The Town FilesRoseau, Minnesota
City in Roseau County · population 2,744 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $164,100
- Household income
- $60,217
- Jan low / Jul high
- -8° / 77°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 38.6
Roseau is a city of 2,744 people in Roseau County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $164,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for cycling than 93% of Minnesota towns, better transit than 79% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 78% of Minnesota towns.
How Roseau 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 Roseau is worth $164,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $60,217, which is more affordable than 79% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $895 a month. 61.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Roseau | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $164,100 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $895 | $991 |
| Median household income | $60,217 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 61.8% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Roseau
| People | Roseau | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.8% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.2% | — |
| Work from home | 20.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 14.1 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.9% | 90.2% |
Weather in Roseau
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows -8.0°F. About 27.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 191 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Roseau since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 5, 1982 about 4.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 19, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 47 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on August 12, 2015.
Severe weather in Roseau County since 1996
Roseau County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 Roseau County
Roseau County had 7,971 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,932 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Roseau itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Roseau
3 public schools with 1,120 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROSEAU ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 585 | 13.9 |
| ROSEAU SECONDARY | 7-12 | 535 | 17.3 |
| ROSEAU DIST. AREA LEARNING PROGRAM | 7-12 | — | — |
Roseau questions
Is Roseau, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Roseau scores better for retirees than 67% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 33%. 20.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).
How much does a house cost in Roseau?
The median owner-occupied home in Roseau is valued at $164,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,217, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $895 a month.
What is the weather like in Roseau?
July highs average 76.9°F and January lows -8.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.7 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Roseau get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Roseau since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 5, 1982. 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)