The Town FilesThief River Falls, Minnesota
City in Pennington County · population 8,749 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $175,400
- Household income
- $71,144
- Jan low / Jul high
- -3° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 37.8
Thief River Falls is a city of 8,749 people in Pennington County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $175,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more walkable than 92% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 91% of Minnesota towns, hipper than 91% of Minnesota towns.
How Thief River Falls 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 Thief River Falls is worth $175,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $71,144, which is more affordable than 84% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $838 a month. 63.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Thief River Falls | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $175,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $838 | $991 |
| Median household income | $71,144 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 63.7% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Thief River Falls
| People | Thief River Falls | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.6% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.2% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.5% | — |
| Work from home | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 10.2 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.0% | 90.2% |
Weather in Thief River Falls
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows -3.2°F. About 24.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.9 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 183 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thief River Falls since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 25, 1983 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 13, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 40 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 15, 2001.
Severe weather in Pennington County since 1996
Pennington County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| April 19, 2010 | Flood | DR-1900: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Pennington County
Pennington County had 9,793 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,946 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Thief River Falls itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Thief River Falls
5 public schools with 1,811 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHALLENGER ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 781 | 13.7 |
| LINCOLN SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 565 | 16.1 |
| FRANKLIN MIDDLE | 6-8 | 436 | 16.1 |
| NORTHWEST AREA LEARNING CENTER | 9-12 | 29 | 29.0 |
| Summer NW Area Learning Center | 9-12 | — | — |
Thief River Falls questions
Is Thief River Falls, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Thief River Falls scores better for retirees than 25% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 12%. 19.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.8).
How much does a house cost in Thief River Falls?
The median owner-occupied home in Thief River Falls is valued at $175,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,144, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $838 a month.
What is the weather like in Thief River Falls?
July highs average 80.6°F and January lows -3.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.4 inches of precipitation a year and 49.9 inches of snow.
Does Thief River Falls get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thief River Falls since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 25, 1983. 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)