2026 about 4.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 20, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 45 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 11, 2022.
Severe weather in Wabasha County since 1996
Wabasha County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms 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 Wabasha County
Wabasha County had 6,566 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,637 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Plainview itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Plainview
2 public schools with 899 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLAINVIEW-ELGIN-MILLVILLE HIGH | 9-12 | 464 | 17.8 |
| PLAINVIEW-ELGIN-MILLVILLE PK-3 | PK-3 | 435 | 13.2 |
Towns near Plainview
- St. Charles, MN14.6 mi · 3,990 people · home $256,600
- Cascade, MN15.5 mi · 2,837 people · home $506,800
- Wabasha, MN15.5 mi · 2,559 people · home $262,300
- Marion, MN16.5 mi · 4,027 people · home $416,100
- Rochester, MN18.5 mi · 121,395 people · home $310,500
- Lake City, MN20.2 mi · 5,252 people · home $238,700
- Chatfield, MN22.1 mi · 2,997 people · home $241,600
- Pine Island, MN22.9 mi · 3,769 people · home $350,500
Plainview questions
Is Plainview, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plainview scores better for retirees than 75% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 17%. 15.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.0).
How much does a house cost in Plainview?
The median owner-occupied home in Plainview is valued at $245,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,926, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $828 a month.
What is the weather like in Plainview?
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 4.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.5 inches of precipitation a year and 48.3 inches of snow.
Does Plainview get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Plainview since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 17, 2026. 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)