Nerstrand City Hall · National Register of Historic Places
Nerstrand’s story
149 years in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1877Nerstrand is settled
NerstrandMN
A town of 274, settled in 1877.
Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0
Population
274
2025 Census estimate · −0.4% since 2020
Typical home
$418K
+4.5% in a year
Household income
$86K
median
Median age
34.4
years
Jobs based here
129
Balanced
Is Nerstrand a good place to live?
13% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Nerstrand, below both Minnesota’s towns (33%) and U.S. towns (29%). Nerstrand has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Nerstrand City Hall and Osmund Osmundson House. Nerstrand has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
274 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 Nerstrand: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Nerstrand, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy17.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterNerstrand water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Nerstrand’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 hereRice County ElectionsRice County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5505355053 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 Nerstrand.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nerstrand Charter SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 102 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
High risk in Nerstrand, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 71% of U.S. communities.
71risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Nerstrand has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Nerstrand has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. At 81°F, Nerstrand’s July high is near the Minnesota town median (82°F) and below the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
43″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–26°
Spring35–54°
Summer59–79°
Fall38–57°
Oct 5
typical first frost
May 5
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Housing
Homes in Nerstrand are worth about $418K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Nerstrand home is worth about $418,000, up 4.5% in a year, 20% above the Minnesota typical home. 93% of Nerstrand households own their home.
$418KZillow home value
| Nerstrand | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 93% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,350 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Nerstrand$418K
Minnesota$349K
+4.5%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Nerstrand
Most working residents leave Nerstrand for work: only 0% work in town. Nerstrand’s average trip to work is 27 minutes. The top destinations are Faribault (28%), Northfield (14%) and Owatonna (8%).
0%work in town
| Nerstrand | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 9.8% | 7% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Nerstrand0%
Faribault28%
Northfield14%
Owatonna8%
Rochester3%
14 mi
median commute distance
129
jobs based in Nerstrand
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Nerstrand is
Nerstrand tracks Minnesota closely on all 32 CDC measures. 14% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Nerstrand.
| Nerstrand | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 19% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9% | 10% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 12% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Allina Health Faribault Medical Center
10.3 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Conserved land covers 0% of Nerstrand
1.3 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. The trail density in Nerstrand is 0.9 miles per square mile. Prairie Creek Wildlife Management Area, at 84 acres with 1 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 903 acres
1.3 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Prairie Creek Wildlife Management Area | 1 mi | 84 |
| 2. City Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Nerstrand
18pages on Nerstrand
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Nerstrand
Carleton CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Northfield9.4 mi$68,892 tuitionSt Olaf CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Northfield10.1 mi$59,760 tuition
About 5 of every 100 Nerstrand residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Minnesota.
About Nerstrand
City in Minnesota, United States
Nerstrand ( NEER-schrand) is a city in Rice County, Minnesota, United States. As of the 2020 census, Nerstrand had a population of 273. Minnesota State Highway 246 serves as a main route in the community. Minnesota State Highways 56 and 60 are nearby.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,191 ft
- ZIP code
- 55053
- Area code
- 507
Questions about Nerstrand
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Nerstrand, MN a good place to live?
Nerstrand has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.