The Town FilesWaterville, Minnesota
City in Le Sueur County · population 1,750 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $236,000
- Household income
- $76,406
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 47 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 43.8
Waterville is a city of 1,750 people in Le Sueur County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $236,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for cycling than 90% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 88% of Minnesota towns, better for a vacation home than 84% of Minnesota towns.
How Waterville 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 Waterville is worth $236,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $76,406, which is more affordable than 65% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $884 a month. 76.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waterville | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $236,000 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $884 | $991 |
| Median household income | $76,406 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 76.3% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.0% | — |
Who lives in Waterville
| People | Waterville | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.0% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 3.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.0% | 90.2% |
Weather in Waterville
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 4.8°F. About 37.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 46.9 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterville since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 30, 1967 about 8.4 miles from the town center and killed 6. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 23 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 28, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on May 12, 1962.
Severe weather in Le Sueur County since 1996
Le Sueur County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| November 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4290: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Le Sueur County
Le Sueur County had 8,667 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,749 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Waterville itself the ACS puts it at 7.3%.
Public schools in Waterville
2 public schools with 530 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WATERVILLE ELEMENTARY | PK-4 | 273 | 14.4 |
| WATERVILLE-ELYSIAN-MORRISTOWN SR. | 9-12 | 257 | 14.3 |
Towns near Waterville
- Waterville, MN2.5 mi · 674 people · home $364,000
- Morristown, MN5.3 mi · 647 people · home $475,500
- Iosco, MN5.4 mi · 509 people · home $353,900
- Elysian, MN5.5 mi · 708 people · home $285,400
- Morristown, MN6.3 mi · 949 people · home $184,800
- Blooming Grove, MN7.2 mi · 568 people · home $320,700
- Elysian, MN7.4 mi · 1,017 people · home $392,200
- Janesville, MN7.5 mi · 576 people · home $332,200
Waterville questions
Is Waterville, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waterville scores better for retirees than 88% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 68%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.8).
How much does a house cost in Waterville?
The median owner-occupied home in Waterville is valued at $236,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,406, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $884 a month.
What is the weather like in Waterville?
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 4.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.9 inches of precipitation a year and 46.9 inches of snow.
Does Waterville get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 30, 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)