Living in Albert Lea, MN
Albert Lea is a small city of 18,330 people in Freeborn County, Minnesota. It's about 47 miles from Mankato, MN and 91 miles from Minneapolis, MN, the nearest major city. Summer highs average 81°F and winter highs 22°F, with about 40 inches of snow a year. The typical home is valued around $158k and rent runs about $857 a month.
18,330people
$158kTypical home
$857/moRent
81° / 22°Summer / winter
40"Snow
231Sunny days
110Rain/snow days
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Size & setting
- Small city of 18,330
- Its own small hub, not a suburb
- About 1,380 people per sq mi
- 91 mi to Minneapolis, MN
- 47 mi to Mankato, MN
- Has its own stores and services
Money
- Typical home $158k (≈$993/mo)
- Median rent $857/mo
- Median household income $65k
- Property tax about 1.1% of value
- 6.0% unemployment
Weather
- Summer highs around 81°F
- Winter highs around 22°F
- Somewhat humid summers (dew point 61°F)
- 231 sunny days a year (77 totally clear)
- 134 cloudy days a year
- 41 of 90 winter days are gray
- 110 days a year with rain or snow
- 40" of snow a year
- 14 days a year with 1"+ of snow
- Rarely hits 100°F
- 53 nights a year below 10°F
- Windier than most places
Safety
- Very low violent crime (120 per 100k)
- About average property crime (1,880 per 100k)
People
- Median age 44
- 24% of households have kids
- 25% are 65 or older
- 17% have a college degree
- Mixed community
- 3% of residents are college students
Getting around & homes
- Average commute 20 min
- 3% walk or take transit to work
- 34 mi to MCW airport
- 85 mi to MSP (major hub)
- 90 mi to the nearest Amtrak station
- 78% single-family homes
- Typical home built around 1960
- 85% of homes have broadband
Outdoors
- Flat, open land
- Elevation 1,224 ft
- 769 mi to the ocean
- 166 mi to a big lake
- 53 mi to the nearest trailhead
- 47 mi to the nearest ski area
- 3 mi to the nearest campground
- 10 golf courses within 25 mi
Things to do
- 35 sit-down restaurants within 25 mi
- 13 bars within 25 mi
- Few or no coffee shops within 25 mi
- No music venues & clubs within 25 mi
- 12 museums within 25 mi
- No breweries & distilleries within 25 mi
- 19 mi to the nearest farmers market
Everyday
- Schools in the bottom 29% of Minnesota districts (reading)
- Grocery store in town
- 2 mi to the nearest ER hospital
- 2 mi to a 4–5★ hospital
- 17 mi to the nearest vet
- Dog park in town
- 13 congregations per 10k people
- 31 mi to the nearest college
Politics
- Freeborn County: R+21 in 2024
- Minnesota: D+4 in 2024
Natural hazards
- Very low hurricane risk
- High tornado risk
- Very low wildfire risk
- Very low earthquake risk
- Low flood risk
- Low drought risk
- High winter storm risk
- Low heat wave risk
- Very low volcano risk