Fountain City, 1865
Fountain’s story
156 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1865.
- 1870Fountain is settled
FountainMN
A town of 400, settled in 1870.
Population
400
2025 Census estimate · −1.7% since 2020
Typical home
$318K
+2.8% in a year
Household income
$79K
median
Median age
40.8
years
Jobs based here
128
A commuter town
Is Fountain a good place to live?
Fountain’s median rent is $630 a month, where Minnesota’s towns sit at $1,196 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. Fountain has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
400 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 Fountain: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Fountain, and how to reach them.
PowerMiEnergy Cooperative16.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterFountain water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Fountain’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 hereFillmore County AuditorFillmore County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5593555935 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 Fountain.
Work & commute
About two in five of Fountain’s working residents commute to Rochester
Most working residents leave Fountain for work: only 2% work in town. Since 2013, Fountain has lost 31 jobs, to 128 in 2023. At 27 minutes, Fountain’s average trip to work is above both Minnesota’s towns (23 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes).
2%work in town
| Fountain | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.7% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $79,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Fountain2%
Rochester44%
Chatfield15%
Spring Valley4%
Preston2%
25 mi
median commute distance
128
jobs based in Fountain
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Fountain has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Fountain has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Fountain is 81°F.
42″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–26°
Spring34–55°
Summer58–79°
Fall37–57°
Sep 28
typical first frost
May 14
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Fountain is
Fountain tracks Minnesota closely on all 32 CDC measures. 20% of Fountain adults binge drink.
| Fountain | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 75% | 79% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Olmsted Medical Center
24.5 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
Fountain’s typical home value is about $318K
The typical Fountain home is worth about $318,000, up 2.8% in a year, 9% below the Minnesota typical home. 89% of households own their home in Fountain.
$318KZillow home value
Typical home value
Fountain$318K
Minnesota$349K
+2.8%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Moderate risk in Fountain, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 55% of U.S. communities.
55risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 632 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Trailside Park | — | 3 |
| 2. Ball Park | — | 3 |
| 3. Westside Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Fountain
17pages on Fountain
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Fountain; the nearest are
Rochester Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Rochester23.7 mi$6,389 in-state tuitionUniversity of Minnesota-RochesterUniversity or college · Public · Rochester25.3 mi$15,016 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Fountain residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Minnesota.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Fountain for work
Where Fountain’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
128jobs based in Fountain
2%of working residents work in town
25 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Fountain
City in Minnesota, United States
Fountain is a city in Fillmore County, Minnesota, United States. As of the 2020 census, Fountain had a population of 409. Fountain is the western terminus of the Root River segment of the Root River State Trail. Local attractions include the Fillmore County History Center.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,306 ft
- ZIP code
- 55935
- Area code
- 507
Questions about Fountain
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Fountain, MN a good place to live?
Fountain has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.