Houston County, Minnesota
Among the top 11% of US counties for safety & wellbeing.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 18% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 25% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A, better than 89% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 66% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 84% of US counties
- top 4% for unemployment
- top 12% for violent crime
- bottom 6% for estimated total tax burden
Houston County is a county in Minnesota with about 19,000 residents. It grades A for safety & wellbeing and D for affordability. Standout strengths include unemployment, violent crime, and property crime. It rates lower on income tax and estimated total tax burden.
Official websiteco.houston.mn.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cool
comf.
warm
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cold
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71%49%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.8 in1.3 in
humid 98%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$72k78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 34% of US counties
Home Value$216k72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$870better than 40% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 23% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.15%better than 29% of US counties
Income Tax9.81%better than 8% of US counties
Sales Tax8.04%better than 38% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden15.94%better than 6% of US counties
Unemployment1.6%better than 96% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)18°F10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)74°F30th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation37.5 in37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall41.1 inbetter than 19% of US counties
Sunny Days216 daysbetter than 28% of US counties
Summer Humidity63°Fbetter than 65% of US counties
Comfortable Days82 daysbetter than 57% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk29.5better than 69% of US counties
School Quality61.4better than 63% of US counties
Violent Crime202/100kbetter than 88% of US counties
Property Crime266/100kbetter than 85% of US counties
Community
Population18,82640th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age44.676th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1013th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0160th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1325th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)94.0%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.6%24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.4%8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.5%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.5%52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 56% of US counties
Walkability7.8/20better than 85% of US counties
Airport Distance120 mibetter than 38% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.8%better than 72% of US counties
Amenities Nearby3.72better than 60% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 77% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Houston County an affordable place to live?
- Houston County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $47k, better than 34% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Houston County?
- The median home value in Houston County is $216k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Houston County?
- Median household income in Houston County is $72k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Houston County?
- Median gross rent in Houston County is $870 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Houston County safe?
- Houston County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 202/100k (better than 88%). Property crime is 266/100k.
- What is the weather like in Houston County?
- Houston County averages 74°F in July and 18°F in January, with 37.5 in of annual precipitation and about 216 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Houston County?
- Public-school quality in Houston County is above average, scoring better than 63% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Houston County?
- The average one-way commute in Houston County is 23 min.
Other counties in Minnesota
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Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)