Rushford City Mill · National Register of Historic Places
Rushford’s story
170 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1867.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1856Rushford is settled
RushfordMN
A town of 1,849, settled in 1856.
Rushford City Mill · Photo: Jonathunder · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,849
2025 Census estimate · −0.9% since 2020
Typical home
$232K
−1.1% in a year
Household income
$77K
median
Median age
42.2
years
Jobs based here
1,017
Balanced
Is Rushford a good place to live?
The best of Rushford’s subject grades are an A+ for safety and an A for cost of living and civic life; the weakest is a D for hazard risk. No town in Minnesota scores higher than Rushford on safety. Rushford is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 70% of U.S. towns. On hazard risk, just 10 of Minnesota’s 575 towns do worse. Rushford’s trail density is 1.1 miles per square mile, above both the Minnesota town median (0.5) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Only 22 of Minnesota’s 572 towns score higher on civic life. Rushford has 4 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Southern Minnesota Depot and Rushford Wagon and Carriage Company. Rushford has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Rushford stand out
Where Rushford beats most towns.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Rushford0
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
SafetyA+
No violent crime reported in 2025
Less crime per resident than 99% of U.S. towns
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Rushford8.4
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical MN town4.2
Civic lifeA
2 times the nonprofits per person
than the typical Minnesota town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Typical home value
Rushford$232K
Minnesota$349K
Cost of livingA
2.5 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 86% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
How Rushford grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Rushford is from typical.
SafetyLess crime per resident than almost any U.S. townA+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →Cost of livingAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.9 of 20; 7.9% of households have no car; 5.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →HealthWinona Health Services 16.5 miles awayBOpen →Jobs & income$77K median household incomeC+Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trails; 2% conserved landB+Open →History4 notable people born hereB+Open →Civic life8.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
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 42.2; 28% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Rushford: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Rushford, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of RushfordEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterRushford water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Rushford’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 hereFillmore County AuditorFillmore County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5597155971 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 Rushford.
SafetyA+
Less crime per resident than almost any U.S. town
Rushford reports less crime per resident than 100% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade. Rushford’s property crime rate is 0 per 1,000 residents, below both Minnesota’s towns (8.7) and U.S. towns (9.9).
99%of U.S. towns report more crimeA+Safety Grade
| Rushford | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 8.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Rushford0
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Rushford0
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
99th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
0
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsB−
Rushford’s schools rank ahead of 54% of Minnesota districts
Its public schools are run by the Rushford-Peterson Public Schools. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
54%of MN districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rushford-Peterson ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 266 | B+ |
| Rushford-Peterson Senior HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 237 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Rushford stands out in Minnesota and nationally, with the FEMA risk score higher than most
Rushford’s FEMA risk score is 84 of 100. Since 2007, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Rushford.
84risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
2
paid flood claims since 2007
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A
Homes in Rushford are worth about $232K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Rushford home is worth about $232,000, down 1.1% in a year, 34% below the Minnesota typical home. The median rent in Rushford is $857 a month.
$232KZillow home value
| Rushford | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $857 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 72% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Rushford$232K
Minnesota$349K
−1.1%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Rushford
Rushford has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 7° and about 38 inches of snow falls in a winter.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter11–29°
Spring35–57°
Summer59–81°
Fall38–59°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 8
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
On CDC estimates, Rushford is healthier than 65% of U.S. towns
Rushford beats the Minnesota average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 28% of Rushford adults feel lonely.
65%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Rushford | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 33% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 31% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
3 better24 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Rushford | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.6% | 9.3% |
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 73% | 68.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.4% | 8.5% |
Winona Health Services
16.5 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
With 1.1 jobs for every working resident, Rushford draws in 807 commuters
About one in 4 of Rushford’s working residents works in town. Jobs based in Rushford grew to 1,017 in 2023, 144 more than in 2013. 5.9% of workers work from home in Rushford.
23%work in town
| Rushford | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 23% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Work from home | 5.9% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $77,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 9.5% | 7% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Rushford23%
Winona17%
Rochester14%
La Crosse3%
Rushford Village3%
17 mi
median commute distance
1,017
jobs based in Rushford
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 70% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsB+
Rushford has set aside 1.6% of its land for conservation
1.9 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is North End City Park, at 28 acres.
1.6%conserved
1.6%
conserved · 17 of 1,065 acres
1.9 mi
of trails · 1.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. North End City Park | 0.1 mi | 28 |
| 2. Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest | — | 17 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 12 attractions →Minnesota Marine Art Museum and 6 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Rushford. Close and well known come first.
18 mi MuseumMinnesota Marine Art Museum
35 mi MuseumVesterheim Norwegian-American Museum
25 mi GardenRiverside Park
18 mi MuseumWinona County History Center
38 mi MuseumRochester Art Center
19 mi AttractionPreston OverlookSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Minnesota Marine Art Museum: EverettMath, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Riverside Park: Wikideas1, CC0 · Winona County History Center: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rochester Art Center: Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2 · Preston Overlook: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Rushford
20pages on Rushford
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 54% of MN districts · 3 schoolsSafetyA+0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than MN on 3 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$232K typical home · down 1.1% in a yearWork & commuteC+$77K median household income · 1,017 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 Rushford; the nearest are
Minnesota State College SoutheastCommunity college · Public · Winona16.1 mi$6,432 in-state tuitionWinona State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Winona17 mi$10,576 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Rushford residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
Landmarks
4 places in Rushford on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Rushford
4 notable people were born in Rushford.
Questions about Rushford
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Rushford, 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 Rushford, MN known for?
4 notable people were born here, including Conrad Selvig and Konrad K. Solberg.