Cornfield - panoramio (2), 2014
Winthrop’s story
144 years in pictures
Census counts: 488 in 1890, 1,332 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2014 and 2 maps from 1958 on.
- 1882Winthrop is settled
Photo: Schwerdf · CC BY 4.0
Population
1,341
2025 Census estimate · +0.5% since 2020
Typical home
$241K
+6.8% in a year
Household income
$69K
median
Median age
46.3
years
Jobs based here
466
Balanced
Is Winthrop a good place to live?
Winthrop’s best subject grade is an A for cost of living. 27% of residents are 65 or older in Winthrop, against 18% in Minnesota’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. Among 170 Minnesota towns, just 9 have a lower violent crime rate than Winthrop. The biggest park or preserve is Winthrop City Park, at 21 acres. Winthrop has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
StrongestACost of living
What makes Winthrop stand out
Where Winthrop beats most towns.
Small town
1,341 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Alfsborg TownshipCornish TownshipTransit TownshipWinthrop
How Winthrop grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Winthrop is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 33% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →Jobs & income$69K median household incomeC+Open →SchoolsC+Open →HealthRidgeview Sibley Medical Center 14.3 miles awayC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.1 of 20; 6.3% of households have no car; 1.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trailsCOpen →History1 notable person born hereB−Open →Civic life12.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
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 46.3; 20% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Winthrop: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Winthrop, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of WinthropEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterWinthrop water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpThursdayTrash dayTown site
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 hereSibley County AuditorSibley County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5539655396 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 Winthrop.
HousingCost of living grade A
Winthrop’s typical home value is about $241K
The typical Winthrop home is worth about $241,000, up 6.8% in a year, 31% below the Minnesota typical home. At $776 a month, Winthrop’s median rent is below both the Minnesota town median ($1,196 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). 81% of households own their home in Winthrop.
$241KZillow home value
| Winthrop | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $776 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 81% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Winthrop$241K
Minnesota$349K
+6.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsC+
On state tests, Winthrop’s schools trail 57% of Minnesota districts
Its public schools are run by the GFW Public Schools. Its two schools are below.
43%of MN districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| GFW Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 121 | – |
| GFW High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 211 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
Climate
In Winthrop, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Winthrop has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 6° and about 50 inches of snow falls in a winter.
50″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter9–26°
Spring35–55°
Summer59–80°
Fall38–58°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 24
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Winthrop faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 67% of U.S. communities.
33risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesStrong wind
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
With 0.8 jobs for every working resident, most of Winthrop’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Winthrop for work: only 10% work in town. The average trip to work in Winthrop is 28 minutes. Since 2013, Winthrop has added 39 jobs, to 466 in 2023.
10%work in town
| Winthrop | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.1% | 7% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Winthrop10%
New Ulm11%
Gaylord10%
Hutchinson6%
Gibbon3%
22 mi
median commute distance
466
jobs based in Winthrop
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 45% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Winthrop
Winthrop's reported crime rate is well below Minnesota's. Winthrop’s property crime rate is 2.3 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Winthrop0
Minnesota2.6
U.S.3.6
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Winthrop2.3
Minnesota16.3
U.S.17.7
0
violent crimes reported in 2024
3
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
HealthC+
Health in Winthrop trails 55% of U.S. towns
Winthrop beats the Minnesota average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 28% of Winthrop adults feel lonely.
45%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Winthrop | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 33% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 23% | 25% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 31% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better21 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Winthrop | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.3% | 76.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 7.6% | 5.4% |
Ridgeview Sibley Medical Center
14.3 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsC
Winthrop has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
0.1 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 811 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Winthrop City Park | 0.1 mi | 21 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 24 attractions →Wanda Gág House and 5 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Winthrop. Close and well known come first.
17 mi MuseumWanda Gág House
17 mi MuseumBrown County Museum31 mi GardenSibley Park38 mi GardenAlexander Ramsey Park
31 mi MuseumRenville County Historical Museum
7 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 · Renville County Historical Museum: Myotus, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gaylord City Park: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Winthrop
20pages on Winthrop
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 57% of MN districts · 2 schoolsSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2024)HealthC+Better than MN on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$241K typical home · up 6.8% in a yearWork & commuteC+$69K median household income · 466 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 33% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Winthrop; the nearest are
Martin Luther CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · New Ulm17.3 mi$18,120 tuitionSouth Central CollegeCommunity college · Public · North Mankato29.7 mi$6,146 in-state tuitionMinnesota State University-MankatoUniversity or college · Public · Mankato32.6 mi$9,572 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Winthrop residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
About Winthrop
City in Minnesota, United States
Winthrop is a city in Sibley County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,332 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,037 ft
- ZIP code
- 55396
- Area code
- 507
Questions about Winthrop
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Winthrop, 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.