The Town FilesSmiley, Minnesota
Township in Pennington County · population 620 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $271,400
- Household income
- $90,893
- Jan low / Jul high
- -3° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 45.8
Smiley is a township of 620 people in Pennington County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $271,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800).
How Smiley 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 Smiley is worth $271,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $90,893, which is more affordable than 69% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,042 a month. 89.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Smiley | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $271,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,042 | $991 |
| Median household income | $90,893 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 89.0% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Smiley
| People | Smiley | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.1% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.1% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 19.1 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.0% | 90.2% |
Weather in Smiley
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows -3.2°F. About 24.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.9 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 183 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Smiley since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 25, 1983 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 13, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 15, 2001.
Severe weather in Pennington County since 1996
Pennington County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 13, 2022 | Flood | DR-4659: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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 |
| April 19, 2010 | Flood | DR-1900: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Pennington County
Pennington County had 9,793 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,946 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Smiley itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.
Towns near Smiley
- Rocksbury, MN6.3 mi · 1,102 people · home $231,600
- Thief River Falls, MN6.9 mi · 8,749 people · home $175,400
- North, MN8.0 mi · 761 people · home $254,500
- Red Lake Falls, MN16.2 mi · 1,339 people · home $139,300
Smiley questions
Is Smiley, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Smiley scores better for retirees than 9% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 60%. 20.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.8).
How much does a house cost in Smiley?
The median owner-occupied home in Smiley is valued at $271,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $90,893, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,042 a month.
What is the weather like in Smiley?
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows -3.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.4 inches of precipitation a year and 49.9 inches of snow.
Does Smiley get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Smiley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 25, 1983. 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)