The Town FilesRenville, Minnesota
City in Renville County · population 1,301 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $126,400
- Household income
- $69,306
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 29.4
Renville is a city of 1,301 people in Renville County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $126,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 95% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 73% of Minnesota towns.
How Renville 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 Renville is worth $126,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $69,306, which is more affordable than 97% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $676 a month. 70.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Renville | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $126,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $676 | $991 |
| Median household income | $69,306 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 70.1% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Renville
| People | Renville | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.4 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 33.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.7% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.1% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.3% | — |
| Work from home | 2.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 17.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.9% | 90.2% |
Weather in Renville
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 2.1°F. About 27.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.3 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 170 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Renville since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 16, 1992 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 2, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 1, 2011.
Severe weather in Renville County since 1996
Renville County has been included in 22 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 |
| 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 |
| July 8, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4658: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Renville County
Renville County had 5,483 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,239 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Renville itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Renville
2 public schools with 561 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| RENVILLE COUNTY WEST ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 332 | 13.8 |
| RENVILLE COUNTY WEST SENIOR HIGH | 7-12 | 229 | 15.3 |
Towns near Renville
- Sacred Heart, MN7.2 mi · 510 people · home $85,700
- Prinsburg, MN10.0 mi · 520 people · home $197,200
- Olivia, MN10.2 mi · 2,343 people · home $159,200
- Clara City, MN14.0 mi · 1,423 people · home $114,300
- Bird Island, MN15.3 mi · 1,005 people · home $142,100
- Raymond, MN15.8 mi · 782 people · home $158,100
- Granite Falls, MN16.6 mi · 2,737 people · home $136,700
- Whitefield, MN17.0 mi · 512 people · home $171,100
Renville questions
Is Renville, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Renville scores better for retirees than 33% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 49%. 15.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.4).
How much does a house cost in Renville?
The median owner-occupied home in Renville is valued at $126,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,306, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $676 a month.
What is the weather like in Renville?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 2.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.9 inches of precipitation a year and 43.3 inches of snow.
Does Renville get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Renville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 16, 1992. 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)