The Town FilesSt. Stephen, Minnesota
City in Stearns County · population 797 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $262,100
- Household income
- $105,313
- Jan low / Jul high
- 0° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 53 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 40.0
St. Stephen is a city of 797 people in Stearns County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $262,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for families than 89% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 88% of Minnesota towns, easier by car than 77% of Minnesota towns.
How St. Stephen 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 St. Stephen is worth $262,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $105,313, which is more affordable than 84% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,292 a month. 96.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. Stephen | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $262,100 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,292 | $991 |
| Median household income | $105,313 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 96.6% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in St. Stephen
| People | St. Stephen | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.5% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.0% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.0% | — |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 28.1 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.1% | 90.2% |
Weather in St. Stephen
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows -0.2°F. About 30.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 52.9 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 180 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Stephen since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 18, 1970 about 3.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 14, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 93 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 20, 2007.
Severe weather in Stearns County since 1996
Stearns County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 25, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4131: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 28, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-4009: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Stearns County
Stearns County had 87,252 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,313 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in St. Stephen itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Towns near St. Stephen
- Brockway, MN2.1 mi · 2,895 people · home $363,000
- Le Sauk, MN4.0 mi · 1,502 people · home $296,300
- Rice, MN4.3 mi · 1,975 people · home $266,600
- Watab, MN4.9 mi · 3,402 people · home $318,200
- St. Wendel, MN5.6 mi · 2,115 people · home $331,500
- Langola, MN6.4 mi · 1,012 people · home $369,600
- Sartell, MN6.5 mi · 19,351 people · home $297,300
- Holding, MN8.5 mi · 1,182 people · home $297,400
St. Stephen questions
Is St. Stephen, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. Stephen scores better for retirees than 53% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 66%. 14.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.0).
How much does a house cost in St. Stephen?
The median owner-occupied home in St. Stephen is valued at $262,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $105,313, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,292 a month.
What is the weather like in St. Stephen?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows -0.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.1 inches of precipitation a year and 52.9 inches of snow.
Does St. Stephen get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Stephen since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 18, 1970. 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)