The Town FilesWheaton, Minnesota
City in Traverse County · population 1,460 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $87,500
- Household income
- $45,781
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 46.3
Wheaton is a city of 1,460 people in Traverse County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $87,500, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks hipper than 94% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 86% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 79% of Minnesota towns.
How Wheaton 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 Wheaton is worth $87,500, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $45,781, which is more affordable than 95% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $609 a month. 76.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wheaton | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $87,500 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $609 | $991 |
| Median household income | $45,781 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 76.5% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.9% | — |
Who lives in Wheaton
| People | Wheaton | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.0% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.4% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 8.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.4% | — |
| Work from home | 6.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 14.3 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.5% | 90.2% |
Weather in Wheaton
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 2.7°F. About 25.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 42.9 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wheaton since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on October 13, 2021 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 13, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on September 20, 2007.
Severe weather in Traverse County since 1996
Traverse County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 9, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4666: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 8, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4658: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Traverse County
Traverse County had 1,069 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,921 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Wheaton itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Public schools in Wheaton
2 public schools with 368 students, about 11.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHEATON SECONDARY | 6-12 | 189 | 13.5 |
| PEARSON ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 179 | 10.5 |
Towns near Wheaton
- Graceville, MN16.7 mi · 529 people · home $121,400
- Browns Valley, MN21.8 mi · 558 people · home $73,800
- Hankinson, ND26.5 mi · 921 people · home $131,000
- Elbow Lake, MN28.0 mi · 1,276 people · home $126,900
- Sisseton, SD28.2 mi · 2,479 people · home $109,200
Wheaton questions
Is Wheaton, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wheaton scores better for retirees than 53% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 68%. 30.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.3).
How much does a house cost in Wheaton?
The median owner-occupied home in Wheaton is valued at $87,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,781, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $609 a month.
What is the weather like in Wheaton?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 2.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.3 inches of precipitation a year and 42.9 inches of snow.
Does Wheaton get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wheaton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on October 13, 2021. 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)