The Town FilesEly, Minnesota
City in St. Louis County · population 3,268 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $157,300
- Household income
- $43,901
- Jan low / Jul high
- -7° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 65 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 52.1
Ely is a city of 3,268 people in St. Louis County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $157,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 100% of Minnesota towns, hipper than 100% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 100% of Minnesota towns.
- #2 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Minnesota
- #10 in The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in Minnesota
- #12 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Minnesota
- #13 in 25 Small Towns in Minnesota With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- #17 in 25 Small Towns in Minnesota With the Cheapest Homes
How Ely 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 Ely is worth $157,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $43,901, which is more affordable than 40% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $627 a month. 63.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ely | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $157,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $627 | $991 |
| Median household income | $43,901 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 63.4% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1942 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.6% | — |
Who lives in Ely
| People | Ely | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 7.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.6% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.9% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 6.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 14.3 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.0% | 90.2% |
Weather in Ely
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows -6.9°F. About 31.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 64.6 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 200 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ely since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 6, 1969 about 2.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 14, 1978.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 12, 2024.
Severe weather in St. Louis County since 1996
St. Louis County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 14, 2025 | Fire | FM-5583: Munger Shaw Fire |
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 13, 2022 | Flood | DR-4659: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in St. Louis County
St. Louis County had 95,504 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,452 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Ely itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Ely
3 public schools with 536 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 201 | 13.4 |
| MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 176 | 14.7 |
| Memorial Middle School | 6-8 | 159 | 19.9 |
Ely questions
Is Ely, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ely scores better for retirees than 92% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 7%. 28.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.1).
How much does a house cost in Ely?
The median owner-occupied home in Ely is valued at $157,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $43,901, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $627 a month.
What is the weather like in Ely?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows -6.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.3 inches of precipitation a year and 64.6 inches of snow.
Does Ely get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ely since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 6, 1969. 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)