American Legion, 2022
Ashby’s story
147 years in pictures
Census counts: 231 in 1890, 469 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1913 on.
- 1879Ashby is platted
AshbyMN
A town of 474, platted in 1879.
Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
474
2025 Census estimate · +0% since 2020
Typical home
$310K
+7.2% in a year
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
41.0
years
Jobs based here
256
Balanced
Is Ashby a good place to live?
Ashby has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Ashby stand out
Where Ashby beats most towns.
Small town
474 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Ashby: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ashby, and how to reach them.
PowerOtter Tail Power11.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAshby water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Ashby’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 hereGrant County CourthouseGrant County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5630956309 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 Ashby.
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Ashby is inland flooding, at a low overall level
Of the losses FEMA expects in Ashby, 41% come from inland flooding and 28% from cold waves. Expected damage from storms and floods is lower here than in 73% of U.S. communities. One declared disaster, in 2009, has brought federal aid to Ashby households.
27risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Schools
The schools Ashby’s kids attend
Public schools: the Ashby Public School District. Its two schools are below. 2 public schools serve Ashby, with 315 students in all.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashby ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 178 | B |
| Ashby SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 137 | B |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
Expect four seasons and pleasant summers in Ashby
The town’s midsummer high stands at 80°F, below both the Minnesota town median (82°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
80°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter4–22°
Spring32–52°
Summer57–79°
Fall35–55°
Oct 5
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
80°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
A job hub: Ashby has 1.3 jobs for every working resident and draws in 237 commuters
14% of Ashby residents live below the poverty line, against 7% in Minnesota’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Commuting out is the norm here: a tenth of working residents work locally. Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in the town rose by 45, to 256. The typical household income for Ashby comes to $63,000.
10%work in town
| Ashby | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Ashby10%
Elbow Lake21%
Fergus Falls19%
Alexandria6%
Fargo5%
18 mi
median commute distance
256
jobs based in Ashby
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Ashby is
In Ashby, 14% of adults report frequent physical distress. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Ashby is ahead of Minnesota on 1 and behind on 10. 36% of adults in the town have high blood pressure; 27% get no exercise outside work.
| Ashby | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 31% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 23% | 25% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better21 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Ashby | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.2% | 76.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13.6% | 8.9% |
Prairie Ridge Hospital and Health Services
10.6 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
A typical Ashby home is worth about $310K
Home values are up 7.2% over the year to September 2026. Ashby’s rent at the middle of the market stands at $732 a month. Also worth knowing: for households in the town, the share who are owner-occupiers is 70%.
$310KZillow home value
| Ashby | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $732 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Ashby$310K
Minnesota$349K
+7.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ashby
17pages on Ashby
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Ashby; the nearest are
Minnesota State Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fergus Falls18.9 mi$5,908 in-state tuitionUniversity of Minnesota-MorrisUniversity or college · Public · Morris35.2 mi$14,526 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Ashby residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
About Ashby
City in Minnesota, United States
Ashby is a city in northeastern Grant County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 469 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,296 ft
- ZIP code
- 56309
- Area code
- 218
Questions about Ashby
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ashby, MN a good place to live?
Ashby has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.