The Town FilesSleepy Eye, Minnesota
City in Brown County · population 3,452 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $147,600
- Household income
- $66,911
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 40.1
Sleepy Eye is a city of 3,452 people in Brown County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $147,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks hipper than 94% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 88% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 85% of Minnesota towns.
How Sleepy Eye 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 Sleepy Eye is worth $147,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $66,911, which is more affordable than 91% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $782 a month. 78.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sleepy Eye | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $147,600 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $782 | $991 |
| Median household income | $66,911 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 78.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sleepy Eye
| People | Sleepy Eye | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.1% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.7% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 14.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.8% | 90.2% |
Weather in Sleepy Eye
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 7.0°F. About 31.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.4 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sleepy Eye since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 29, 1998 about 9.4 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 21 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 23 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 13, 1997.
Severe weather in Brown County since 1996
Brown County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: 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 |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Brown County
Brown County had 13,221 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,442 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Sleepy Eye itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Sleepy Eye
2 public schools with 596 students, about 13.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLEEPY EYE ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 349 | 14.0 |
| SLEEPY EYE SEC. | 7-12 | 247 | 11.8 |
Towns near Sleepy Eye
- New Ulm, MN12.6 mi · 14,120 people · home $204,200
- St. James, MN22.3 mi · 4,793 people · home $122,100
- Redwood Falls, MN25.4 mi · 5,102 people · home $162,100
- Lake Crystal, MN28.3 mi · 2,539 people · home $204,400
Sleepy Eye questions
Is Sleepy Eye, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sleepy Eye scores better for retirees than 57% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 46%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Sleepy Eye?
The median owner-occupied home in Sleepy Eye is valued at $147,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,911, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $782 a month.
What is the weather like in Sleepy Eye?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 7.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.1 inches of precipitation a year and 41.4 inches of snow.
Does Sleepy Eye get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sleepy Eye since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 29, 1998. 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)