Washburn Ave, 1908
Paynesville’s story
169 years in pictures
Census counts: 127 in 1880, 2,388 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1908 and 2 maps from 1967 on.
- 1857Paynesville is settled
PaynesvilleMN
A town of 2,591, settled in 1857.
Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri · CC BY 3.0
Population
2,591
2025 Census estimate · +8.3% since 2020
Typical home
$222K
+1.8% in a year
Household income
$75K
median
Median age
36.1
years
Jobs based here
1,837
A job hub
TownGrade
A+
#27 of 271 in MN
Why does Paynesville grade so well?
Few places in the country grade higher. Paynesville earns an A+, ranked 27th of 271 in Minnesota. Homes are within reach, about $222K for a typical one, or 2.9 years of the St. Cloud metro’s $76K median household income, crime is low: it reports less per resident than 86% of U.S. towns, and CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 83% of the country. Its lowest mark, a C+, is in schools. 34% of working residents work locally in Paynesville, against 9.7% in Minnesota’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is KPEX aiport boundary, at 38 acres. Paynesville is more walkable than 74% of U.S. towns.
What makes Paynesville stand out
Where Paynesville beats most towns.
Typical home value
Paynesville$222K
Minnesota$349K
Cost of livingA
More affordable than 92% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Paynesville1.1
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
SafetyA
52% less violent crime than MN
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
A job hub
Every workday, about 1,476 people come to Paynesville for work
Where Paynesville’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,837jobs based in Paynesville
34%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Paynesville grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Paynesville is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →SafetyAOpen →HealthCentracare - Paynesville Hospital 0.4 miles awayA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.2 of 20; 6.9% of households have no car; 5.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →Jobs & incomeB+Open →SchoolsC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trailsB+Open →History1 notable person born hereC+Open →Civic life5.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market42 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 36.1; 27% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Paynesville: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Paynesville, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy17.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPaynesville water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet9 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Paynesville’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 hereStearns County Service CenterStearns County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5636256362 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 Paynesville.
Paynesville pairs an A+ overall with homes cheaper than the Minnesota norm and draws workers from Paynesville Township and beyond.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
About one in three working residents works right in Paynesville
1,837 jobs are based in Paynesville, 1.7 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
About one in 3 of Paynesville’s working residents works in town. 6.5% of Paynesville workers work from home. Since 2013, Paynesville has added 212 jobs, to 1,837 in 2023.
34%work in town
| Paynesville | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 6.5% | 14% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $75,000 | $91,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Paynesville34%
St. Cloud7%
Paynesville Township6%
Cold Spring3%
Waite Park3%
15 mi
median commute distance
1,837
jobs based in Paynesville
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 74% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsC+
Public schools in Paynesville fall behind 56% of Minnesota districts
Its public schools are run by the Paynesville Area Schools. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Paynesville Area Secondary School, with 465 students.
44%of MN districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paynesville Area ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 429 | B |
| Paynesville Area Secondary SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 465 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
OutdoorsB+
0% of Paynesville is conserved land
1.6 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves. The trail density in Paynesville is 0.7 miles per square mile.
#78for trails in MN
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,451 acres
1.6 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. KPEX aiport boundary | — | 38 |
| 2. Ampe Park | — | 15 |
| 3. Nature Trail Park | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SafetyA
Paynesville earns an A for safety
Paynesville’s property crime rate is 1.5 per 1,000 residents.
86%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Paynesville | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.5 per 1,000 residents | 8.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.1 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Paynesville1.1
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Paynesville1.5
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
86th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
87th
percentile among MN towns
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
4
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthA−
Paynesville earns an A− for health
29% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Paynesville. Paynesville beats the Minnesota average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 15% of adults report frequent mental distress in Paynesville.
83%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Paynesville | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 33% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
5 better26 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Paynesville | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.6% | 5.7% |
| Fewer adults without reliable transportation | 5.8% | 7.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.7% | 8.5% |
Centracare - Paynesville Hospital
0.4 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
67th
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade A
Paynesville earns an A for cost of living
Paynesville grades A+ overall with a typical home of about $222K, below the Minnesota typical value; only 39 of the 123 Minnesota towns graded A− or better can say that. At 2.9 years of the St. Cloud metro’s $76K median household income, the typical home (about $222K) costs less against local pay than in 90% of Minnesota towns; that ratio is one input to its A for cost of living.
The typical Paynesville home is worth about $222,000, up 1.8% in a year, 36% below the Minnesota typical home.
$222KZillow home value
| Paynesville | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $815 a month | $1,199 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Paynesville$222K
Minnesota$349K
Market temperature
42
days on market
97.3%
sale-to-list price
+1.8%
value change, 1 year
10
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Paynesville
Paynesville has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 81°, January nights drop to 3° and about 50 inches of snow falls in a winter.
50″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter6–24°
Spring33–53°
Summer58–79°
Fall36–56°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Paynesville
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 64% of U.S. communities.
64risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Paynesville
20pages on Paynesville
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 56% of MN districts · 3 schoolsSafetyA1.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than MN on 5 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$222K typical home · up 1.8% in a yearWork & commuteB+$75K median household income · 1,837 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 64% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Paynesville; the nearest are
Saint Johns UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Collegeville21.1 mi$55,816 tuitionRidgewater CollegeCommunity college · Public · Willmar23.8 mi$6,121 in-state tuitionSaint Cloud State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Saint Cloud30.1 mi$10,245 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Paynesville residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
About Paynesville
City in Minnesota, United States
Paynesville is a city in Stearns County, Minnesota, United States, on Lake Koronis, in the central part of the state. The population was 2,388 at the 2020 census. It is part of the St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1857
- Area
- 2.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,171 ft
- ZIP code
- 56362
- Area code
- 320
Questions about Paynesville
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Paynesville, MN a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Paynesville grades A+ overall, better than 97% of U.S. towns and #27 of 271 in Minnesota. It grades A− for health, A for safety and C+ for schools.
Is Paynesville, MN expensive?
Not for the area. That is 2.9 years of the area's median household income ($76,497 across the St. Cloud, MN metro 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.