The Town FilesWakefield, Minnesota
Township in Stearns County · population 2,746 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $394,700
- Household income
- $108,333
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 57 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 47.0
Wakefield is a township of 2,746 people in Stearns County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $394,700, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better transit than 86% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 81% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 71% of Minnesota towns.
How Wakefield 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 Wakefield is worth $394,700, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $108,333, which is more affordable than 40% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,281 a month. 97.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wakefield | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $394,700 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,281 | $991 |
| Median household income | $108,333 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 97.1% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 11.5% | — |
Who lives in Wakefield
| People | Wakefield | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.0 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.9% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.0% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 9.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.3% | — |
| Work from home | 15.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 29.1 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.7% | 90.2% |
Weather in Wakefield
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
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wakefield since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 4, 1958 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 28, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 59 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on July 17, 2010.
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 Wakefield itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Towns near Wakefield
- Cold Spring, MN1.7 mi · 4,164 people · home $280,400
- Collegeville, MN5.8 mi · 3,344 people · home $468,600
- St. Joseph, MN10.3 mi · 7,029 people · home $237,700
- Waite Park, MN11.2 mi · 8,341 people · home $219,400
- Albany, MN12.1 mi · 2,780 people · home $238,500
- St. Augusta, MN13.0 mi · 3,497 people · home $388,400
- St. Cloud, MN14.7 mi · 68,881 people · home $225,000
- Sartell, MN16.0 mi · 19,351 people · home $297,300
Wakefield questions
Is Wakefield, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wakefield scores better for retirees than 62% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 25%. 19.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.0).
How much does a house cost in Wakefield?
The median owner-occupied home in Wakefield is valued at $394,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $108,333, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,281 a month.
What is the weather like in Wakefield?
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 Wakefield get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wakefield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 4, 1958. 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)