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Living in
New Ulm.
About
Life in New Ulm
Living here means becoming part of a genuinely tight-knit community built on deep German-Bohemian roots—65% of residents trace their ancestry back to Germany, the highest concentration in any American city. The median household income sits around $64,000 with median home values near $204,000, making homeownership genuinely achievable compared to most of the country, and the job market is solid with unemployment hovering around 3.9%. What keeps people here isn't just affordability; it's the real sense of belonging you get from consistent local traditions—Oktoberfest every October, Polka Days each July, Bock Fest in spring—plus the year-round cultural infrastructure like Turner Hall (the nation's oldest still operating), the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame, and the August Schell Brewing Company, which give the city character beyond what you'd expect from a town of 14,000.
New Ulm at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.2%
Foreign-Born
2.4%
Broadband Internet
86.1%
of households
Population Growth
-1.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.4% foreign-born, most often from Germany
Who lives in New Ulm: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In New Ulm, the largest foreign-born group is from Germany (15.7%), and 2.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.4%
of residents
65 and Older
20.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
37.8%
of households
Married Couples
43.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.15
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 25% below MN average
Rent, home values, and income in New Ulm
In New Ulm, rent runs 25% below the MN average, and home values are 38% below the MN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.9%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,333
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
75.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1966
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $250,546 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MN
Unemployment in New Ulm
Unemployment in Brown County, which includes New Ulm, is close to the MN average.
Unemployment rate
New Ulm: Brown County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Brown County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What New Ulm Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute12.1 min avg
How New Ulm residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In New Ulm, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 87% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 73 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 91% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in New Ulm runs 91% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
28.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
818.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
New Ulm Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Storm most common — 14 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
50.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Brown County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Brown County, which includes New Ulm, the most common type is winter storm, with 14 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 13 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2023 | 13 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2022 | 14 | Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | $53,000 |
| 2021 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $6,000 |
| 2020 | 9 | Blizzard | None reported |
| 2019 | 11 | Winter Storm | $80,000 |
| 2018 | 12 | Winter Storm | $415,000 |
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
Brown County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Blue Earth County, MN (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 28 miles from New Ulm) is typically good — 233 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
233
per year
Moderate Days
110
per year
Unhealthy Days
5
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Blue Earth County, MN (28 mi away)
Climate80°F summers, 11°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
New Ulm has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 11°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
56°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
59°/39°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
27°/11°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
32.9"
Annual Snowfall
38.3"
Hot Days/Year
7
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
155
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
101
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°F | 7°F | 0.67" |
| Feb | 29°F | 11°F | 0.93" |
| Mar | 41°F | 24°F | 1.57" |
| Apr | 57°F | 36°F | 2.94" |
| May | 69°F | 49°F | 4.07" |
| Jun | 79°F | 59°F | 5.04" |
| Jul | 82°F | 63°F | 4.07" |
| Aug | 80°F | 60°F | 3.66" |
| Sep | 73°F | 52°F | 3.31" |
| Oct | 60°F | 39°F | 2.40" |
| Nov | 43°F | 26°F | 1.51" |
| Dec | 29°F | 13°F | 0.90" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in New Ulm
New Ulm has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
New Ulm Medical Center
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Sleepy Eye Medical Center
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 12.9 mi away · Sleepy Eye
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.
Education14.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in New Ulm
New Ulm's student/teacher ratio is 14.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 27.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
27.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in New Ulm
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 725 students · in-state tuition $18,660 · 72% graduate · median earnings $47,683 (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, 80 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for New Ulm
New Ulm has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (80 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Mississippi National River & Recreation Area
National River & Recreation Area
80 mi awayPipestone National Monument
National Monument
94 mi awayPublic Libraries in New Ulm
New Ulm Public Library
17 North Broadway, New Ulm
Cities Near New Ulm
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to New Ulm?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
New Ulm FAQ
Is New Ulm, Minnesota affordable?⌄
New Ulm's median rent is $962/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $64,449/year. Median home value is $204,200.
Is New Ulm, Minnesota safe?⌄
New Ulm's violent crime rate was 29 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 818 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in New Ulm, Minnesota?⌄
Brown County, which includes New Ulm, has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in New Ulm, Minnesota?⌄
The cost of living in New Ulm is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $962/month and median household income is $64,449/year. The median home value is $204,200. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in New Ulm, Minnesota?⌄
The average commute in New Ulm is 12 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