Butterfield, MN, 2021
Butterfield’s story
154 years in pictures
Census counts: 332 in 1900, 601 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1970 on.
- 1872Butterfield is platted
ButterfieldMN
A town of 611, platted in 1872.
Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
611
2025 Census estimate · +1.7% since 2020
Typical home
$101K
+0.4% in a year
Household income
$64K
median
Median age
45.0
years
Jobs based here
229
Balanced
Is Butterfield a good place to live?
Of the 232 Minnesota towns we compare, none has a lower typical home value than Butterfield. Butterfield has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
611 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 Butterfield: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Butterfield, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy17.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterButterfield water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Butterfield’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 hereWatonwan County CourthouseWatonwan County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code5612056120 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 Butterfield.
Housing
In Butterfield, the median rent runs lower than in the typical Minnesota or U.S. town
Butterfield’s median rent is $678 a month, below both the Minnesota town median ($1,196 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). 84% of households own their home in Butterfield. The typical Butterfield home is worth about $101,000, about the same as a year ago, 71% below the Minnesota typical home.
$101KZillow home value
| Butterfield | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $678 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 84% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Butterfield$101K
Minnesota$349K
+0.4%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Butterfield’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Butterfield-Odin Public Schools. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butterfield ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 110 | C− |
| Butterfield SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 103 | D |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Low risk in Butterfield, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 69% of U.S. communities.
31risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesDrought
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Butterfield
Butterfield has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 6° and about 50 inches of snow falls in a winter.
50″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–26°
Spring35–55°
Summer59–80°
Fall38–58°
Oct 7
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
About one in ten working residents works right in Butterfield
Most working residents leave Butterfield for work: only 10% work in town. Butterfield’s average trip to work is 17 minutes, against 23 minutes in Minnesota’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. The median household income in Butterfield is $64,000.
10%work in town
| Butterfield | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.4% | 7% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Butterfield10%
St. James15%
Mankato6%
Madelia6%
Windom5%
19 mi
median commute distance
229
jobs based in Butterfield
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
Butterfield stands out in Minnesota and nationally: a larger share of its adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance
16% of Butterfield adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance. Butterfield beats the Minnesota average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 75% of Butterfield adults had a checkup this year.
| Butterfield | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 7.3% | 8.1% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 25% | 23% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 23% | 25% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better23 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Butterfield | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with depression | 20.7% | 24.4% |
| More uninsured adults | 15.6% | 7.5% |
Mayo Clinic Health System St. James
8.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Butterfield
17pages on Butterfield
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Butterfield; the nearest are
Martin Luther CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · New Ulm28.8 mi$18,120 tuitionIowa Lakes Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Estherville, IA38.6 mi$7,392 in-state tuitionMinnesota State University-MankatoUniversity or college · Public · Mankato41.5 mi$9,572 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Butterfield residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
About Butterfield
City in Minnesota, United States
Butterfield is a city in Watonwan County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 601 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,188 ft
- ZIP code
- 56120
- Area code
- 507
Questions about Butterfield
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Butterfield, MN a good place to live?
Butterfield has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.