The Town FilesWaite Park, Minnesota
City in Stearns County · population 8,341 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $219,400
- Household income
- $59,285
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 38.1
Waite Park is a city of 8,341 people in Stearns County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $219,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more vibrant than 97% of Minnesota towns, better transit than 87% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 83% of Minnesota towns.
How Waite Park 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 Waite Park is worth $219,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $59,285, which is more affordable than 34% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,117 a month. 51.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waite Park | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $219,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,117 | $991 |
| Median household income | $59,285 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 51.3% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Waite Park
| People | Waite Park | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.2% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 28.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 18.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.2% | 90.2% |
Weather in Waite Park
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
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waite Park since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on September 3, 1980 about 1.3 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 33 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 1, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 118 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 Waite Park itself the ACS puts it at 7.5%.
Public schools in Waite Park
9 public schools with 3,777 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| TECHNICAL SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 1,538 | 17.7 |
| Stride Academy K-8 Charter School (charter) | K-8 | 588 | 12.0 |
| DISCOVERY COMMUNITY ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 540 | 12.6 |
| WESTWOOD ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 452 | 12.6 |
| EC Sp Ed at Quarryview Ed Center | PK-PK | 304 | 8.9 |
| St. Cloud Area Learning Center | 6-12 | 231 | 12.8 |
| Katherine Johnson Education Center | K-12 | 65 | 3.0 |
| SPECIAL EDUCATION FACILITIES | PK-12 | 59 | 14.8 |
| Central Minnesota Virtual Academy | 6-12 | — | — |
Towns near Waite Park
- St. Cloud, MN3.5 mi · 68,881 people · home $225,000
- St. Joseph, MN4.2 mi · 7,029 people · home $237,700
- St. Augusta, MN5.4 mi · 3,497 people · home $388,400
- Sauk Rapids, MN6.7 mi · 13,862 people · home $256,100
- Sartell, MN6.9 mi · 19,351 people · home $297,300
- Haven, MN8.2 mi · 2,610 people · home $346,800
- Cold Spring, MN10.0 mi · 4,164 people · home $280,400
- Collegeville, MN10.0 mi · 3,344 people · home $468,600
Waite Park questions
Is Waite Park, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waite Park scores better for retirees than 10% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 6%. 18.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.1).
How much does a house cost in Waite Park?
The median owner-occupied home in Waite Park is valued at $219,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,285, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,117 a month.
What is the weather like in Waite Park?
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 Waite Park get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waite Park 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)