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Living in
Monticello.
About
Life in Monticello
Monticello sits in that sweet spot where you get genuine small-town community feel without being completely isolated—you're just off I-94 with a 28-minute commute to the Twin Cities job market, which matters if you're weighing stability and career options. The median home value hovers around $324,000 with a median household income of $79,534, so you're looking at reasonable housing costs compared to metro areas, though the rental market is tighter at $1,405 monthly. The job market itself is solid with unemployment at 3.8%, and local employers span healthcare, retail, and industrial sectors, meaning you're not betting everything on one industry.
Monticello at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.7%
Foreign-Born
7.6%
Broadband Internet
94.0%
of households
Population Growth
+8.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.6% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Monticello: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Monticello, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (32.5%), and 5.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.4%
of residents
65 and Older
10.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
38.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.8%
of households
Married Couples
49.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.59
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 10% above MN average
Rent, home values, and income in Monticello
In Monticello, rent runs 10% above the MN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
42.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
104.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,773
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
64.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1999
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $333,761 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MN
Unemployment in Monticello and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Wright County, which includes Monticello, is close to the MN average.
Unemployment rate
Monticello: Wright County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Wright County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Monticello Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area
Commute26.1 min avg
How Monticello residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Monticello, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 60% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 21 mi
Saint Cloud Regional Airport (STC)
Regional airport · few flights29k passengers boarded in 2025
- 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 88% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Wright County Sheriff's Office, which covers Monticello, runs 88% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
39.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
320
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Wright County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersHail most common — 24 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
68.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Wright County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Wright County, which includes Monticello, the most common type is hail, with 24 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 23 | Hail | None reported |
| 2022 | 17 | Thunderstorm Wind | $500 |
| 2021 | 4 | Hail | None reported |
| 2020 | 7 | Winter Storm | $150,000 |
| 2019 | 15 | Winter Storm | $265,000 |
| 2018 | 8 | Winter Storm | $1,000 |
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
Wright County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Wright County, which includes Monticello, is typically good — 255 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
255
per year
Moderate Days
84
per year
Unhealthy Days
4
per year
Wright County, county-wide
Climate79°F summers, 7°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Monticello has mild summers (avg high 79°F) and very cold winters (avg low 7°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
54°/34°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
79°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
56°/37°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
25°/7°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
31.7"
Annual Snowfall
39.8"
Hot Days/Year
6
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
163
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
92
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°F | 3°F | 0.69" |
| Feb | 27°F | 7°F | 1.02" |
| Mar | 39°F | 21°F | 1.43" |
| Apr | 54°F | 35°F | 2.57" |
| May | 67°F | 47°F | 4.23" |
| Jun | 77°F | 57°F | 4.41" |
| Jul | 81°F | 61°F | 4.33" |
| Aug | 79°F | 59°F | 4.50" |
| Sep | 71°F | 51°F | 3.39" |
| Oct | 57°F | 37°F | 2.51" |
| Nov | 40°F | 24°F | 1.52" |
| Dec | 27°F | 11°F | 1.14" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Monticello
Monticello has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.0%
of residents
Centracare Health - Monticello
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Buffalo Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 8 mi away · Buffalo
Community Behavioral Health Hospital Annandale
Psychiatric · 15 mi away · Annandale
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.
Education14.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Monticello
Monticello's student/teacher ratio is 14.8:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 23.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
19
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
23.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, 42 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Monticello
Monticello has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (42 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Mississippi National River & Recreation Area
National River & Recreation Area
42 mi awaySaint Croix National Scenic Riverway
National Scenic Riverway
75 mi awayPublic Libraries in Monticello
Monticello Public Library
200 West 6th Street, Monticello
Cities Near Monticello
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Monticello?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Monticello FAQ
Is Monticello, Minnesota affordable?⌄
Monticello's median rent is $1,405/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $79,534/year. Median home value is $323,700.
Is Monticello, Minnesota safe?⌄
Monticello is policed by the Wright County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 40 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 320 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Monticello, Minnesota?⌄
Wright County, which includes Monticello, has an unemployment rate of 3.8%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Monticello, Minnesota?⌄
The cost of living in Monticello is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,405/month and median household income is $79,534/year. The median home value is $323,700. About 43% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Monticello, Minnesota?⌄
The average commute in Monticello is 26 minutes, which is about 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