Albany Minn Oct 8 1911, 1911
Albany’s story
156 years in pictures
Census counts: 517 in 1900, 2,780 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1911 and 3 maps from 1965 on.
- 1870Albany is settled
AlbanyMN
A town of 2,873, settled in 1870.
Photo: Skvader · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
2,873
2025 Census estimate · +3.3% since 2020
Typical home
$352K
+2.7% in a year
Household income
$69K
median
Median age
34.0
years
Jobs based here
1,656
Balanced
TownGrade
A+
#14 of 271 in MN
Is Albany a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Albany earns an A+, ranked 14th of 271 in Minnesota. Crime is low: it reports less per resident than 86% of U.S. towns, its schools outperform 85% of the state's, and it is healthier than 80% of U.S. towns. Its lowest mark, a B−, is in incomes. Albany is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 84% of U.S. towns. Among 256 Minnesota towns, just 4 have a lower median rent than Albany. The biggest park or preserve is North Park, at 34 acres.
What makes Albany stand out
Where Albany beats most towns.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Albany0
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
SafetyA
No violent crime reported in 2025
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
ALBANY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Albany Elementary | 1–5 | 380 |
| Albany Area Early Learning Center | PK–K | 59 |
| Holy Family School | PK–5 | 122 |
SchoolsA
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 84% of U.S. towns
3.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
How Albany grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Albany is from typical.
SafetyAOpen →SchoolsAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 10.3 of 20; 14.1% of households have no carA−Open →HealthCentracare - Paynesville Hospital 18.9 miles awayA−Open →Cost of livingB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 45% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →Jobs & income$69K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 3% conserved landA−Open →History4 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life10.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 34.0; 20% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Albany: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Albany, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy17.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAlbany water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Albany’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereStearns County Service CenterStearns County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5630756307 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Albany.
Albany pairs an A for schools with modest home prices, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and trades workers with St. Cloud and other neighbors.
SafetyA
Albany’s grade for safety is an A
Reported crimes fell from 6 to 1 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Violent crime is rare: 0 reported in 2025, 0 per 1,000 residents.
At 0.3 per 1,000 residents, Albany’s property crime rate is below both Minnesota’s towns (8.7) and U.S. towns (9.9). Albany’s violent crime rate is 0 per 1,000 residents.
86%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Albany | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.3 per 1,000 residents | 8.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Albany0
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Albany0.3
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
86th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
87th
percentile among MN towns
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
1
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsA
Albany’s grade for schools is an A
Its A for schools comes with a B+ for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $352K.
Its public schools are run by the Albany Public School District. Three of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Albany Area High School, with 584 students.
85%of MN districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany Area Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 457 | B+ |
| Albany Area High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 584 | A− |
| Albany ElementaryTop results in townGrades 1–5 | Grades 1–5 | 380 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
#97for trails in MN
| Albany | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.6 miles per square mile | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.1% | 4.7% | 4.3% |
3.1%
conserved · 45 of 1,453 acres
1.4 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. North Park | 0.8 mi | 34 |
| 2. Highview Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthA−
Albany’s grade for health is an A−
Against the 10,460 U.S. towns with household incomes like Albany’s, it is healthier than 95%, so its A− isn’t only a matter of income.
20% of Albany adults binge drink, above both the Minnesota town median (18%) and the median of U.S. towns (16%). 29% of Albany adults sleep under 7 hours. Albany beats the Minnesota average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
80%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Albany | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 31% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 8.9% | 10% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better31 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Albany | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults seeing a dentist | 71.3% | 67.5% |
Centracare - Paynesville Hospital
18.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
63rd
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Albany, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Albany has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Albany is 81°F.
57″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter6–24°
Spring32–53°
Summer58–79°
Fall36–55°
Oct 7
typical first frost
May 3
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
About one in five working residents works right in Albany
Albany has about as many jobs (1,656) as working residents, but only 267 people both live and work here. Jobs based here grew from 1,057 in 2013 to 1,656.
Most working residents leave Albany for work: only 19% work in town. Jobs based in Albany grew to 1,656 in 2023, 599 more than in 2013. 6% of workers work from home in Albany.
19%work in town
| Albany | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 19% | 9.7% | 8% |
| Work from home | 6% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $91,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 7% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Albany19%
St. Cloud18%
Avon6%
Melrose4%
Waite Park3%
18 mi
median commute distance
1,656
jobs based in Albany
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 84% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Albany faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 55% of U.S. communities.
45risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade B+
Albany’s typical home value is about $352K
The typical Albany home is worth about $352,000, up 2.7% in a year, close to the Minnesota typical home.
$352KZillow home value
Typical home value
Albany$352K
Minnesota$349K
+2.7%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Albany
20pages on Albany
The big questions
SchoolsABeat 85% of MN districts · 5 schoolsSafetyA0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than MN on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$352K typical home · up 2.7% in a yearWork & commuteB−$69K median household income · 1,656 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 45% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Albany
Saint Johns UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Collegeville8.8 mi$55,816 tuitionCollege of Saint BenedictUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Saint Joseph12.6 mi$55,756 tuition
About 2 of every 100 Albany residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
Famous people from Albany
4 notable people were born in Albany.
About Albany
City in Minnesota, United States
Albany ( AWL-bə-nee) is a city in Stearns County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,780 at the 2020 census. It is part of the St. Cloud metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1890
- Area
- 2.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,204 ft
- ZIP code
- 56307
- Area code
- 320
Questions about Albany
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Albany, MN a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Albany grades A+ overall, better than 98% of U.S. towns and #14 of 271 in Minnesota. It grades A− for health, A for safety and A for schools.
Is Albany, MN expensive?
Not for the area. That is 4.6 years of the area's median household income ($76,497 across the St. Cloud, MN metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
What is Albany, MN known for?
4 notable people were born here, including William Lemke and James Steven Rausch.