The Town FilesLonsdale, Minnesota
City in Rice County · population 4,686 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $357,000
- Household income
- $95,176
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 30.3
Lonsdale is a city of 4,686 people in Rice County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $357,000, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Minnesota towns, better for families than 95% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 88% of Minnesota towns.
How Lonsdale 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 Lonsdale is worth $357,000, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $95,176, which is more affordable than 30% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $906 a month. 92.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lonsdale | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $357,000 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $906 | $991 |
| Median household income | $95,176 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 92.1% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 2002 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lonsdale
| People | Lonsdale | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 36.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.1% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.3% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 3.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 13.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.7% | 90.2% |
Weather in Lonsdale
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 4.8°F. About 35.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.7 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lonsdale since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 24, 2006 about 8.7 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 52 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 19, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 76 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 22, 2016.
Severe weather in Rice County since 1996
Rice County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| November 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4290: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Rice County
Rice County had 26,196 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,604 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Lonsdale itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Lonsdale
1 public school with 305 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LONSDALE PRE K-6 | PK-6 | 305 | 11.7 |
Towns near Lonsdale
- Elko New Market, MN7.6 mi · 4,846 people · home $433,100
- Montgomery, MN8.0 mi · 3,249 people · home $234,700
- Cedar Lake, MN8.0 mi · 3,050 people · home $543,100
- New Market, MN8.6 mi · 3,525 people · home $595,300
- New Prague, MN8.8 mi · 8,162 people · home $350,500
- Northfield, MN12.6 mi · 20,790 people · home $329,400
- Spring Lake, MN13.1 mi · 3,464 people · home $629,600
- Faribault, MN14.2 mi · 24,453 people · home $241,500
Lonsdale questions
Is Lonsdale, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lonsdale scores better for retirees than 1% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 5%. 9.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.3).
How much does a house cost in Lonsdale?
The median owner-occupied home in Lonsdale is valued at $357,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $95,176, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $906 a month.
What is the weather like in Lonsdale?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 4.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.5 inches of precipitation a year and 40.7 inches of snow.
Does Lonsdale get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lonsdale since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 24, 2006. 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)