The story of this market
The typical home in Otter Tail County, Minnesota sells for about $325,000, or $185 per square foot.
Prices are down 3.64% from a year ago, which gives buyers more room to negotiate. Homes take about 78 days to sell, which is slow. Over the long run, values in this county have grown 166% since 2000. Last year 11 of 17 neighborhoods saw prices rise, so the story isn't the same street to street. The biggest natural hazard here is winter weather, which FEMA rates very high. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $1,071 a month.
HUD sets the fair market rent for a 2-bedroom at $1,071 a month. FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall hazard risk here as Relatively Moderate.
Price climate
Every year of price change, 2000–2025
+1.8%
2025
Each stripe is one year's median price change across the area's census tracts (FHFA repeat-sales index). Deep blue is a strong gain year, red a falling year. Best: 2022 (+15%). Worst: 2010 (-3.5%). Hover to read a year.
Monthly price momentum
Home values since 2015
+1.5%
MN · past 12 months
Freddie Mac House Price Index, single-family homes, monthly through 2026-08. Each line starts at 100 in January 2015, so a reading of 180 means prices are up 80% since then.
Rent benchmark
Fair market rent by size
$1,476
3-bed / month
HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal 2027, for this county. A typical rent for a modest unit, used to set housing-voucher payments.
Neighborhood price trend
Long-run price trend, 2000–2025
+1.8%
2025 change
FHFA repeat-sales index, median of 17 census tracts in this county (2000 = 100). Bars are each year's median change.
Natural hazard exposure
The area's risk shape
74
Relatively Moderate
FEMA National Risk Index. Each spoke is a hazard ranked nationally, where 100 is the most exposed. Expected annual loss: $37,677,444.
Mortgage activity
Home lending in this county
84.7%
2018 approval rate
| Year | Applications | Loans made | Approval | Investor share | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2471 | 1539 | 84.7% | 5.6% | $245,000 |
CFPB Home Mortgage Disclosure Act records: every mortgage application reported by lenders for homes in this county. Approval rate is approved ÷ decided (withdrawn and incomplete files excluded). Investor share and home value are the median census tract.
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
The Otter Tail County housing market is currently experiencing a period of stabilization with inventory levels rising slightly year-over-year. While median listing prices have seen a minor decline, the market remains competitive for well-priced properties. Buyers are finding more options, though the pace of sales has slowed compared to previous high-demand periods.
No ARED distress-ledger coverage for this county yet — the foreclosure ingest rotates the national county directory, and filings appear here once the county's posted notices are read. Key-figure check: median price diverges 18.1% from the nearest retained anchor (prior refresh cycle) — beyond the 12.5% tolerance; an automated validation case is open and the value publishes pending its verdict.
Select a city to expand its ZIP intel reports beneath · 3 cities · 6 ZIP reports
Median prices moved down 27.2% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 90 days on market with 3.6 months of supply — a balanced-paced market.
7% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 96.4% of asking — demand is running ahead of supply.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 3.5% · poverty 8.5% — a stable, low-distress profile.
Deterministic aggregate of 3 researched ZIP reports — sales_count-weighted (population fallback); per point, children lacking the value or its weight are excluded. Tax rates, sentiment and context notes are tier-native and never roll.
Otter Tail County, Minnesota — researched county-level history with a deterministic 1 / 3 / 5-year projection
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 7.8%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
No researched properties in this county yet — the property base layer populates as property research runs, and each property feeds its ZIP's roll-up.
researched Oct 19
researched Oct 19
researched Oct 19
researched Sep 24
| 56537 | Fergus Falls | $197,600 | $112 | +4.9% | 84 | 97.5% | 12% | 6.2 | 107 | $950 | researched Oct 19 |
| 56572 | Pelican Rapids | $252,704 | $101 | -41.9% | 93 | 95.9% | 4.1% | — | 147 | $850 | researched Oct 19 |
| 56573 | Perham | $256,900 | $125 | -41.9% | 93 | 95.9% | 4.1% | 2.5 | 147 | $875 | researched Oct 19 |
| 56586 | Underwood | $164,500 | $119 | — | 87 | — | — | — | 35 | $925 | researched Sep 24 |
Figures are each ZIP report's own latest research — the county roll-up aggregates them sales_count-weighted (population fallback); ZIPs cycle quarterly.
Otter Tail County reports crime rates generally lower than the Minnesota state average, with property crime being the most common offense in rural areas.
The county is served by several independent school districts, with most maintaining strong community support and average to above-average state assessment scores.
The region faces seasonal risks from severe thunderstorms and winter weather, with flood insurance requirements primarily limited to properties near the county's numerous lakes.
Economic momentum is driven by tourism, manufacturing, and healthcare, with ongoing infrastructure investments in rural broadband and local road networks.
Composed from the ARED governance burden registry — tier-native tax structure (state + county + city + special districts), never averaged. State (Minnesota) — Condominium Unit Taxation: Each unit constitutes a separate parcel for tax purposes. If a declaration is recorded at least 30 days before a tax installment is due, the taxing authority must split the taxes among the units. State (Minnesota) — Minnesota General Property Tax Classification System: Property tax is calculated by applying a class rate to the parcel's estimated market value to determine tax capacity, then multiplying by the local tax rate. For residential homesteads (Class 1a), the rate is 1.00% for the first $500,000 of market value and 1.
The economy is anchored by a mix of manufacturing, healthcare services, and a robust seasonal tourism industry centered on the county's lake country.
Transportation is primarily served by a network of state highways and county roads, with limited public transit options outside of municipal centers.
The Otter Tail County Assessor's office conducts annual market value assessments based on sales data and property inspections.
Parcels are subject to various special taxing districts, including local school districts, watershed districts, and regional library systems.
Property insurance premiums are stable but reflect regional risks associated with severe weather events and wind damage.
The amenity base that shapes daily life and property demand in this county — what residents actually live with, and what the pipeline is adding.
Features extensive trails and lakes, offering premier outdoor recreation for residents and tourists.
A major regional destination for fishing, boating, and seasonal cabin living.
Data retrieved from data.census.gov; figures represent county-wide averages.
applies when — Property containing a homestead subject to foreclosure
The mortgagor has the right to designate a portion of the property as a homestead to be sold and redeemed separately, provided it conforms to local zoning and is compact.
Minnesota Statutes 582.041
applies when — Parcels designated as condominium units
Each unit constitutes a separate parcel for tax purposes. If a declaration is recorded at least 30 days before a tax installment is due, the taxing authority must split the taxes among the units.
Minnesota Statutes 515A.1-105
Allows non-judicial foreclosure. Requires notice of sale to be mailed to the mortgagor at least 14 days before the sale date and published in a newspaper. Mortgagors have specific redemption rights following the sale.
Minnesota Statutes Chapter 580
Property tax is calculated by applying a class rate to the parcel's estimated market value to determine tax capacity, then multiplying by the local tax rate. For residential homesteads (Class 1a), the rate is 1.00% for the first $500,000 of market value and 1.25% for value exceeding $500,000.
2021 Classification Rate Table, Minnesota Department of Revenue
≈ $3,250/yr on a $325,000 median
Governance registry — every jurisdiction re-researches on a rolling 90-day cycle. Property reports compose these inherited burdens into a per-parcel ledger with conditional determinations. Informational only — not legal advice.