The Town FilesSebeka, Minnesota
City in Wadena County · population 741 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $84,300
- Household income
- $39,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- -2° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 42.5
Sebeka is a city of 741 people in Wadena County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $84,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 83% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 75% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 71% of Minnesota towns.
How Sebeka 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 Sebeka is worth $84,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $39,000, which is more affordable than 91% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $688 a month. 58.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sebeka | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $84,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $688 | $991 |
| Median household income | $39,000 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 58.6% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.3% | — |
Who lives in Sebeka
| People | Sebeka | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.5 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.0% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.9% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.6% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 10.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 1.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.8% | 90.2% |
Weather in Sebeka
July highs average 79.0°F and January lows -1.9°F. About 26.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.1 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 184 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sebeka since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on June 17, 2010 about 7.8 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 26 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 24, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 48 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 17, 2010.
Severe weather in Wadena County since 1996
Wadena County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Wadena County
Wadena County had 5,650 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,358 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Sebeka itself the ACS puts it at 6.8%.
Public schools in Sebeka
2 public schools with 482 students, about 13.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEBEKA SECONDARY | 7-12 | 245 | 15.3 |
| SEBEKA ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 237 | 11.3 |
Towns near Sebeka
- Red Eye, MN3.6 mi · 506 people · home $236,100
- Menahga, MN8.6 mi · 1,340 people · home $155,500
- Blueberry, MN10.2 mi · 828 people · home $266,000
- Runeberg, MN11.3 mi · 639 people · home $241,700
- Wadena, MN12.7 mi · 4,325 people · home $160,800
- Straight River, MN14.8 mi · 788 people · home $248,800
- Newton, MN14.9 mi · 815 people · home $256,000
- Wadena, MN15.5 mi · 907 people · home $179,600
Sebeka questions
Is Sebeka, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sebeka scores better for retirees than 71% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 58%. 19.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.5).
How much does a house cost in Sebeka?
The median owner-occupied home in Sebeka is valued at $84,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $39,000, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $688 a month.
What is the weather like in Sebeka?
July highs average 79.0°F and January lows -1.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 26.9 inches of precipitation a year and 48.1 inches of snow.
Does Sebeka get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sebeka since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on June 17, 2010. 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)