The Town FilesSauk Centre, Minnesota
City in Stearns County · population 4,555 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $225,700
- Household income
- $62,628
- Jan low / Jul high
- 0° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 43.2
Sauk Centre is a city of 4,555 people in Stearns County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $225,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for cycling than 87% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 85% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 85% of Minnesota towns.
How Sauk Centre 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 Sauk Centre is worth $225,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $62,628, which is more affordable than 40% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $843 a month. 56.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sauk Centre | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $225,700 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $843 | $991 |
| Median household income | $62,628 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 56.0% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.8% | — |
Who lives in Sauk Centre
| People | Sauk Centre | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.2 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.5% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 10.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 10.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 28.8 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.3% | 90.2% |
Weather in Sauk Centre
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 0.1°F. About 29.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.0 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 175 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sauk Centre since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 3, 1980 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 3, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 18, 2012.
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 Sauk Centre itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Public schools in Sauk Centre
3 public schools with 1,130 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAUK CENTRE SECONDARY | 7-12 | 620 | 22.1 |
| SAUK CENTRE ELEMENTARY | PK-4 | 378 | 10.2 |
| Sauk Centre Middle | 5-6 | 132 | 12.0 |
Towns near Sauk Centre
- Melrose, MN7.8 mi · 3,602 people · home $207,200
- Long Prairie, MN17.0 mi · 3,661 people · home $152,000
- Albany, MN20.3 mi · 2,780 people · home $238,500
- Glenwood, MN21.5 mi · 2,657 people · home $179,400
- Alexandria, MN22.6 mi · 14,335 people · home $275,300
- La Grand, MN26.6 mi · 4,279 people · home $384,600
- Collegeville, MN27.7 mi · 3,344 people · home $468,600
Sauk Centre questions
Is Sauk Centre, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sauk Centre scores better for retirees than 45% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 32%. 25.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.2).
How much does a house cost in Sauk Centre?
The median owner-occupied home in Sauk Centre is valued at $225,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,628, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $843 a month.
What is the weather like in Sauk Centre?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows 0.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.1 inches of precipitation a year and 39.0 inches of snow.
Does Sauk Centre get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sauk Centre since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 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)