MNMap-doton-Medford, 2005
Medford’s story
171 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2005.
- 1855Medford is settled
MedfordMN
A town of 1,377, settled in 1855.
Population
1,377
2025 Census estimate · +4.5% since 2020
Typical home
$306K
+2.5% in a year
Household income
$108K
median
Median age
39.3
years
Jobs based here
318
A commuter town
Is Medford a good place to live?
The best of Medford’s subject grades is an A− for incomes; the weakest is a C for walkability. 11% of residents are 65 or older in Medford, below both the Minnesota town median (18%) and the median of U.S. towns (18%). Medford has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Medford stand out
Where Medford beats most towns.
Small town
1,377 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Medford TownshipMedford
How Medford grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Medford is from typical.
Jobs & incomeA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.3 of 20; 2.1% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Cost of livingB+Open →HealthOwatonna Hospital 7.7 miles awayBOpen →SchoolsBOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 49% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksB−Open →History2 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life10.3 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 39.3; 24% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Medford: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Medford, and how to reach them.
PowerSteele-Waseca Cooperative Electric16.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMedford 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 Medford’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 hereSteele County AuditorSteele County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5504955049 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 Medford.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
About half of Medford’s working residents commute to Owatonna
Most working residents leave Medford for work: only 3% work in town. Medford’s median household income is $108,000, against $90,000 in Minnesota’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns. Since 2013, Medford has lost 512 jobs, to 318 in 2023.
3%work in town
| Medford | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $108,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 14% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.8% | 9.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Medford3%
Owatonna46%
Faribault11%
Rochester5%
Northfield3%
8 mi
median commute distance
318
jobs based in Medford
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 26% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsB
Medford’s schools rank ahead of 57% of Minnesota districts
Its public schools are run by the Medford Public School District. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Medford Secondary, with 379 students.
57%of MN districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medford ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 466 | B− |
| Medford SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 379 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
Climate
Medford has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Medford has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Medford is 81°F.
44″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–26°
Spring34–55°
Summer59–79°
Fall37–57°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 5
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
Residents of Medford are healthier than 60% of U.S. towns
Medford beats the Minnesota average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 73% of adults had a checkup this year in Medford.
60%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Medford | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 75% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 30% | 36% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better29 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Medford | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 11.6% | 8.9% |
| Fewer adults screened for colon cancer | 63.3% | 68.7% |
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 62.2% | 67.5% |
Owatonna Hospital
7.7 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade B+
Medford’s typical home value is about $306K
The typical Medford home is worth about $306,000, up 2.5% in a year, 12% below the Minnesota typical home. 80% of Medford households own their home.
$306KZillow home value
| Medford | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 80% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,175 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Medford$306K
Minnesota$349K
+2.5%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Moderate risk in Medford, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 51% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Medford since 2016.
49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
1
paid flood claims since 2016
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Medford
18pages on Medford
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Medford; the nearest are
St Olaf CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Northfield20.5 mi$59,760 tuitionRiverland Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Austin36.2 mi$6,298 in-state tuitionMinnesota State University-MankatoUniversity or college · Public · Mankato37.3 mi$9,572 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Medford residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Medford for work
Where Medford’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
318jobs based in Medford
3%of working residents work in town
8 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Medford
City in Minnesota, United States
Medford ( MED-fərd) is a city in Steele County, Minnesota, United States. As of the 2020 census, Medford had a population of 1,315.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,099 ft
- ZIP code
- 55049
- Area code
- 507
Questions about Medford
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Medford, MN expensive?
Not for the 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+.
What is Medford, MN known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Lynn Frazier and Earl Douglass.