The Town FilesTurtle River, Minnesota
Township in Beltrami County · population 1,226 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $347,500
- Household income
- $94,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- -4° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 48.5
Turtle River is a township of 1,226 people in Beltrami County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $347,500, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 95% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 92% of Minnesota towns, more upscale than 85% of Minnesota towns.
How Turtle River 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 Turtle River is worth $347,500, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $94,000, which is more affordable than 34% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,278 a month. 95.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Turtle River | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $347,500 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,278 | $991 |
| Median household income | $94,000 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 95.1% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 18.0% | — |
Who lives in Turtle River
| People | Turtle River | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.5 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.2% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.9% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 9.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 19.4 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.2% | 90.2% |
Weather in Turtle River
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows -3.6°F. About 26.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.9 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 187 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Turtle River since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 4, 2018 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 26, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 68 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 26, 2021.
Severe weather in Beltrami County since 1996
Beltrami County has been included in 21 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 |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Beltrami County
Beltrami County had 20,746 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,299 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Turtle River itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Towns near Turtle River
- Frohn, MN4.3 mi · 1,537 people · home $288,400
- Northern, MN5.5 mi · 4,535 people · home $320,200
- Port Hope, MN7.3 mi · 745 people · home $315,600
- Bemidji, MN7.5 mi · 14,574 people · home $198,300
- Ten Lake, MN7.8 mi · 1,023 people · home $201,400
- Turtle Lake, MN8.6 mi · 1,299 people · home $420,600
- Farden, MN11.4 mi · 1,145 people · home $271,600
- Cass Lake, MN12.2 mi · 675 people · home $109,900
Turtle River questions
Is Turtle River, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Turtle River scores better for retirees than 92% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 68%. 27.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.5).
How much does a house cost in Turtle River?
The median owner-occupied home in Turtle River is valued at $347,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $94,000, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,278 a month.
What is the weather like in Turtle River?
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows -3.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 26.5 inches of precipitation a year and 48.9 inches of snow.
Does Turtle River get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Turtle River since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 4, 2018. 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)