The story of this market
The typical home in Stearns County, Minnesota sells for about $299,900, or $178 per square foot.
Prices are up +2.3% from a year ago, so sellers still have some momentum. Homes take about 45 days to sell. Over the long run, values in this county have grown 125% since 2000. Last year 21 of 35 neighborhoods saw prices rise, so the story isn't the same street to street. The biggest natural hazard here is strong wind, which FEMA rates relatively high. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $1,233 a month.
HUD sets the fair market rent for a 2-bedroom at $1,233 a month. FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall hazard risk here as Relatively Moderate.
Price climate
Every year of price change, 2000–2025
+1.2%
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 (+13.9%). Worst: 2010 (-5.4%). 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
$1,656
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
+1.2%
2025 change
FHFA repeat-sales index, median of 35 census tracts in this county (2000 = 100). Bars are each year's median change.
Natural hazard exposure
The area's risk shape
65
Relatively Moderate
FEMA National Risk Index. Each spoke is a hazard ranked nationally, where 100 is the most exposed. Expected annual loss: $78,870,841.
Mortgage activity
Home lending in this county
86.7%
2018 approval rate
| Year | Applications | Loans made | Approval | Investor share | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 5983 | 3805 | 86.7% | 5.2% | $185,000 |
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 Approval rate is approved ÷ decided (withdrawn and incomplete files excluded).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.
Stearns County, Minnesota
The Stearns County housing market shows signs of stabilization with a modest increase in sales volume and a slight rise in median prices. Lower mortgage interest rates have helped stimulate buyer activity, though inventory levels remain relatively flat. The market is currently balanced, with steady demand supported by a strong regional employment base.
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: no independent anchor retained yet — first-researched cycles establish the anchor baseline this pass.
Select a city to expand its ZIP intel reports beneath · 4 cities · 8 ZIP reports
Median prices moved up 0.3% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 44 days on market with 0.1 months of supply — a fast-moving market.
0% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 0.22% of asking — demand is holding steady.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 3.1% · poverty 12.6% — a stable, low-distress profile.
ACS 2024 5-year estimates. Aggregate published statistics for this county — never individual records, and never an attribute of any individual property or resident.
Deterministic aggregate of 6 researched ZIP reports of 8 — 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.
Stearns 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 6.2%/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 Sep 23
researched Sep 23
researched Sep 19
researched Sep 23
researched Sep 23
researched Sep 23
researched Sep 23
researched Sep 23
| 56301 | St. Cloud | $291,500 | $136 | +5.4% | 35 | — | — | — | 372 | $1,151 | researched Sep 23 |
| 56303 | St. Cloud | $240,000 | $149 | +7.4% | 34 | — | — | — | 112 | $927 | researched Sep 23 |
| 56304 | St. Cloud | $334,900 | $190 | +5.4% | 45 | 98.5% | 12% | 4.2 | 63 | $956 | researched Sep 19 |
| 56310 | Avon | $291,500 | $220 | +5.4% | 44 | — | — | 2.8 | 10,600 | $1,064 | researched Sep 23 |
| 56374 | St. Joseph | $345,000 | $165 | — | 44 | — | — | — | 41 | $1,125 | researched Sep 23 |
| 56377 | Sartell | $192,900 | $123 | +2.1% | 88 | 97.5% | 12% | 4.2 | 43 | $1,273 | researched Sep 23 |
| 56379 | Sauk Rapids | $330,000 | $166 | — | 166 | — | — | — | 7,249 | $993 | researched Sep 23 |
| 56387 | Waite Park | $289,000 | $159 | +3.2% | 32 | 98.5% | 6.1% | 1 | 10 | $1,129 | researched Sep 23 |
Figures are each ZIP report's own latest research — the county roll-up aggregates them sales_count-weighted (population fallback); ZIPs cycle quarterly.
Stearns County reports crime rates generally consistent with regional averages for central Minnesota, with urban centers like St. Cloud experiencing higher activity compared to the more rural townships. Law enforcement trends remain stable with a focus on community-based policing.
The county is served by several well-regarded independent school districts, including St. Cloud Area School District 742, which provides a diverse range of academic and vocational programming. Overall school quality is characterized as meeting state standards with ongoing investments in facility modernization.
The county faces moderate risks from severe weather, including wind and occasional flooding near the Mississippi River corridor. Property insurance markets remain stable, though premiums reflect regional exposure to convective storm activity.
Economic momentum is driven by a diverse base including healthcare, manufacturing, and higher education, with major employers like CentraCare and St. Cloud State University anchoring the region. Infrastructure development is focused on highway improvements and expanding broadband access to rural areas.
Property taxes are determined by the county assessor based on market value, with rates set by local taxing authorities including school districts and municipalities. The state provides a homestead market value exclusion that reduces the taxable value for owner-occupied primary residences.
The economy is anchored by the healthcare sector, manufacturing, and public education, with a stable labor market supported by regional hubs in St. Cloud. The area maintains a diverse industrial mix that provides resilience against sector-specific downturns.
The county is served by a network of state highways and the I-94 corridor, facilitating regional connectivity. Public transit is primarily concentrated within the St. Cloud metropolitan area.
The Stearns County Assessor's office conducts annual market value assessments based on sales ratio studies to ensure equitable taxation across all property classes.
Parcels are subject to various special taxing districts including school districts, watershed districts, and regional library systems.
Property insurance remains available and competitive, though insurers are increasingly monitoring risks associated with severe convective storms 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.
Provides extensive recreational opportunities including fishing, boating, and scenic trails that serve as a central hub for outdoor activity.
A unique regional park featuring former granite quarries that offer swimming, hiking, and rock climbing, attracting visitors from across the state.
A major venue hosting regional conferences, trade shows, and cultural events that drive local economic activity.
Data retrieved from Census Reporter and US Census Bureau QuickFacts.
Public schools whose reported address is in this area (NCES). Not attendance boundaries — schools that serve residents may sit outside it. Check the district's address locator for assignment.
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
≈ $2,999/yr on a $299,900 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.