Historic Bluff Country Scenic Byway - Cat Art at Houston Nature Center, 2006
Houston’s story
170 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2006.
- 1856Houston is settled
HoustonMN
Population
970
2025 Census estimate · −3% since 2020
Typical home
$351K
+6.2% in a year
Household income
$56K
median
Median age
32.8
years
Jobs based here
614
Balanced
Is Houston a good place to live?
Houston has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Houston stand out
Where Houston beats most towns.
Small town
970 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Houston TownshipHouston
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Houston: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Houston, and how to reach them.
PowerMiEnergy Cooperative16.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHouston water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Houston’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 hereHouston County CourthouseHouston County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code5594355943 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 Houston.
Natural hazards
Houston faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
For Houston, the FEMA risk score is 80 of 100. Since 2007, Houston has seen 2 flood insurance claims paid out. Expected losses in Houston break down as 73% from inland flooding and 12% from cold waves. Households in the town have drawn federal disaster aid once, in 2007.
80risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
2
paid flood claims since 2007
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Schools
The schools Houston’s kids attend
The largest public high school is Minnesota Virtual Academy High, with 706 students. Public schools: the Houston Public School District. Two of its 6 schools are below, each with the reason it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 247 | A− |
| Houston SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 234 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
Houston: snowy winters and pleasant summers
Expect July afternoons of 83° and January nights of 8°, with about 45 inches of snow a winter.
45″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–29°
Spring35–57°
Summer59–81°
Fall39–59°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
With 1.4 jobs for every working resident, Houston draws in 533 commuters
Half of commuters travel less than 18 miles. Houston: nearly a fifth of residents live below the poverty line. In Houston, the median household income is $56,000, below both the Minnesota town median ($90,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). For Houston, the typical journey to work is 28 minutes.
18%work in town
| Houston | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 18% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Houston18%
La Crosse15%
Winona15%
Rochester6%
Caledonia6%
18 mi
median commute distance
614
jobs based in Houston
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Houston
In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Houston is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
0
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Health
How healthy Houston is
In Houston, 15% of adults report frequent mental distress. CDC measures, 32 in all: Houston beats Minnesota on 1 and trails on 5. 27% of Houston adults get no exercise outside work, above both Minnesota’s towns (23%) and U.S. towns (25%).
| Houston | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 33% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 23% | 25% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better26 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Houston | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.4% | 76.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 12.2% | 8.9% |
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center
16.4 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
The typical home in Houston: about $351K
Values rose 6.2% in the 12 months to September 2026. The going rate for rent for Houston comes to $928 a month. For households in the town, the share who are owner-occupiers is 76%.
$351KZillow home value
| Houston | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $928 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 76% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Houston$351K
Minnesota$349K
+6.2%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Houston
19pages on Houston
The big questions
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Houston; the nearest are
Viterbo UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · La Crosse, WI16.7 mi$34,250 tuitionWestern Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · La Crosse, WI16.8 mi$4,820 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-La CrosseUniversity or college · Public · La Crosse, WI17.5 mi$10,070 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Houston residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
Famous people from Houston
3 notable people were born in Houston.
Questions about Houston
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Houston, MN a good place to live?
Houston has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Houston, MN known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Everett Bidwell and Herman Thorson.