The Town FilesBradford, Minnesota
Township in Isanti County · population 3,427 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $336,800
- Household income
- $92,574
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 47.5
Bradford is a township of 3,427 people in Isanti County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $336,800, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 83% of Minnesota towns.
How Bradford 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 Bradford is worth $336,800, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $92,574, which is more affordable than 40% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,371 a month. 94.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bradford | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $336,800 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,371 | $991 |
| Median household income | $92,574 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 94.3% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.7% | — |
Who lives in Bradford
| People | Bradford | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.5 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 17.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.2% | 90.2% |
Weather in Bradford
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 3.6°F. About 29.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.1 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bradford since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 13, 1981 about 8.2 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 60 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on June 14, 1981.
Severe weather in Isanti County since 1996
Isanti County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| July 28, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-4009: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3242: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| May 16, 2001 | Flood | DR-1370: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Isanti County
Isanti County had 11,704 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,899 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Bradford itself the ACS puts it at 14.7%.
Towns near Bradford
- Isanti, MN4.5 mi · 6,804 people · home $290,600
- Cambridge, MN6.0 mi · 9,611 people · home $251,600
- St. Francis, MN8.7 mi · 8,142 people · home $327,600
- Oak Grove, MN11.4 mi · 8,929 people · home $423,300
- East Bethel, MN12.3 mi · 11,786 people · home $363,900
- Livonia, MN12.5 mi · 6,174 people · home $411,200
- Nowthen, MN13.0 mi · 4,536 people · home $460,000
- Princeton, MN13.1 mi · 4,819 people · home $218,700
Bradford questions
Is Bradford, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bradford scores better for retirees than 12% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 59%. 18.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.5).
How much does a house cost in Bradford?
The median owner-occupied home in Bradford is valued at $336,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $92,574, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,371 a month.
What is the weather like in Bradford?
July highs average 81.8°F and January lows 3.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.7 inches of precipitation a year and 44.1 inches of snow.
Does Bradford get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bradford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 13, 1981. 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)