The Town FilesZumbrota, Minnesota
City in Goodhue County · population 3,726 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $249,300
- Household income
- $78,156
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 43.8
Zumbrota is a city of 3,726 people in Goodhue County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $249,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for retirees than 85% of Minnesota towns, better transit than 83% of Minnesota towns, more upscale than 79% of Minnesota towns.
How Zumbrota 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 Zumbrota is worth $249,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $78,156, which is more affordable than 62% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $834 a month. 77.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Zumbrota | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $249,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $834 | $991 |
| Median household income | $78,156 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 77.1% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Zumbrota
| People | Zumbrota | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.6% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.7% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 11.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.8% | — |
| Work from home | 13.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 32.0 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.4% | 90.2% |
Weather in Zumbrota
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 4.1°F. About 35.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.5 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 163 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Zumbrota since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 29, 1981 about 6.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 15, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 8, 2002.
Severe weather in Goodhue County since 1996
Goodhue County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms 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 |
| November 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4290: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Goodhue County
Goodhue County had 21,366 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,513 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Zumbrota itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Public schools in Zumbrota
4 public schools with 860 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZUMBROTA-MAZEPPA SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 391 | 15.6 |
| Zumbrota-Mazeppa Primary School | PK-2 | 275 | 13.8 |
| ZUMBROTA-MAZEPPA MIDDLE SCHOOL | 7-8 | 194 | 14.9 |
| Zumbrota-Mazeppa Credit Recovery | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Zumbrota
- Pine Island, MN7.1 mi · 3,769 people · home $350,500
- Cascade, MN17.5 mi · 2,837 people · home $506,800
- Byron, MN17.8 mi · 6,312 people · home $345,300
- Kasson, MN18.5 mi · 6,851 people · home $285,200
- Cannon Falls, MN18.7 mi · 4,220 people · home $263,300
- Red Wing, MN20.0 mi · 16,547 people · home $237,300
- Dodge Center, MN20.5 mi · 2,844 people · home $197,600
- Rochester, MN21.7 mi · 121,395 people · home $310,500
Zumbrota questions
Is Zumbrota, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Zumbrota scores better for retirees than 85% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 63%. 23.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.8).
How much does a house cost in Zumbrota?
The median owner-occupied home in Zumbrota is valued at $249,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,156, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $834 a month.
What is the weather like in Zumbrota?
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 4.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.2 inches of precipitation a year and 43.5 inches of snow.
Does Zumbrota get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Zumbrota since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 29, 1981. 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)