What are the schools like in Ruthton, MN?

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

What is the median household income in Ruthton?

The median household income in Ruthton, MN is $40,250 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 1.8%.

What is the weather like in Ruthton, MN?

Ruthton has an average high temperature of 21.3°F in January and 81.1°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 29.9 inches and annual snowfall averages 42.0 inches.

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

Q: Is Ruthton, MN affordable or expensive?

Ruthton's cost of living index is 88, where 100 represents the national average. This means Ruthton is 12% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $49,300 and the median rent is $733 per month.

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

Ruthton has a violent crime rate of 43.8 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 219.2 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Ruthton, MN a Good Place to Live?

Ruthton is a small town of 200 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $40,250 and a 1.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is 12% below the national average.

Strengths: Ruthton stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

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

All Ruthton 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: 87.5

Ruthton's overall cost of living index is 87.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ruthton costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.

Metric	Ruthton, MN	National Avg
Median Home Value	$49,300	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$733	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	80.0%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$40,250	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Ruthton's violent crime rate is 43.8 per 100,000 residents — 88% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

43.8 /100k

Property Crime

219.2 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Metric	Ruthton, 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	13.1%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	88.3%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Ruthton sees average highs of 21.3°F in January and 81.1°F in July, with 29.9 inches of annual precipitation and 42.0 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Ruthton, MN
Average High — January	21.3°F
Average High — July	81.1°F
Annual Precipitation	29.9"
Annual Snowfall	42.0"

Demographics

Metric	Ruthton, MN	National Avg
Population	200	—
Median Age	43.2	38.9
Unemployment Rate	1.8%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	22.8 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	82.5%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.0%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	14.5%	18.9%
Asian	0.0%	6.3%
Under 18	22.5%	22.2%
65 and over	14.0%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Florence, MN 5 mi Tyler, MN 7 mi Holland, MN 8 mi Lake Benton, MN 11 mi Woodstock, MN 12 mi

ZIP Codes in Ruthton

Ruthton, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code:

56170

Ruthton vs Other Cities

Ruthton, MN vs Florence, MN Ruthton, MN vs Tyler, MN Ruthton, MN vs Holland, MN Ruthton, MN vs Lake Benton, MN Ruthton, MN vs Woodstock, MN

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ruthton, MN affordable or expensive?

Ruthton's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average. That makes Ruthton roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $49,300 and median rent is $733/month.

What is the crime rate in Ruthton, MN?

Ruthton's violent crime rate is 43.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 219.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Ruthton?

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

Is Ruthton, MN a good place to live?

Ruthton, MN has a population of 200, a median household income of $40,250, and an unemployment rate of 1.8%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. 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 Ruthton?

Ruthton averages 21.3°F in January and 81.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 29.9 inches with about 42.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Ruthton?

Ruthton, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: 56170.

What is the population of Ruthton?

The population of Ruthton, Minnesota is 200 with a median age of 43.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Ruthton?

Key numbers for living in Ruthton: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $49,300, median household income $40,250, crime index 11 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ruthton side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.