The Town FilesWindom, Minnesota
City in Cottonwood County · population 4,798 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $169,700
- Household income
- $74,899
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 38.9
Windom is a city of 4,798 people in Cottonwood County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $169,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for cycling than 84% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 77% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 75% of Minnesota towns.
How Windom 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 Windom is worth $169,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $74,899, which is more affordable than 89% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $806 a month. 68.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Windom | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $169,700 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $806 | $991 |
| Median household income | $74,899 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 68.5% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Windom
| People | Windom | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.3% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 12.6 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.8% | 90.2% |
Weather in Windom
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 8.0°F. About 31.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.5 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Windom since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 14, 1976 about 1.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 9, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 50 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 29, 1980.
Severe weather in Cottonwood County since 1996
Cottonwood County has been included in 17 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 |
| 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 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Cottonwood County
Cottonwood County had 4,847 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,092 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Windom itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Public schools in Windom
11 public schools with 1,251 students, about 12.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windom Area Elementary | PK-4 | 447 | 11.8 |
| WINDOM MIDDLE | 5-8 | 352 | 16.0 |
| WINDOM SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 341 | 16.2 |
| SWWC ALC - Windom | 9-12 | 53 | 26.5 |
| SWWC ELC - Windom | K-12 | 48 | 5.3 |
| EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING CENTER | PK-PK | 10 | 2.5 |
| Windom Learn Center Credit Recovery | 9-12 | — | — |
| STARSS Online Academy Elementary | K-5 | — | — |
| SWWC ALC Midlevel - Windom | 7-8 | — | — |
| STARRS ONLINE ACADEMY | 6-12 | — | — |
| Out-of-State Care and Treatment | K-12 | — | — |
Towns near Windom
- Jackson, MN18.3 mi · 3,323 people · home $128,500
- St. James, MN25.7 mi · 4,793 people · home $122,100
- Worthington, MN29.3 mi · 13,947 people · home $210,300
Windom questions
Is Windom, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Windom scores better for retirees than 77% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 41%. 22.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.9).
How much does a house cost in Windom?
The median owner-occupied home in Windom is valued at $169,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,899, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $806 a month.
What is the weather like in Windom?
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 8.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.7 inches of precipitation a year and 43.5 inches of snow.
Does Windom get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Windom since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 14, 1976. 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)