The Town FilesCascade, Minnesota
Township in Olmsted County · population 2,837 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $506,800
- Household income
- $150,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 41.9
Cascade is a township of 2,837 people in Olmsted County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $506,800, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more upscale than 97% of Minnesota towns, better transit than 93% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 92% of Minnesota towns.
How Cascade 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 Cascade is worth $506,800, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $150,000, which is more affordable than 50% of Minnesota towns. 96.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cascade | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $506,800 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | — | $991 |
| Median household income | $150,000 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 96.4% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Cascade
| People | Cascade | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.9% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.5% | — |
| Work from home | 20.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 18.4 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.1% | 90.2% |
Weather in Cascade
July highs average 81.2°F and January lows 3.5°F. About 36.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.4 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cascade since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on September 16, 1962 about 8.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 137 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 16, 1963.
Severe weather in Olmsted County since 1996
Olmsted County has been included in 15 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 |
| October 13, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1941: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 2, 2010 | Tornado | DR-1921: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Olmsted County
Olmsted County had 103,905 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $79,579 a year. Unemployment was 2.1% in 2023; in Cascade itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Towns near Cascade
- Rochester, MN5.4 mi · 121,395 people · home $310,500
- Marion, MN9.4 mi · 4,027 people · home $416,100
- Byron, MN9.5 mi · 6,312 people · home $345,300
- Pine Island, MN11.0 mi · 3,769 people · home $350,500
- Kasson, MN14.7 mi · 6,851 people · home $285,200
- Plainview, MN15.5 mi · 3,483 people · home $245,300
- Stewartville, MN16.0 mi · 6,687 people · home $265,300
- Zumbrota, MN17.5 mi · 3,726 people · home $249,300
Cascade questions
Is Cascade, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cascade scores better for retirees than 87% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 25%. 16.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.9).
How much does a house cost in Cascade?
The median owner-occupied home in Cascade is valued at $506,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $150,000, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Cascade?
July highs average 81.2°F and January lows 3.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.0 inches of precipitation a year and 44.4 inches of snow.
Does Cascade get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cascade since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on September 16, 1962. 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)