The Town FilesCrookston, Minnesota
City in Polk County · population 7,482 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $185,600
- Household income
- $57,315
- Jan low / Jul high
- -4° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 41.9
Crookston is a city of 7,482 people in Polk County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $185,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks hipper than 100% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 93% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 93% of Minnesota towns.
How Crookston 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 Crookston is worth $185,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $57,315, which is more affordable than 62% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $848 a month. 56.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Crookston | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $185,600 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $848 | $991 |
| Median household income | $57,315 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 56.6% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Crookston
| People | Crookston | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.7% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.6% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 3.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 16.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.8% | 90.2% |
Weather in Crookston
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows -3.6°F. About 22.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.9 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 186 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Crookston since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 21, 2014 about 1.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 49 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on July 6, 1957.
Severe weather in Polk County since 1996
Polk County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 13, 2022 | Flood | DR-4659: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 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 |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Polk County
Polk County had 12,036 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,723 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Crookston itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.
Public schools in Crookston
5 public schools with 1,162 students, about 14.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CROOKSTON SECONDARY | 6-12 | 616 | 15.8 |
| HIGHLAND ELEMENTARY | 1-5 | 392 | 12.6 |
| WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY | PK-K | 117 | 13.0 |
| CROOKSTON PRE-K PROGRAM | PK-PK | 29 | — |
| NORTHERN LIGHTS ACADEMY | 6-12 | 8 | — |
Towns near Crookston
- East Grand Forks, MN21.7 mi · 9,176 people · home $255,600
- Grand Forks, ND24.4 mi · 59,166 people · home $249,900
Crookston questions
Is Crookston, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Crookston scores better for retirees than 62% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 7%. 20.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.9).
How much does a house cost in Crookston?
The median owner-occupied home in Crookston is valued at $185,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,315, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $848 a month.
What is the weather like in Crookston?
July highs average 80.3°F and January lows -3.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.4 inches of precipitation a year and 49.9 inches of snow.
Does Crookston get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Crookston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 21, 2014. 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)