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Living in
Worthington.
About
Life in Worthington
This is a working county seat where you'll actually find affordable housing and stable employment, not a place that relies on tourism or government paychecks. With a median household income around $61,840 and median home values hovering near $210,300, housing costs stay reasonable compared to regional alternatives—and the tight rental market (only 6% vacancy) means renters have options too. Your commute will be short—most people are looking at under 20 minutes—which matters more than you'd think when you're living in a place with real winters.
Worthington at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.6%
Foreign-Born
28.3%
Broadband Internet
87.6%
of households
Population Growth
+0.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics28.3% foreign-born, most often from Guatemala
Who lives in Worthington: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Worthington, the largest foreign-born group is from Guatemala (25.5%), and 35.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
30.4%
of residents
65 and Older
16.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.3%
of households
Married Couples
35.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.92
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 27% below MN average
Rent, home values, and income in Worthington
In Worthington, rent runs 27% below the MN average, and home values are 36% below the MN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
39.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.7%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,209
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
67.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1972
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $252,926 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below MN average
Unemployment in Worthington
Unemployment in Nobles County, which includes Worthington, is 0.4 percentage points lower than the MN average.
Unemployment rate
Worthington: Nobles County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Nobles County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Worthington Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19 min avg
How Worthington residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Worthington, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 79% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 57 mi
Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD)
Small hub742k passengers boarded in 2025
- 147 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 16% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Worthington runs 16% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
277
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
787.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Worthington Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 24 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
50.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Nobles County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Nobles County, which includes Worthington, the most common type is winter weather, with 24 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 23 | Winter Weather | $3.6M |
| 2023 | 23 | Drought | $10,000 |
| 2022 | 28 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,000 |
| 2020 | 26 | Winter Weather | $16,000 |
| 2019 | 21 | Winter Weather | $1.2M |
| 2018 | 34 | Winter Weather | $10,000 |
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
Nobles County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate80°F summers, 9°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Worthington has mild summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 9°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
54°/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)
26°/9°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
30.5"
Annual Snowfall
45.2"
Hot Days/Year
10
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
167
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
109
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23°F | 5°F | 0.71" |
| Feb | 27°F | 10°F | 0.82" |
| Mar | 40°F | 21°F | 1.46" |
| Apr | 55°F | 33°F | 3.07" |
| May | 68°F | 46°F | 4.09" |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 5.24" |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 3.54" |
| Aug | 79°F | 58°F | 3.85" |
| Sep | 73°F | 49°F | 3.21" |
| Oct | 59°F | 36°F | 2.38" |
| Nov | 42°F | 23°F | 1.27" |
| Dec | 28°F | 12°F | 0.88" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Worthington
Worthington has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
15.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Sanford Worthington Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
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.
Education15.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Worthington
Worthington's student/teacher ratio is 15.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 16.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
16.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pipestone National Monument, 45 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Worthington
Worthington has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Pipestone National Monument (45 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pipestone National Monument
National Monument
45 mi awayPublic Libraries in Worthington
Worthington
407 12th Street, Worthington
Cities Near Worthington
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Worthington?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Worthington FAQ
Is Worthington, Minnesota affordable?⌄
Worthington's median rent is $938/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $61,797/year. Median home value is $210,300.
Is Worthington, Minnesota safe?⌄
Worthington's violent crime rate was 277 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 787 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Worthington, Minnesota?⌄
Nobles County, which includes Worthington, has an unemployment rate of 3.5%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Worthington, Minnesota?⌄
The cost of living in Worthington is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $938/month and median household income is $61,797/year. The median home value is $210,300. About 39% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Worthington, Minnesota?⌄
The average commute in Worthington 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