The Town FilesLuverne, Minnesota
City in Rock County · population 4,946 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $208,000
- Household income
- $64,366
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 41.3
Luverne is a city of 4,946 people in Rock County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $208,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 90% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 88% of Minnesota towns.
How Luverne 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 Luverne is worth $208,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $64,366, which is more affordable than 62% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $639 a month. 70.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Luverne | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $208,000 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $639 | $991 |
| Median household income | $64,366 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 70.8% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Luverne
| People | Luverne | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.2% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.2% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.7% | — |
| Work from home | 10.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 16.0 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.1% | 90.2% |
Weather in Luverne
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 6.1°F. About 29.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.0 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Luverne since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 25, 2000 about 8.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 5, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 47 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 28, 2025.
Severe weather in Rock County since 1996
Rock County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 9, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4666: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, 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 |
Jobs and pay in Rock County
Rock County had 3,689 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,870 a year. Unemployment was 1.8% in 2023; in Luverne itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Luverne
4 public schools with 1,155 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LUVERNE ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 516 | 13.2 |
| LUVERNE SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 379 | 16.5 |
| LUVERNE MIDDLE | 6-8 | 256 | 13.5 |
| LUVERNE ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM | 10-12 | 4 | — |
Towns near Luverne
- Rock Rapids, IA15.8 mi · 2,611 people · home $206,700
- Brandon, SD19.0 mi · 11,048 people · home $336,600
- Pipestone, MN24.1 mi · 4,215 people · home $114,100
- Sioux Falls, SD27.1 mi · 192,517 people · home $292,400
- Dell Rapids, SD27.6 mi · 3,996 people · home $301,700
- Harrisburg, SD29.2 mi · 6,732 people · home $312,200
- Sibley, IA29.3 mi · 2,860 people · home $122,000
Luverne questions
Is Luverne, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Luverne scores better for retirees than 81% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 8%. 23.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.3).
How much does a house cost in Luverne?
The median owner-occupied home in Luverne is valued at $208,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,366, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $639 a month.
What is the weather like in Luverne?
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 6.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.3 inches of precipitation a year and 39.0 inches of snow.
Does Luverne get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Luverne since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 25, 2000. 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)