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Paynesville, MN

City in Stearns County, Minnesota.

Population

2,519

Land area

2.3sq mi

People per sq mi

1,100

ZIP codes

0

Paynesville and its ZIP codes

Full map

Paynesville at a glance

  • Paynesville is about 15 times as dense as Minnesota as a whole.
  • Households here earn a median of $75,250 a year, 16% less than the Minnesota figure of $89,062.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $178,200 (46% below Minnesota) and median rent is $815 a month.

Local data for Paynesville, MN

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Paynesville, MN, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$75,250

Poverty rate

5.6%

Median home value

$178,200

Median rent

$815/mo

Homeownership

68.6%

Bachelor's or higher

27.2%

Median age

36.1

Average commute

21.7 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (1,269), Swedish Americans (256), Norwegian Americans (252).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Stearns County. PPP loans are for Paynesville.

Details

Unemployment rate

4.2%

Sep 2026, +1.0 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$65,352

87,420 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$64,935

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$1.1B

FY 2026, $6,978 per person

Stearns County economyFederal spending

How people get to work

Paynesville, MN, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone82.2%
  • Carpooled5.3%
  • Public transit0.1%
  • Walked5.6%
  • Bicycle0.0%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other0.3%
  • Worked from home6.5%

Average one-way commute: 21.7 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Paynesville, MN, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Moderate

Top: strong wind

Storm events since 1996

897

Countywide, mostly hail

Flood insurance policies

153

0.2% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

82° / 1°F

31.4 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone

Health statistics

Share of adults in Paynesville, MN, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

33.5%

U.S. 33.3% about the same

Diabetes

10.1%

U.S. 12.1% -2.0 pts

Smoking

12.1%

U.S. 12.8% -0.7 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

7.0%

U.S. 11.1% -4.1 pts

Cities near Paynesville

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
RoscoeCity5.5 mi0.6
RegalCity6.1 mi0.5
Lake HenryCity6.8 mi0.2
St. MartinCity9 mi0.9
Eden ValleyCity9.3 mi1.3
Spring HillCity11 mi0.7
RichmondCity11 mi1.2
New LondonCity13 mi1.3
BelgradeCity14 mi1.2
SpicerCity15 mi1.2
Cold SpringCity15 mi2.8
WatkinsCity16 mi0.7
Grove CityCity16 mi0.6
GreenwaldCity17 mi0.7
ElrosaCity17 mi0.2
AtwaterCity17 mi1

Frequently asked questions

What county is Paynesville, MN in?
Paynesville is in Stearns County, Minnesota.
What is the population of Paynesville, MN?
About 2,519 people live in Paynesville, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Paynesville?
Nearby places include Roscoe (5.5 mi), Regal (6.1 mi), Lake Henry (6.8 mi), St. Martin (9 mi), Eden Valley (9.3 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023

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