DME loco, 2005
Byron’s story
162 years in pictures
Census counts: 222 in 1880, 6,312 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1965 on.
- 1864Byron is platted
ByronMN
A town of 6,740, platted in 1864. Public schools that outperform most of Minnesota.
Population
6,740
2025 Census estimate · +6.7% since 2020
Typical home
$403K
+3.7% in a year
Household income
$124K
median
Median age
36.5
years
Jobs based here
1,493
A commuter town
TownGrade
A+
#9 of 271 in MN
Is Byron a good place to live?
Byron is one of the best-graded places in America: an A+, 9th among Minnesota's 271 graded towns. Its schools rank ahead of 95% of Minnesota towns, it is healthier than 88% of U.S. towns, and the median household earns $124K. Its lowest mark, a B−, is in cost of living. 31% of residents are under 18 in Byron, above both the Minnesota town median (23%) and the median of U.S. towns (22%). On history, just 52 of Minnesota’s 574 towns do worse. Byron's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 86% of U.S. towns.
What makes Byron stand out
Where Byron beats most towns.
Byron Public School District
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Byron Intermediate School | 3–5 | 551 |
| Byron Primary School | PK–2 | 519 |
| Byron Middle School | 6–8 | 577 |
SchoolsA+
#13 of the 274 Minnesota towns we grade for schools
NCES · EDFacts.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Byron6.3
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical MN town4.2
Civic lifeA
51% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Minnesota town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
A growing town
Byron has grown 37% since 2010
4,914 counted in 2010 and 6,312 in 2020; an estimated 6,740 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 6.7% since 2020, after 28.4% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Byron grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Byron is from typical.
SchoolsA+Open →HealthMayo Clinic Hospital Rochester 8 miles awayAOpen →Jobs & incomeA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 21% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 10 of 20; 2.4% of households have no car; 2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 3% conserved landBOpen →HistoryPlatted 1864C−Open →Civic life6.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Byron: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Byron, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy17.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterByron water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet9 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Byron’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 hereOlmsted County ElectionsOlmsted County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5592055920 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 Byron.
Byron has schools in the top 5% of Minnesota and has less tooth loss than most of Minnesota, but it has many renters stretched by housing costs.
SchoolsA+
Byron’s grade for schools is an A+
Its A+ ranks #13 of the 274 Minnesota towns we grade for schools.
Its public schools are run by the Byron Public School District. Three of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Byron Senior High School, with 695 students.
95%of MN districts it outscoresA+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Byron Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 577 | B+ |
| Byron Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 695 | B |
| Byron Intermediate SchoolTop results in townGrades 3–5 | Grades 3–5 | 551 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
HealthA
Byron’s grade for health is an A
Its widest gap with Minnesota is tooth loss: 5.7% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 8.9% statewide. Against the 5,168 U.S. towns with household incomes like Byron’s, it is healthier than 70%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
27% of Byron adults feel lonely. Byron beats the Minnesota average on 13 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 72% of Byron adults had a checkup this year.
88%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Byron | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 30% | 33% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 75% | 79% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 9.9% | 12% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 31% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
13 better18 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Byron | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 5.7% | 8.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8% | 11.4% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 72.7% | 76.1% |
Mayo Clinic Hospital Rochester
8 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
77th
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Low risk in Byron, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 79% of U.S. communities.
21risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
About two in three of Byron’s working residents commute to Rochester
Jobs based here grew from 990 in 2013 to 1,493.
Most working residents leave Byron for work: only 8% work in town. The average trip to work in Byron is 18 minutes. Jobs based in Byron grew to 1,493 in 2023, 503 more than in 2013.
8%work in town
| Byron | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $124,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Byron8%
Rochester66%
Minneapolis2%
Pine Island2%
Dodge Center1%
9 mi
median commute distance
1,493
jobs based in Byron
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 74% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Byron
Byron has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Byron’s July high is 81°F.
44″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter9–26°
Spring34–54°
Summer58–79°
Fall37–57°
Sep 28
typical first frost
May 12
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
More children than Minnesota overall
48% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Byron. Byron has grown 6.7% since 2020, to 6,740 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 13% of residents are 65 or older in Byron.
36.5median age · MN 38.8
| Byron | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 48% | 33% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 13% | 18% | 18% |
| Median age | 36.5 years | 39.9 years | 40.5 years |
ByronMinnesotaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma2%
High school16%
Some college19%
Associate’s16%
Bachelor’s25%
Graduate23%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.1 points. Across Minnesota, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Byron | MN | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 14.1% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 16.9% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.2% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.1% | 13.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.8% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 8% | 12.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.7% | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.1% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1.9% | 6.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 15.9% | 23.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.5% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.6% | 11.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 25.3% | 25.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 22.8% | 13.8% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
OutdoorsB
Conserved land covers 2.6% of Byron
1.0 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Byron Youth Baseball & Softball Complex, at 22 acres.
#166for trails in MN
| Byron | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.6% | 4.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.5 | 0.4 |
2.6%
conserved · 52 of 2,007 acres
1.0 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Byron Youth Baseball & Softball Complex | — | 22 |
| 2. Community Center Park | — | 4 |
| 3. Valley View Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade B−
A typical Byron home is worth about $403K
61.7% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 48.1% across Minnesota.
The typical Byron home is worth about $403,000, up 3.7% in a year, 15% above the Minnesota typical home.
$403KZillow home value
| Byron | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 83% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,135 a month | $1,199 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Byron$403K
Minnesota$349K
Market temperature
41
days on market
99.7%
sale-to-list price
+3.7%
value change, 1 year
12
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Byron
18pages on Byron
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Byron
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and ScienceUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Rochester8.7 mi$3,257 tuitionUniversity of Minnesota-RochesterUniversity or college · Public · Rochester8.9 mi$15,016 in-state tuitionRochester Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Rochester10.9 mi$6,389 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Byron residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
A commuter town
92% of working residents leave Byron for work
Where Byron’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,493jobs based in Byron
8%of working residents work in town
9 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Byron
City in Minnesota, United States
There are also two Byron Townships in Minnesota. Byron is a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States. About 10 miles west of the city of Rochester and 6 miles east of the city of Kasson on U.S. Route 14. It is surrounded by Kalmar Township. The population was 6,312 at the 2020 census, and was estimated at 6,809 in 2024. Byron is part of the Rochester metropolitan area. Local industries are in the form of farm services and printing. A grain elevator is situated next to the rail line that runs through town, which is owned by the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad. Schmidt Printing (a subsidiary of Taylor Corporation) is another major company in town. Byron is also a bedroom commun…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1873
- Area
- 2.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,257 ft
- ZIP code
- 55920
- Area code
- 507
Byron’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Byron.
Kalmar TownshipByron
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Byron | #9 | A+ | B− | — | A+ | A |
| Kalmar Township | — | — | B | — | A+ | A |
Kalmar Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Byron and Kalmar Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Byron with a neighbor →
Questions about Byron
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Byron, MN a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Byron grades A+ overall, among the top 2% of U.S. towns and #9 of 271 in Minnesota. It grades A for health and A+ for schools.
Is Byron, MN expensive?
That is 4.4 years of the area's median household income ($91,882 across the Rochester, 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−.