Creamery, Nicollet, Minnesota - DPLA - 9d8695cac8ce9ba88abc520e4c43aebb, c. 1908
Nicollet’s story
168 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1908.
- 1858Nicollet is settled
NicolletMN
A town of 1,127, settled in 1858. 2.2 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Minnesota town.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Grika at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,127
2025 Census estimate · −1.5% since 2020
Typical home
$324K
+5.2% in a year
Household income
$85K
median
Median age
32.8
years
Jobs based here
407
Balanced
Is Nicollet a good place to live?
Nicollet’s best subject grades are an A− for cost of living and health and an A+ for civic life. Nicollet’s median age is 32.8 years, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 39.9 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. Only 13 of Minnesota’s 572 towns score higher on civic life. Nicollet has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Nicollet stand out
Where Nicollet beats most towns.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Nicollet9.4
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical MN town4.2
Civic lifeA+
2.2 times the nonprofits per person
than the typical Minnesota town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Typical home value
Nicollet$324K
Minnesota$349K
Cost of livingA−
4.3 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 80% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| Widest gap | Nicollet | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 63.9% | 67.5% |
HealthA−
Healthier than 77% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
Small town
1,127 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Nicollet TownshipGranby TownshipNicollet
How Nicollet grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Nicollet is from typical.
Cost of livingA−Open →HealthRiver's Edge Hospital & Clinic 11.9 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & income$85K median household incomeBOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listB−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.7 of 20; 4.6% of households have no car; 3.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksCOpen →HistoryCOpen →Civic life9.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Nicollet: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Nicollet, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy17.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterNicollet water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet10 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Nicollet’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 hereNicollet County Govt CenterNicollet County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2017
ZIP code5607456074 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 Nicollet.
HealthA−
Nicollet ranks healthier than 76% of the country’s towns
Nicollet beats the Minnesota average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 21% of Nicollet adults binge drink, above both Minnesota’s towns (18%) and U.S. towns (16%). 72% of Nicollet adults had a checkup this year.
77%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Nicollet | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 75% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 31% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Nicollet | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 63.9% | 67.5% |
River's Edge Hospital & Clinic
11.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB−
Public schools in Nicollet fall behind 51% of Minnesota districts
Its public schools are run by the Nicollet Public School District. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
49%of MN districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicollet Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 156 | A |
| Nicollet High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 151 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
Climate
Nicollet has four seasons and pleasant summers
Nicollet has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 6° and about 39 inches of snow falls in a winter.
39″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–26°
Spring35–55°
Summer60–80°
Fall38–58°
Oct 9
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
Nicollet has 0.8 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Nicollet for work: only 2% work in town. The average trip to work in Nicollet is 19 minutes. Since 2013, Nicollet has added 41 jobs, to 407 in 2023.
2%work in town
| Nicollet | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.3% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 7% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Nicollet2%
Mankato25%
St. Peter19%
North Mankato11%
New Ulm3%
12 mi
median commute distance
407
jobs based in Nicollet
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 53% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade A−
Nicollet’s typical home value is about $324K
The typical Nicollet home is worth about $324,000, up 5.2% in a year, 7% below the Minnesota typical home. Nicollet’s median rent is $855 a month.
$324KZillow home value
| Nicollet | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $855 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 66% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Nicollet$324K
Minnesota$349K
+5.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Nicollet faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 50% of U.S. communities.
50risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong windCold waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Nearby attractions
All 14 attractions →Wanda Gág House and 5 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Nicollet. Close and well known come first.
14 mi MuseumWanda Gág House11 mi GardenSibley Park
14 mi MuseumBrown County Museum
40 mi Museum3R Landmark School Museum
37 mi MuseumWaseca County Historical Society Museum
20 mi GardenGaylord City ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Wanda Gág House: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Brown County Museum: Flip Schulke, Public domain · 3R Landmark School Museum: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Waseca County Historical Society Museum: Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2 · Gaylord City Park: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Nicollet
17pages on Nicollet
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
5 within 15 miles of the center of Nicollet
South Central CollegeCommunity college · Public · North Mankato9.8 mi$6,146 in-state tuitionGustavus Adolphus CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Saint Peter11.2 mi$56,076 tuitionMinnesota State University-MankatoUniversity or college · Public · Mankato12.9 mi$9,572 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Nicollet residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Minnesota.
About Nicollet
City in Minnesota, United States
Nicollet ( NIH-kə-lit) is a city in Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,143 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Mankato, MN Metropolitan Statistical Area. U.S. Route 14 and Minnesota State Highways 99 and 111 are the three main arterial routes in the community. Nearby Swan Lake Wildlife Management Area is one of the most significant waterfowl breeding areas in the upper Midwest.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 984 ft
- ZIP code
- 56074
- Area code
- 507
Questions about Nicollet
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Nicollet, MN a good place to live?
2.2 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Minnesota town.
Is Nicollet, 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 A−.