Stearns County, MN Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Stearns County, Minnesota is about $344,500 (the 2026 median across 22 ZIP codes, at ~$178/sq ft) — 16% more expensive than the Minnesota median and 19% more expensive than the typical U.S. home.
How Stearns County compares
Stearns County is about average for housing nationally: its typical home costs $344,500 against $297,000 for Minnesota and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $238,000 to $405,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Stearns County | $344,500 | $178 |
| Minnesota | $297,000 | $188 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Cities in Stearns County
Cities with their own home-value page, largest first:
Stearns County home prices by ZIP code
The 15 most valuable ZIP codes in Stearns County (of 22 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55382 South Haven | $405,000 | $266 | +18% |
| 56376 Saint Martin | $386,000 | $203 | +12% |
| 56371 Roscoe | $382,000 | $201 | +11% |
| 56310 Avon | $377,000 | $260 | +9% |
| 56331 Freeport | $375,000 | $237 | +9% |
| 55320 Saint Augusta | $370,000 | $198 | +7% |
| 56320 Cold Spring | $366,000 | $186 | +6% |
| 56368 Richmond | $363,000 | $217 | +5% |
| 55353 Saint Augusta | $354,000 | $265 | +3% |
| 56307 Albany | $352,000 | $174 | +2% |
| 56340 Holdingford | $352,000 | $151 | +2% |
| 56377 Sartell | $337,000 | $169 | -2% |
| 56374 Saint Joseph | $331,000 | $217 | -4% |
| 56312 Brooten | $325,000 | $155 | -6% |
| 56362 New London | $320,000 | $174 | -7% |
Home value appreciation in Stearns County
Home prices in Stearns County have risen about 76% over the last 10 years (≈5.8% a year) and +59.6% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +2.2% — still rising. A home worth $344,500 today was worth roughly $195,961 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, Minnesota is +71.4% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for Stearns County
Run the numbers for Stearns County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Stearns County
To buy the typical $344,500 home in Stearns County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $94,000 a year (about $2,190 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $111,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $17,200 | $2,720/mo | $116,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $34,500 | $2,600/mo | $111,000/yr |
| 20% | $68,900 | $2,190/mo | $94,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in Stearns County
At about $178 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Stearns County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $200k | 1120 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $250k | 1400 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $300k | 1690 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $400k | 2250 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $500k | 2810 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to Minnesota.
Estimate a specific home in Stearns County
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Stearns County home prices: frequently asked
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Browse all Minnesota cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.