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Living in
Faribault.
About
Life in Faribault
Faribault is the seat of Rice County in southern Minnesota, known for the Faribault Woolen Mill that has operated there since the 1800s, and manufacturing still employs about 23% of working residents. Housing is reasonably priced: the median home value is $241,500, about 27% below the national median, and rent averages $1,074. The median household income is $61,449.
Faribault at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.4%
Foreign-Born
14.9%
Broadband Internet
89.5%
of households
Population Growth
+2.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics14.9% foreign-born, most often from Somalia
Who lives in Faribault: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Faribault, the largest foreign-born group is from Somalia (48.8%), and 10.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.5%
of residents
65 and Older
16.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.9%
of households
Married Couples
37.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.48
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 16% below MN average
Rent, home values, and income in Faribault
In Faribault, rent runs 16% below the MN average, and home values are 27% below the MN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.6%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,316
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
66.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1974
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $303,037 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MN
Unemployment in Faribault
Unemployment in Rice County, which includes Faribault, is close to the MN average.
Unemployment rate
Faribault: Rice County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Rice County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Faribault Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19 min avg
How Faribault residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Faribault, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 78% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 40 mi
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)
Major hub17.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 24% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Faribault runs 24% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
250.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
959.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Faribault Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Storm most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
75.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Rice County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Rice County, which includes Faribault, the most common type is winter storm, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 15 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2023 | 8 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2022 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10.0M |
| 2021 | 10 | Winter Storm | $2.5M |
| 2020 | 7 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2019 | 12 | Winter Storm | $100,000 |
| 2018 | 12 | Winter Storm | $25,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Rice County, county-wide
Air Quality38 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Scott County, MN (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 27 miles from Faribault) is typically good — 266 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
38
Good Days
266
per year
Moderate Days
91
per year
Unhealthy Days
4
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Scott County, MN (27 mi away)
Climate80°F summers, 8°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Faribault has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 8°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
55°/33°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
58°/36°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
27°/8°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
35.5"
Annual Snowfall
43.3"
Hot Days/Year
9
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
168
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
104
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23°F | 5°F | 0.97" |
| Feb | 28°F | 8°F | 1.00" |
| Mar | 40°F | 20°F | 1.92" |
| Apr | 56°F | 33°F | 3.13" |
| May | 68°F | 45°F | 4.37" |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 5.57" |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 4.64" |
| Aug | 80°F | 58°F | 4.66" |
| Sep | 73°F | 50°F | 3.68" |
| Oct | 59°F | 36°F | 2.60" |
| Nov | 42°F | 24°F | 1.67" |
| Dec | 29°F | 13°F | 1.24" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Faribault
Faribault has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
7.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Allina Health Faribault Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Northfield Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.7 mi away · Northfield
Owatonna Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13 mi away · Owatonna
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education10.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Faribault
Faribault's student/teacher ratio is 10.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 17.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
21
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
17.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Faribault (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,093 students · in-state tuition $62,700 · 85% graduate · median earnings $68,656 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,086 students · in-state tuition $72,069 · 91% graduate · median earnings $82,742 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, 45 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Faribault
Faribault has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (45 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Mississippi National River & Recreation Area
National River & Recreation Area
45 mi awayPublic Libraries in Faribault
Faribault: Buckham Memorial Library
11 Division Street East, Faribault
Cities Near Faribault
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Faribault?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Faribault FAQ
Is Faribault, Minnesota affordable?⌄
Faribault's median rent is $1,074/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $61,449/year. Median home value is $241,500.
Is Faribault, Minnesota safe?⌄
Faribault's violent crime rate was 251 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 960 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Faribault, Minnesota?⌄
Rice County, which includes Faribault, has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Faribault, Minnesota?⌄
The cost of living in Faribault is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,074/month and median household income is $61,449/year. The median home value is $241,500. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Faribault, Minnesota?⌄
The average commute in Faribault is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from