The Town FilesBelle Plaine, Minnesota
City in Scott County · population 7,395 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $318,200
- Household income
- $99,315
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 35.7
Belle Plaine is a city of 7,395 people in Scott County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $318,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for cycling than 99% of Minnesota towns, easier by car than 77% of Minnesota towns.
How Belle Plaine 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 Belle Plaine is worth $318,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $99,315, which is more affordable than 62% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,342 a month. 84.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Belle Plaine | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $318,200 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,342 | $991 |
| Median household income | $99,315 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 84.0% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1999 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Belle Plaine
| People | Belle Plaine | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.7 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 29.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.7% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.7% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 9.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.7% | — |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.6% | 90.2% |
Weather in Belle Plaine
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows 5.3°F. About 33.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.8 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 6 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 Belle Plaine since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 21, 1977 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 28, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 51 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 19, 1956.
Severe weather in Scott County since 1996
Scott County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 10, 2011 | Flood | DR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Scott County
Scott County had 63,111 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,133 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Belle Plaine itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Belle Plaine
7 public schools with 1,541 students, about 18.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BELLE PLAINE SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 472 | 23.6 |
| OAK CREST ELEMENTARY | 3-6 | 430 | 17.9 |
| CHATFIELD ELEMENTARY | PK-2 | 346 | 11.5 |
| BELLE PLAINE JUNIOR HIGH | 7-8 | 249 | 24.9 |
| Belle Plaine ECSE | PK-PK | 39 | — |
| Belle Plaine Transitions/Work Exper | 9-12 | 5 | — |
| EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM | PK-PK | — | — |
Towns near Belle Plaine
- Jordan, MN6.9 mi · 6,656 people · home $336,200
- New Prague, MN10.6 mi · 8,162 people · home $350,500
- Carver, MN11.7 mi · 5,829 people · home $445,800
- Le Sueur, MN12.3 mi · 4,213 people · home $244,000
- Norwood Young America, MN12.9 mi · 3,863 people · home $299,300
- Cedar Lake, MN14.9 mi · 3,050 people · home $543,100
- Spring Lake, MN15.1 mi · 3,464 people · home $629,600
- Montgomery, MN15.1 mi · 3,249 people · home $234,700
Belle Plaine questions
Is Belle Plaine, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Belle Plaine scores better for retirees than 27% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 36%. 12.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.7).
How much does a house cost in Belle Plaine?
The median owner-occupied home in Belle Plaine is valued at $318,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $99,315, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,342 a month.
What is the weather like in Belle Plaine?
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows 5.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.3 inches of precipitation a year and 39.8 inches of snow.
Does Belle Plaine get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Belle Plaine since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 21, 1977. 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)