The Town FilesTwo Harbors, Minnesota
City in Lake County · population 3,633 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $206,800
- Household income
- $65,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 75°
- Snow a year
- 61 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 41.2
Two Harbors is a city of 3,633 people in Lake County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $206,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 96% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 94% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 94% of Minnesota towns.
- #5 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Minnesota
- #7 in 25 Small Towns in Minnesota With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- #9 in The 15 Best Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Minnesota With Mild Winters
- #18 in 25 Small Towns in Minnesota With the Mildest Winters
- #19 in The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in Minnesota
How Two Harbors 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 Two Harbors is worth $206,800, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $65,625, which is more affordable than 62% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,079 a month. 68.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Two Harbors | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $206,800 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,079 | $991 |
| Median household income | $65,625 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 68.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1951 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.5% | — |
Who lives in Two Harbors
| People | Two Harbors | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.7% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 4.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.8% | 90.2% |
Weather in Two Harbors
July highs average 75.1°F and January lows 7.4°F. About 31.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 61.0 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 164 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Two Harbors since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 6, 1969 about 2.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 12, 1976.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 8, 2018.
Severe weather in Lake County since 1996
Lake County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: 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 |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lake County
Lake County had 3,902 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,467 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Two Harbors itself the ACS puts it at 0.3%.
Public schools in Two Harbors
2 public schools with 957 students, about 15.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| TWO HARBORS SECONDARY | 6-12 | 582 | 17.6 |
| MINNEHAHA ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 375 | 13.9 |
Towns near Two Harbors
- Rice Lake, MN23.1 mi · 4,112 people · home $309,600
- Duluth, MN27.9 mi · 86,697 people · home $242,700
Two Harbors questions
Is Two Harbors, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Two Harbors scores better for retirees than 77% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 15%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.2).
How much does a house cost in Two Harbors?
The median owner-occupied home in Two Harbors is valued at $206,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,625, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,079 a month.
What is the weather like in Two Harbors?
July highs average 75.1°F and January lows 7.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.7 inches of precipitation a year and 61.0 inches of snow.
Does Two Harbors get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Two Harbors since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 6, 1969. 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)