Owatonna

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Owatonna, MN Area Guide

Avg Rent

$1,218

Population

26,895

Renter Mix

28% Rent

Timeless Midwestern charm lives in this pastoral community

Suburb Affordable Historic Parks Outdoors Bike-Friendly Walkable

Owatonna is a fairly small city located about 65 miles due south of Minneapolis on Interstate 35. Surrounded by mile of southern Minnesota farmlands, Owatonna has long served as a major economic and cultural hub for the region. The historic Downtown district overlooks the Straight River, with the beautifully-preserved vintage buildings lining the streets cultivating a timeless atmosphere.

The city’s landscape is loaded with parks of every shape and size, and the vast network of trails provides great opportunities to get around town on foot or by bicycle. Folks around the region know Owatonna as the home of the Steele County Free Fair, the largest event of its kind in the state and a summer tradition in town for generations.

Demographics

Median Household Income

$74,043

Average: $89,365

Education

6,315

Residents Have a Degree

Job Market

13,957

Workers Employed

Age Distribution
Get a sense of this area's population profile.

Median Age

40 Years

Largest Age Group

10-19 Years

Approximately 14% of Residents

Under 20

26%

Over 65

19%

Housing Distribution

Owatonna has more homeowners than renters.

Renters
28%
Non-Renters
72%

Education Distribution

Review this city's overall education levels.

Bachelor's or Higher
20%
Other Education
80%

Rent Trends

As of April 2026, the average apartment rent in Owatonna, MN is $860 for a studio, $1,193 for one bedroom, $1,374 for two bedrooms, and $1,604 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Owatonna has increased by 4.5% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$1,193/month
716 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Owatonna, MN

Getting Around

Somewhat Walkable

Walkability

30 / 100

Exceptionally Drivable

Drivability

100 / 100

Fairly Bikeable

Bikeability

40 / 100

Schools

McKinley Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

525 Students

Lincoln Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

593 Students

Washington Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

487 Students

Wilson Elementary

Public

Grades PK-5

537 Students

Esy

Public

Grades K-12

Owatonna Online 6-8

Public

Grades 6-8

39 Students

Owatonna Summer School 7-8

Public

Grades 6-8

999 Students

Actions School

Public

Grades 7-12

11 Students

Esy

Public

Grades K-12

Owatonna Alc 6-8

Public

Grades 6-8

Owatonna Senior High

Public

Grades 9-12

1,475 Students

Owatonna Alc 9-12

Public

Grades 9-12

Actions School

Public

Grades 7-12

11 Students

Owatonna Night School

Public

Grades 9-12

Esy

Public

Grades K-12

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Rice Lake State Park

Top Apartments in Owatonna

Search Nearby Rentals

Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.

Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.