The Town FilesSt. Peter, Minnesota
City in Nicollet County · population 12,066 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $250,700
- Household income
- $65,122
- Jan low / Jul high
- 3° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 35.6
St. Peter is a city of 12,066 people in Nicollet County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $250,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more of a college town than 98% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 94% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 92% of Minnesota towns.
How St. Peter 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 St. Peter is worth $250,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $65,122, which is more affordable than 30% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $961 a month. 64.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. Peter | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $250,700 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $961 | $991 |
| Median household income | $65,122 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 64.9% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in St. Peter
| People | St. Peter | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.5% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.8% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.2% | — |
| Work from home | 19.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 15.4 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.2% | 90.2% |
Weather in St. Peter
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 3.1°F. About 32.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.9 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 163 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Peter since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 29, 1998 about 0.2 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 14 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 4, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 46 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 13, 2026.
Severe weather in Nicollet County since 1996
Nicollet County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| 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 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Nicollet County
Nicollet County had 14,609 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,235 a year. Unemployment was 2.2% in 2023; in St. Peter itself the ACS puts it at 2%.
Public schools in St. Peter
12 public schools with 2,140 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Peter High School | 9-12 | 711 | 18.2 |
| St. Peter Middle School | 5-8 | 596 | 17.0 |
| North Elementary School | 2-4 | 423 | 15.7 |
| South Elementary School | K-1 | 271 | 12.9 |
| ST. PETER ECSE | PK-PK | 60 | 6.0 |
| Minnesota Valley School | K-12 | 24 | 4.0 |
| ROCK BEND HS ALC | 9-12 | 23 | 11.5 |
| Oshawa Learning Academy | 4-12 | 21 | — |
| Minnesota River School | K-12 | 10 | 3.3 |
| MN VALLEY ED. DIST. EARLY CHILDHOOD | PK-PK | 1 | 0.3 |
| ST. PETER ALC | 9-12 | — | — |
| HOFFMAN LEARNING CENTER | 5-12 | — | — |
Towns near St. Peter
- Le Sueur, MN10.3 mi · 4,213 people · home $244,000
- North Mankato, MN10.8 mi · 14,275 people · home $262,100
- Mankato, MN10.9 mi · 44,488 people · home $261,700
- Eagle Lake, MN12.2 mi · 3,278 people · home $276,500
- Le Center, MN12.3 mi · 2,517 people · home $209,600
- Lake Crystal, MN19.9 mi · 2,539 people · home $204,400
- Montgomery, MN20.8 mi · 3,249 people · home $234,700
- Belle Plaine, MN22.4 mi · 7,395 people · home $318,200
St. Peter questions
Is St. Peter, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. Peter scores better for retirees than 35% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 5%. 16.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.6).
How much does a house cost in St. Peter?
The median owner-occupied home in St. Peter is valued at $250,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,122, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $961 a month.
What is the weather like in St. Peter?
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 3.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.4 inches of precipitation a year and 37.9 inches of snow.
Does St. Peter get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Peter since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 29, 1998. 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)