The Town FilesSabin, Minnesota
City in Clay County · population 619 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $265,700
- Household income
- $128,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- -2° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 53 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 36.0
Sabin is a city of 619 people in Clay County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $265,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of Minnesota towns, more upscale than 90% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 86% of Minnesota towns.
How Sabin 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 Sabin is worth $265,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $128,500, which is more affordable than 92% of Minnesota towns. 98.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sabin | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $265,700 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | — | $991 |
| Median household income | $128,500 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 98.4% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sabin
| People | Sabin | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.0 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 36.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.4% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.7% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.0% | 90.2% |
Weather in Sabin
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows -2.1°F. About 24.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 52.7 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 183 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sabin since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on June 20, 1957 about 8.7 miles from the town center and killed 10. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 10 deaths and 106 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 20, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 103 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on June 29, 2026.
Severe weather in Clay County since 1996
Clay County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| May 10, 2011 | Flood | DR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Clay County
Clay County had 19,702 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,697 a year. Unemployment was 2.1% in 2023; in Sabin itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.
Towns near Sabin
- Dilworth, MN7.0 mi · 4,612 people · home $261,800
- Glyndon, MN7.2 mi · 1,306 people · home $264,800
- Moorhead, MN7.2 mi · 44,505 people · home $249,000
- Fargo, ND10.1 mi · 125,990 people · home $281,900
- Oakport, MN11.6 mi · 506 people · home $425,000
- Horace, ND12.3 mi · 3,085 people · home $414,500
- West Fargo, ND12.9 mi · 38,626 people · home $321,900
- Spring Prairie, MN13.3 mi · 506 people · home $305,600
Sabin questions
Is Sabin, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sabin scores better for retirees than 36% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 7%. 7.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.0).
How much does a house cost in Sabin?
The median owner-occupied home in Sabin is valued at $265,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $128,500, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Sabin?
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows -2.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.4 inches of precipitation a year and 52.7 inches of snow.
Does Sabin get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sabin since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on June 20, 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)