The Town FilesSolway, Minnesota
Township in St. Louis County · population 2,016 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $288,400
- Household income
- $101,458
- Jan low / Jul high
- 1° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 90 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 41.1
Solway is a township of 2,016 people in St. Louis County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $288,400, close to the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 78% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 77% of Minnesota towns, better for families than 75% of Minnesota towns.
How Solway 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 Solway is worth $288,400, close to the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $101,458, which is more affordable than 77% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,531 a month. 92.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Solway | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $288,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,531 | $991 |
| Median household income | $101,458 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 92.4% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.3% | — |
Who lives in Solway
| People | Solway | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.9% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 8.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.7% | 90.2% |
Weather in Solway
July highs average 76.4°F and January lows 0.7°F. About 30.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 90.2 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 184 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Solway since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an F0, struck on June 19, 1967 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 19, 1967.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 72 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on September 8, 1958.
Severe weather in St. Louis County since 1996
St. Louis County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2025 | Fire | FM-5583: Munger Shaw Fire |
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 13, 2022 | Flood | DR-4659: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in St. Louis County
St. Louis County had 95,504 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,452 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Solway itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.
Towns near Solway
- Hermantown, MN6.0 mi · 10,221 people · home $382,300
- Thomson, MN6.4 mi · 5,465 people · home $339,000
- Brevator, MN6.6 mi · 1,214 people · home $242,500
- Esko, MN6.7 mi · 2,082 people · home $318,800
- Midway, MN7.0 mi · 1,431 people · home $302,100
- Scanlon, MN7.5 mi · 987 people · home $228,800
- Canosia, MN7.7 mi · 2,206 people · home $374,800
- Proctor, MN8.0 mi · 3,120 people · home $224,700
Solway questions
Is Solway, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Solway scores better for retirees than 30% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 44%. 16.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.1).
How much does a house cost in Solway?
The median owner-occupied home in Solway is valued at $288,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $101,458, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,531 a month.
What is the weather like in Solway?
July highs average 76.4°F and January lows 0.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.9 inches of precipitation a year and 90.2 inches of snow.
Does Solway get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Solway since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on June 19, 1967. 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)