What it's like to live in Owatonna
Owatonna is a small city in Minnesota with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Owatonna deals with a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, cold, harsh winters, snowy winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 44" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Owatonna compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Owatonna
Based on Owatonna's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,134
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $42,680 a year
- 61% of Owatonna renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$49,040
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,520
- Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 24% below US
$1,067/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,067 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $245,200. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $245,200 · 61% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.7% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.7%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 35% below US
214 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 626/100k · Owatonna Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 32% below US
18 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 17.7 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 9°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 5.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 19% below US
29% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 29%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
15 public schools inside the boundary
There are 15 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (59 miles away).
Bottom line
Owatonna's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin and cold, harsh winters. A year of median rent ($1,067/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
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