Harmony, Minnesota signpost, 2006
Harmony’s story
157 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1869Harmony is settled
HarmonyMN
Trash & recyclingPopulation
1,028
2025 Census estimate · −2.1% since 2020
Typical home
$262K
+3.3% in a year
Household income
$68K
median
Median age
58.8
years
Jobs based here
600
Balanced
Is Harmony a good place to live?
The best of Harmony’s subject grades is an A+ for cost of living; the weakest is a C for health. 40% of residents are 65 or older in Harmony, against 18% in Minnesota’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. On cost of living, just 5 of Minnesota’s 573 towns do better. Harmony is more walkable than 75% of U.S. towns. Harmony’s trail density is 1.0 miles per square mile, above both the Minnesota town median (0.5) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). McMichael Grain Elevator is on the National Register of Historic Places. Harmony has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Harmony stand out
Where Harmony beats most towns.
Typical home value
Harmony$262K
Minnesota$349K
Cost of livingA+
2.8 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 99% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 75% of U.S. towns
3.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
1historic places
History
Settled in 1869
1 place on the National Register
A history going back 157 years.
Small town
1,028 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Harmony grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Harmony is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.9 of 20; 4.2% of households have no carA−Open →HealthLess healthy than 72% of U.S. towns; Regional Health Services of Howard County 13.1 miles awayCOpen →Jobs & incomeCOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 38% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailBOpen →History1 place on the National Register; 1 notable person born hereB+Open →Civic life3.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
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 58.8; 21% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Harmony: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Harmony, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of HarmonyEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterHarmony water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTown’s haulerThe town’s contract hauler picks up at the curb for every homeTown site
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 code5593955939 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 Harmony.
SchoolsB−
Public schools in Harmony fall behind 51% of Minnesota districts
Its public schools are run by the Fillmore Central school district. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
49%of MN districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fillmore Central Senior HighLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 264 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
HealthC
Harmony stands out in Minnesota and nationally, with more of its adults who have high blood pressure
41% of adults have high blood pressure in Harmony. Among 272 Minnesota towns, just 3 have a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Harmony. 30% of adults get no exercise outside work in Harmony.
28%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Harmony | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 31% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 10% | 12% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 35% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 23% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better17 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Harmony | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.9% | 76.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.2% | 5.4% |
Regional Health Services of Howard County
13.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade A+
Homes in Harmony are worth about $262K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Harmony home is worth about $262,000, up 3.3% in a year, 25% below the Minnesota typical home. 84% of Harmony households own their home.
$262KZillow home value
Typical home value
Harmony$262K
Minnesota$349K
+3.3%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in March
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Harmony has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Harmony has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Harmony’s July high is 81°F.
47″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–27°
Spring34–55°
Summer58–79°
Fall37–57°
Sep 28
typical first frost
May 14
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
A job hub: Harmony has 1.5 jobs for every working resident and draws in 521 commuters
About one in 5 of Harmony’s working residents works in town. The median household income in Harmony is $68,000. Since 2013, Harmony has added 39 jobs, to 600 in 2023.
20%work in town
| Harmony | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 20% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $68,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 7% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Harmony20%
Rochester16%
Preston9%
Chatfield4%
Decorah3%
21 mi
median commute distance
600
jobs based in Harmony
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 75% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Harmony
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 62% of U.S. communities.
38risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsB
Harmony has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
1.1 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 711 acres
1.1 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. North Park | — | 9 |
| 2. Trailhead Park | — | 4 |
| 3. Selvig Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Harmony
19pages on Harmony
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Harmony; the nearest are
Luther CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Decorah, IA19.6 mi$52,120 tuitionNortheast Iowa Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Calmar, IA27.1 mi$6,780 in-state tuitionWinona State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Winona38.5 mi$10,576 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Harmony residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.