The Town FilesWelch, Minnesota
Township in Goodhue County · population 854 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $426,700
- Household income
- $125,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 40.1
Welch is a township of 854 people in Goodhue County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $426,700, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 74% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 70% of Minnesota towns.
How Welch 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 Welch is worth $426,700, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $125,000, which is more affordable than 50% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,150 a month. 86.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Welch | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $426,700 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,150 | $991 |
| Median household income | $125,000 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 86.5% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in Welch
| People | Welch | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.6% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 9.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.9% | 90.2% |
Weather in Welch
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 5.7°F. About 32.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.5 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 154 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Welch since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 27, 1987 about 3.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 29, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 20, 2007.
Severe weather in Goodhue County since 1996
Goodhue County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 Goodhue County
Goodhue County had 21,366 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,513 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Welch itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Towns near Welch
- Ravenna, MN5.4 mi · 2,354 people · home $443,800
- Marshan, MN6.3 mi · 1,153 people · home $475,000
- Red Wing, MN6.6 mi · 16,547 people · home $237,300
- Douglas, MN6.9 mi · 748 people · home $459,900
- Vasa, MN7.4 mi · 857 people · home $389,000
- Oak Grove, WI8.3 mi · 2,361 people · home $531,400
- Featherstone, MN8.9 mi · 745 people · home $398,200
- Prescott, WI10.0 mi · 4,333 people · home $306,900
Welch questions
Is Welch, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Welch scores better for retirees than 26% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 30%. 13.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Welch?
The median owner-occupied home in Welch is valued at $426,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $125,000, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,150 a month.
What is the weather like in Welch?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 5.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.4 inches of precipitation a year and 43.5 inches of snow.
Does Welch get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Welch since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 27, 1987. 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)