The story of this market
The typical home in Benton County, Minnesota sells for about $271,000, or $165 per square foot.
Prices are up +3.5% from a year ago, so sellers still have some momentum. Homes take about 50 days to sell. Over the long run, values in this county have grown 125% since 2000. Last year 5 of 10 neighborhoods saw prices rise, so the story isn't the same street to street. The biggest natural hazard here is strong wind, which FEMA rates relatively high. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $1,233 a month.
HUD sets the fair market rent for a 2-bedroom at $1,233 a month. FEMA's National Risk Index rates overall hazard risk here as Relatively Low.
Price climate
Every year of price change, 2000–2025
+1.6%
2025
Each stripe is one year's median price change across the area's census tracts (FHFA repeat-sales index). Deep blue is a strong gain year, red a falling year. Best: 2022 (+15.8%). Worst: 2009 (-5.9%). Hover to read a year.
Monthly price momentum
Home values since 2015
+1.5%
MN · past 12 months
Freddie Mac House Price Index, single-family homes, monthly through 2026-08. Each line starts at 100 in January 2015, so a reading of 180 means prices are up 80% since then.
Rent benchmark
Fair market rent by size
$1,656
3-bed / month
HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal 2027, for this county. A typical rent for a modest unit, used to set housing-voucher payments.
Neighborhood price trend
Long-run price trend, 2000–2025
+1.6%
2025 change
FHFA repeat-sales index, median of 10 census tracts in this county (2000 = 100). Bars are each year's median change.
Natural hazard exposure
The area's risk shape
52
Relatively Low
FEMA National Risk Index. Each spoke is a hazard ranked nationally, where 100 is the most exposed. Expected annual loss: $18,122,422.
Mortgage activity
Home lending in this county
85.2%
2018 approval rate
| Year | Applications | Loans made | Approval | Investor share | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1731 | 1095 | 85.2% | 3.7% | $195,000 |
CFPB Home Mortgage Disclosure Act records: every mortgage application reported by lenders for homes in this county. Approval rate is approved ÷ decided (withdrawn and incomplete files excluded). Investor share and home value are the median census tract.
Benton County, Minnesota
The Benton County housing market shows steady growth with a 3.5% year-over-year increase in home values. While inventory remains tight, the market is supported by consistent demand and a stable local economy. Buyers are navigating a competitive environment with limited supply, keeping price appreciation moderate.
No ARED distress-ledger coverage for this county yet — the foreclosure ingest rotates the national county directory, and filings appear here once the county's posted notices are read. Key-figure check: no independent anchor retained yet — first-researched cycles establish the anchor baseline this pass.
Select a city to expand its ZIP intel reports beneath · 3 cities · 4 ZIP reports
Median prices moved sideways 0.0% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 166 days on market with 0.0 months of supply — a balanced-paced market.
0% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 0.18% of asking — demand is holding steady.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 3.8% · poverty 9.9% — a stable, low-distress profile.
ACS 2024 5-year estimates. Aggregate published statistics for this county — never individual records, and never an attribute of any individual property or resident.
Deterministic aggregate of 3 researched ZIP reports of 4 — sales_count-weighted (population fallback); per point, children lacking the value or its weight are excluded. Tax rates, sentiment and context notes are tier-native and never roll.
Benton County, Minnesota — researched county-level history with a deterministic 1 / 3 / 5-year projection
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 5.7%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
No researched properties in this county yet — the property base layer populates as property research runs, and each property feeds its ZIP's roll-up.
researched Sep 19
researched Sep 23
researched Sep 23
researched Sep 23
| 56304 | St. Cloud | $334,900 | $190 | +5.4% | 45 | 98.5% | 12% | 4.2 | 63 | $956 | researched Sep 19 |
| 56329 | Foley | $315,000 | $168 | +2.1% | 42 | 98.2% | 12.5% | 3.4 | 48 | $1,072 | researched Sep 23 |
| 56367 | Rice | $302,000 | $165 | +2.1% | 31 | 98% | 12% | 3.2 | 45 | $1,115 | researched Sep 23 |
| 56379 | Sauk Rapids | $330,000 | $166 | — | 166 | — | — | — | 7,249 | $993 | researched Sep 23 |
Figures are each ZIP report's own latest research — the county roll-up aggregates them sales_count-weighted (population fallback); ZIPs cycle quarterly.
Benton County reports a violent crime rate of 86 per 100,000 residents, which is lower than most counties nationally. Property crime is reported at 1,182 per 100,000 residents.
School quality is generally characterized by the performance of local independent school districts serving the county, with ratings varying by specific district and school level.
The county faces standard regional climate risks including severe weather and seasonal flooding, with property insurance markets reflecting these environmental exposures.
Economic momentum is driven by a mix of local industry and proximity to the St. Cloud metropolitan area, with ongoing development focused on residential and small-scale commercial expansion.
Property taxes are assessed by the county based on market value, with rates determined by local taxing jurisdictions including school districts and municipalities; exemptions exist for homestead properties.
The economy is supported by a diverse mix of manufacturing, agriculture, and service-sector employment, with many residents commuting to the nearby St. Cloud area.
Transportation is primarily served by state highways and county roads, facilitating regional access to the St. Cloud metropolitan area.
The county assessor's office conducts annual market value assessments based on property characteristics and recent sales data.
Parcels are subject to various special districts including school, county, and municipal taxing authorities.
Property insurance premiums are influenced by regional weather patterns and hazard exposure, consistent with broader Minnesota market trends.
The amenity base that shapes daily life and property demand in this county — what residents actually live with, and what the pipeline is adding.
Provides significant recreational opportunities including fishing, boating, and scenic trails along the river corridor.
Hosts the annual county fair and various community events, serving as a central gathering place for residents.
Data retrieved from Census Reporter and U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts.
Public schools whose reported address is in this area (NCES). Not attendance boundaries — schools that serve residents may sit outside it. Check the district's address locator for assignment.
applies when — Parcels designated as condominium units
Each unit constitutes a separate parcel for tax purposes. If a declaration is recorded at least 30 days before a tax installment is due, the taxing authority must split the taxes among the units.
Minnesota Statutes 515A.1-105
applies when — Property containing a homestead subject to foreclosure
The mortgagor has the right to designate a portion of the property as a homestead to be sold and redeemed separately, provided it conforms to local zoning and is compact.
Minnesota Statutes 582.041
Allows non-judicial foreclosure. Requires notice of sale to be mailed to the mortgagor at least 14 days before the sale date and published in a newspaper. Mortgagors have specific redemption rights following the sale.
Minnesota Statutes Chapter 580
Property tax is calculated by applying a class rate to the parcel's estimated market value to determine tax capacity, then multiplying by the local tax rate. For residential homesteads (Class 1a), the rate is 1.00% for the first $500,000 of market value and 1.25% for value exceeding $500,000.
2021 Classification Rate Table, Minnesota Department of Revenue
≈ $2,710/yr on a $271,000 median
Governance registry — every jurisdiction re-researches on a rolling 90-day cycle. Property reports compose these inherited burdens into a per-parcel ledger with conditional determinations. Informational only — not legal advice.