The Town FilesSartell, Minnesota
City in Stearns County · population 19,351 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $297,300
- Household income
- $84,131
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 34.8
Sartell is a city of 19,351 people in Stearns County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $297,300, close to the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for young professionals than 93% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 88% of Minnesota towns, hipper than 87% of Minnesota towns.
How Sartell 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 Sartell is worth $297,300, close to the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $84,131, which is more affordable than 45% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,275 a month. 61.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sartell | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $297,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,275 | $991 |
| Median household income | $84,131 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 61.8% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 2001 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sartell
| People | Sartell | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 29.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.9% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.2% | — |
| Work from home | 12.1% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 18.8 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.9% | 90.2% |
Weather in Sartell
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 3.8°F. About 31.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.4 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 159 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sartell since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 3, 1980 about 4.0 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 21 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 1, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 120 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 20, 2007.
Severe weather in Stearns County since 1996
Stearns County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 8, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4658: 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 |
| July 25, 2013 | Severe Storm | DR-4131: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 28, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-4009: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Stearns County
Stearns County had 87,252 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,313 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Sartell itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Public schools in Sartell
9 public schools with 4,163 students, about 15.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SARTELL SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 1,315 | 16.4 |
| SARTELL MIDDLE | 6-8 | 976 | 16.5 |
| Riverview Intermediate School | 3-5 | 915 | 16.1 |
| Pine Meadow Primary School | 1-2 | 534 | 15.7 |
| Oak Ridge Early Learning Center | PK-K | 306 | 11.8 |
| Benton-Stearns Ed District EC | PK-PK | 93 | 13.3 |
| Benton-Stearns Education - ASD | K-12 | 12 | 6.0 |
| Benton-Stearns Education Pioneers | K-6 | 11 | 3.7 |
| ALC - Sartell | 9-12 | 1 | — |
Towns near Sartell
- Sauk Rapids, MN3.3 mi · 13,862 people · home $256,100
- Watab, MN5.4 mi · 3,402 people · home $318,200
- St. Joseph, MN5.7 mi · 7,029 people · home $237,700
- St. Cloud, MN6.6 mi · 68,881 people · home $225,000
- Waite Park, MN6.9 mi · 8,341 people · home $219,400
- Brockway, MN8.4 mi · 2,895 people · home $363,000
- Haven, MN9.6 mi · 2,610 people · home $346,800
- St. Augusta, MN11.6 mi · 3,497 people · home $388,400
Sartell questions
Is Sartell, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sartell scores better for retirees than 7% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 3%. 15.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.8).
How much does a house cost in Sartell?
The median owner-occupied home in Sartell is valued at $297,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,131, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,275 a month.
What is the weather like in Sartell?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 3.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.0 inches of precipitation a year and 57.4 inches of snow.
Does Sartell get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sartell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on September 3, 1980. 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)