What are the schools like in Ottertail, MN?

School district data for Ottertail is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

What is the median household income in Ottertail?

The median household income in Ottertail, MN is $93,056 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 3.0%.

What is the weather like in Ottertail, MN?

Ottertail has an average high temperature of 17.4°F in January and 78.6°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 28.4 inches and annual snowfall averages 45.6 inches.

Ottertail, MN Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Ottertail, MN affordable or expensive?

Ottertail's cost of living index is 99, where 100 represents the national average. This means Ottertail is 1% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $272,500 and the median rent is $1,094 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Ottertail, MN?

Ottertail has a violent crime rate of 81.7 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 754.1 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Ottertail, MN a Good Place to Live?

Ottertail is a small town of 478 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $93,056 and a 3.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 99 (US average = 100), which is 1% below the national average.

Strengths: Ottertail stands out for short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Ottertail is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Ottertail city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 99.1

Ottertail's overall cost of living index is 99.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ottertail costs roughly 1% less than the average American city.

Metric	Ottertail, MN	National Avg
Median Home Value	$272,500	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,094	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	92.3%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$93,056	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Ottertail's violent crime rate is 81.7 per 100,000 residents — 78% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

81.7 /100k

Property Crime

754.1 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric	Ottertail, MN	National Avg
School District	N/A	—
Elementary Schools	N/A	—
Middle Schools	N/A	—
High Schools	N/A	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	N/A	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	27.6%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	97.4%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Ottertail sees average highs of 17.4°F in January and 78.6°F in July, with 28.4 inches of annual precipitation and 45.6 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Ottertail, MN
Average High — January	17.4°F
Average High — July	78.6°F
Annual Precipitation	28.4"
Annual Snowfall	45.6"

Demographics

Metric	Ottertail, MN	National Avg
Population	478	—
Median Age	55.1	38.9
Unemployment Rate	3.0%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	23.0 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	98.5%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.0%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	0.0%	18.9%
Asian	0.0%	6.3%
Under 18	18.8%	22.2%
65 and over	26.2%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Richville, MN 6 mi Henning, MN 10 mi Dent, MN 11 mi New York Mills, MN 11 mi Clitherall, MN 11 mi

ZIP Codes in Ottertail

Ottertail, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code:

56571

Ottertail vs Other Cities

Ottertail, MN vs Richville, MN Ottertail, MN vs Henning, MN Ottertail, MN vs Dent, MN Ottertail, MN vs New York Mills, MN Ottertail, MN vs Clitherall, MN

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ottertail, MN affordable or expensive?

Ottertail's cost of living index is 99, where 100 is the national average. That makes Ottertail roughly 1% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $272,500 and median rent is $1,094/month.

What is the crime rate in Ottertail, MN?

Ottertail's violent crime rate is 81.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 754.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Ottertail?

School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.

Is Ottertail, MN a good place to live?

Ottertail, MN has a population of 478, a median household income of $93,056, and an unemployment rate of 3.0%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Ottertail?

Ottertail averages 17.4°F in January and 78.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 28.4 inches with about 45.6 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Ottertail?

Ottertail, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: 56571.

What is the population of Ottertail?

The population of Ottertail, Minnesota is 478 with a median age of 55.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Ottertail?

Key numbers for living in Ottertail: cost of living index 99 (100 = US average), median home $272,500, median household income $93,056, crime index 27 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ottertail side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.