Median Income
$52,500
household / year
Median Home Value
$176,600
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$773
gross / month
Cost of Living
94
national avg = 100

Is Winona, MN a Good Place to Live?

Winona is a small city of 26,083 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $52,500 and a 2.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 94 (US average = 100), which is 6% below the national average.

Strengths: Winona stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.

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

All Winona 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: 94.2

Winona's overall cost of living index is 94.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Winona costs roughly 6% less than the average American city.

Metric Winona, MN National Avg
Median Home Value $176,600 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $773 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 57.8% 65.9%
Median Household Income $52,500 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Winona's violent crime rate is 188.1 per 100,000 residents — 50% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
188.1 /100k
Property Crime
2296.0 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Winona is served primarily by WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Winona, MN National Avg
School District WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT —
Elementary Schools 3 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 4 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 13.7:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 34.1% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 93.7% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Winona sees average highs of 27.2°F in January and 84.6°F in July, with 34.4 inches of annual precipitation and 37.6 inches of snow per year.

MetricWinona, MN
Average High — January27.2°F
Average High — July84.6°F
Annual Precipitation34.4"
Annual Snowfall37.6"

Demographics

MetricWinona, MNNational Avg
Population26,083—
Median Age30.738.9
Unemployment Rate2.7%3.7%
Avg Commute Time14.2 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)90.7%59.3%
Black or African American2.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino1.8%18.9%
Asian2.4%6.3%
Under 1812.2%22.2%
65 and over18.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Winona

Winona, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Winona vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Winona's cost of living index is 94, where 100 is the national average. That makes Winona roughly 6% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $176,600 and median rent is $773/month.
Winona's violent crime rate is 188.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2296.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Winona are operated by WINONA AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. The district has 3 elementary, 1 middle, and 4 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.7:1. 34.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Winona, MN has a population of 26,083, a median household income of $52,500, and an unemployment rate of 2.7%. 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.
Winona averages 27.2°F in January and 84.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 34.4 inches with about 37.6 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Winona, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: 55987.
The population of Winona, Minnesota is 26,083 with a median age of 30.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Winona: cost of living index 94 (100 = US average), median home $176,600, median household income $52,500, crime index 73 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Winona side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.