The Town FilesWorthington, Minnesota
City in Nobles County · population 13,947 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $210,300
- Household income
- $61,797
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 45 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 33.5
Worthington is a city of 13,947 people in Nobles County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $210,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more walkable than 89% of Minnesota towns, better transit than 89% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 88% of Minnesota towns.
How Worthington 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 Worthington is worth $210,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $61,797, which is more affordable than 50% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $938 a month. 67.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Worthington | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $210,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $938 | $991 |
| Median household income | $61,797 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 67.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Worthington
| People | Worthington | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.5 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 30.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.6% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 28.3% | — |
| Work from home | 3.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.6% | 90.2% |
Weather in Worthington
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 5.3°F. About 30.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.2 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 167 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Worthington since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 10, 1956 about 7.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 58 times; the largest was 6.00 inches on July 28, 1986.
Severe weather in Nobles County since 1996
Nobles County has been included in 21 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 |
| August 9, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4666: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, 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 |
Jobs and pay in Nobles County
Nobles County had 9,788 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,354 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Worthington itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Worthington
3 public schools with 1,903 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WORTHINGTON SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 1,123 | 16.5 |
| PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY | PK-2 | 744 | 13.3 |
| EARLY CHILDHOOD | PK-PK | 36 | 3.6 |
Towns near Worthington
- Sibley, IA17.3 mi · 2,860 people · home $122,000
- Spirit Lake, IA28.4 mi · 5,439 people · home $215,100
- Windom, MN29.3 mi · 4,798 people · home $169,700
Worthington questions
Is Worthington, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Worthington scores better for retirees than 7% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 7%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.5).
How much does a house cost in Worthington?
The median owner-occupied home in Worthington is valued at $210,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,797, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $938 a month.
What is the weather like in Worthington?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 5.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.5 inches of precipitation a year and 45.2 inches of snow.
Does Worthington get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Worthington since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 10, 1956. 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)