The Town Files

Stillwater, Minnesota

Township in Washington County · population 1,866 (2020 Census)

Map: where Stillwater is in MinnesotaStillwater
Median home
$695,300
Household income
$161,563
Jan low / Jul high
9° / 85°
Snow a year
47 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
18
Median age
55.2

Stillwater is a township of 1,866 people in Washington County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $695,300, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more upscale than 99% of Minnesota towns, better for families than 97% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 89% of Minnesota towns.

Stillwater in our rankings:

How Stillwater 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.

Stillwater lifestyle rankings vs other Minnesota townsRetirement81st pctFamilies97th pctQuiet33rd pctWalkability70th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals89th pctVibrancy48th pctHip & trendy44th pctCollege town81st pctUpscale99th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling48th pctTransit62nd pctDriving36th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Stillwater is worth $695,300, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $161,563, which is more affordable than 15% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,250 a month. 95.0% of households own their home.

Stillwater vs Washington County vs typical Minnesota townStillwaterWashington CountyTypical Minnesota townHome value$695,300$422,000$301,800Household income$161,563$115,345$87,375Monthly rent$1,250$1,710$991
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Minnesota towns with 500+ people.
HousingStillwaterTypical Minnesota town
Median home value$695,300$301,800
Median rent$1,250$991
Median household income$161,563$87,375
Home value ÷ income4.3×3.4×
Homeownership95.0%88.6%
Median year built19851979
Seasonal / vacation homes1.7%—

Who lives in Stillwater

PeopleStillwaterTypical Minnesota town
Median age55.242.7
Age 65 and over28.8%20.0%
Under 1821.5%—
Bachelor's degree or higher64.1%26.2%
Below the poverty line3.4%6.9%
Veterans5.2%—
Born outside the U.S.2.2%—
Work from home26.1%11.1%
Average commute25.4 min24.5 min
Homes with broadband94.9%90.2%

Weather in Stillwater

July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 9.1°F. About 35.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 47.3 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.

Stillwater monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing27°9°Jan32°14°Feb45°25°Mar60°38°Apr73°50°May81°60°Jun85°64°Jul84°62°Aug76°55°Sep62°42°Oct45°28°Nov32°16°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.08.50.911.11.56.83.13.34.20.35.44.55.33.23.20.61.64.71.112.0
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Stillwater 1 Se station (4.7 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stillwater since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on May 25, 2008 about 7.4 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 30 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 12, 2017.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Stillwater by decade41950s11960s01970s01980s21990s82000s32010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 67 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on August 24, 2006.

Severe weather in Washington County since 1996

Storm events in Washington County since 1996 by typeHail182Tornado19High Wind7Lightning11Heavy Snow17Flash Flood8Winter Storm82Excessive Heat9
NOAA Storm Events Database, Washington County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 5 deaths recorded.

Washington County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 7, 2020BiologicalDR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3453: Covid-19
June 12, 2019FloodDR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
May 10, 2011FloodDR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding
March 19, 2010FloodEM-3310: Flooding

Jobs and pay in Washington County

Washington County had 95,625 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,700 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Stillwater itself the ACS puts it at 3%.

Largest industries in Washington CountyHealth care & social assistan…15,696 jobs · $63,438Retail14,633 jobs · $36,080Manufacturing11,621 jobs · $82,373Hotels & restaurants9,951 jobs · $24,279Construction4,571 jobs · $82,418Professional & technical serv…4,183 jobs · $87,121
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Washington County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023Washington 2.4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Stillwater

Stillwater questions

Is Stillwater, Minnesota a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Stillwater scores better for retirees than 81% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 33%. 28.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 55.2).

How much does a house cost in Stillwater?

The median owner-occupied home in Stillwater is valued at $695,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $161,563, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,250 a month.

What is the weather like in Stillwater?

July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 9.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.1 inches of precipitation a year and 47.3 inches of snow.

Does Stillwater get tornadoes?

18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stillwater since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on May 25, 2008. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Stillwater's Census boundary (GEOID 2716362842). Comparisons use the median of Minnesota towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.