The Town FilesRock Creek, Minnesota
City in Pine County · population 1,682 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $318,200
- Household income
- $94,856
- Jan low / Jul high
- 1° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 36.3
Rock Creek is a city of 1,682 people in Pine County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $318,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 76% of Minnesota towns, better for families than 74% of Minnesota towns.
How Rock Creek 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 Rock Creek is worth $318,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $94,856, which is more affordable than 50% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $872 a month. 96.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rock Creek | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $318,200 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $872 | $991 |
| Median household income | $94,856 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 96.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.6% | — |
Who lives in Rock Creek
| People | Rock Creek | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 31.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 33.2 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.2% | 90.2% |
Weather in Rock Creek
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 1.2°F. About 33.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.6 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 177 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rock Creek since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 21, 1957 about 3.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 7, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 49 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 Rock Creek itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Towns near Rock Creek
- Pine City, MN3.4 mi · 1,381 people · home $288,800
- Rushseba, MN5.4 mi · 815 people · home $300,800
- Pine City, MN6.1 mi · 3,130 people · home $186,900
- Rush City, MN6.1 mi · 3,228 people · home $233,100
- Royalton, MN8.1 mi · 1,034 people · home $287,500
- Chengwatana, MN8.4 mi · 917 people · home $262,800
- Grantsburg, WI8.9 mi · 1,174 people · home $206,400
- Nessel, MN9.6 mi · 1,907 people · home $413,300
Rock Creek questions
Is Rock Creek, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rock Creek scores better for retirees than 7% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 55%. 11.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.3).
How much does a house cost in Rock Creek?
The median owner-occupied home in Rock Creek is valued at $318,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $94,856, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $872 a month.
What is the weather like in Rock Creek?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 1.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.8 inches of precipitation a year and 49.6 inches of snow.
Does Rock Creek get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rock Creek 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)