Royalton MN downtown, 2013
Royalton’s story
172 years in pictures
Census counts: 582 in 1890, 1,281 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2013 and 3 maps from 1948 on.
- 1854Royalton is settled
RoyaltonMN
A town of 1,274, settled in 1854.
Population
1,274
2025 Census estimate · −0.5% since 2020
Typical home
$271K
−1.2% in a year
Household income
$55K
median
Median age
33.0
years
Jobs based here
441
A commuter town
Is Royalton a good place to live?
The best of Royalton’s subject grades are an A− for cost of living and civic life; the weakest is a D for hazard risk. 27% of residents live below the poverty line in Royalton, against 7% in Minnesota’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. On hazard risk, just 7 of Minnesota’s 575 towns do worse. The median household income is $55K, and 27% of residents live below the poverty line. Royalton has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Royalton stand out
Where Royalton beats most towns.
Typical home value
Royalton$271K
Minnesota$349K
Cost of livingA−
3.9 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 82% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
ROYALTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Royalton Elementary | PK–5 | 420 |
| Royalton Public Schools Early Child | PK–K | 22 |
| Royalton Middle School | 6–8 | 203 |
SchoolsA−
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
Small town
1,274 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Langola TownshipBellevue TownshipRoyalton
How Royalton grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Royalton is from typical.
Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →Jobs & incomeDOpen →Cost of livingA−Open →HealthSt. Gabriels Hospital 10.1 miles awayA−Open →SchoolsA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.7 of 20; 9.1% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →SafetyC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailCOpen →History3 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life4.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
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 33.0; 16% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Royalton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Royalton, and how to reach them.
PowerMinnesota Power15.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterRoyalton water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Royalton’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 hereMorrison County CourthouseMorrison County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5637356373 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 Royalton.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Royalton stands out in Minnesota and nationally, with the FEMA risk score higher than most
At 84 of 100, Royalton’s FEMA risk score is where Minnesota’s towns sit at 40 of 100 and U.S. towns at 44 of 100. Since 2002, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Royalton.
84risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
2
paid flood claims since 2002
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsA−
Royalton’s schools rank ahead of 76% of Minnesota districts
Its public schools are run by the Royalton Public School District. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
76%of MN districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalton ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 420 | A− |
| Royalton High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 293 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
HealthA−
Residents of Royalton are healthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Royalton beats the Minnesota average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 20% of Royalton adults binge drink.
76%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Royalton | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 75% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 31% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 8.8% | 10% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
2 better30 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Royalton | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.6% | 8.9% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.6% | 8.5% |
St. Gabriels Hospital
10.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
With 0.7 jobs for every working resident, most of Royalton’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Royalton for work: only 4% work in town. The average trip to work in Royalton is 30 minutes. Since 2013, Royalton has added 117 jobs, to 441 in 2023.
4%work in town
| Royalton | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.8% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Work from home | 11% | 14% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Royalton4%
Little Falls28%
St. Cloud9%
Brainerd5%
Sartell4%
17 mi
median commute distance
441
jobs based in Royalton
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 30% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade A−
The median rent in Royalton is lower than in the typical Minnesota or U.S. town
Royalton’s median rent is $600 a month. The typical Royalton home is worth about $271,000, down 1.2% in a year, 22% below the Minnesota typical home. 67% of households own their home in Royalton.
$271KZillow home value
| Royalton | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $600 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Royalton$271K
Minnesota$349K
−1.2%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Royalton
Royalton has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 81°, January nights drop to 2° and about 51 inches of snow falls in a winter.
51″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter6–24°
Spring32–54°
Summer58–79°
Fall36–55°
Sep 29
typical first frost
May 10
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
36%of U.S. towns report more crimeC+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Royalton0.8
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Royalton7
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
36th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
9
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
OutdoorsC
Royalton has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
0.5 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,273 acres
0.5 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Memorial Park | — | 2 |
| 2. Royalton Splash Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Royalton
20pages on Royalton
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 76% of MN districts · 5 schoolsSafetyC+0.8 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than MN on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−$271K typical home · down 1.2% in a yearWork & commuteD$55K median household income · 441 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 84% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Royalton; the nearest are
Saint Johns UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Collegeville18 mi$55,816 tuitionSt Cloud Technical and Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Saint Cloud18.3 mi$6,124 in-state tuitionSaint Cloud State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Saint Cloud20.3 mi$10,245 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Royalton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Royalton for work
Where Royalton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
441jobs based in Royalton
4%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Royalton
3 notable people were born in Royalton.
Questions about Royalton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Royalton, 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−.
What is Royalton, MN known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Carmen Hill and Gordon Rosenmeier.