19082007Appleton, Minn. Pomme de Terre river scene. Drag to compare. · Library of Congress
Appleton’s story
Appleton in pictures
6 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 1 places on the National Register.
AppletonMN
A town of 248. A typical home worth about $89K.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Jake DeGroot · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
248
residents
Typical home
$89K
+2.9% in a year
Household income
$104K
median
Median age
52.1
years
Jobs based here
27
A commuter town
What makes Appleton stand out
The 3 things Appleton does most differently from other towns.
$89Ktypical home
Housing
$89K typical home
75% below the MN typical home
Up 2.9% in a year.
100 U.S. towns● Appleton
Health
69% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than MN on 1 measures, worse on 17.
1908 · The old millHistory
6 archive photos & papers
1 place on the National Register
6 archive photos, postcards and papers.
Small town
248 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
HanthoEdisonAkronShibleAppleton
Appleton’s report card
Now in Appleton
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Appleton? Is a C for health right?
Your answer becomes a post in Appleton’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →72°
Mostly Cloudy
H 0° · L 62°
Local news
All →- Audacy News: Appleton, MN set to open new ICE facilityAudacy · Sep 10
- Contractor offers Appleton millions to make up for lost tax revenue after prison saleStar Tribune · Sep 1
- Federal Government Moves to Reopen Long-Vacant Minnesota Prison as ICE Detention Centermykxlg.com · Aug 18
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Appleton. Another town gets a different order.
Housing
A typical Appleton home is worth about $89K
The typical Appleton home is worth about $89,000, up 2.9% in a year, 75% below the Minnesota typical home.
$89KZillow home value
Typical home value
Appleton$89K
Minnesota$351K
+2.9%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Appleton
Most working residents leave Appleton for work: only 3% work in town. The top destinations are Appleton (25%), Morris (6%) and Madison (4%). Half commute less than 23 miles.
3%work in town
Where working residents work
In Appleton3%
Appleton25%
Morris6%
Madison4%
Granite Falls4%
23 mi
median commute distance
27
jobs based in Appleton
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
Healthier than 31% of U.S. towns
Appleton beats the Minnesota average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 17.
CHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better14 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Appleton | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.9% | 76.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.5% | 5.4% |
Appleton Area Health
2.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
4th
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 29% of U.S. communities.
29risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesHeat waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Appleton has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 3°, and about 51 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
51″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter7–25°
Spring33–55°
Summer59–81°
Fall36–58°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 3
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Outdoors
7.5% of Appleton is conserved land
24 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
7.5%conserved
7.5%
conserved · 1,533 of 20,358 acres
24 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Appleton Area Recreational Park | 18.5 mi | 343 |
| 2. Lac Qui Parle Wildlife Management Area Main Unit | 2.7 mi | 4,808 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Appleton for work
Where Appleton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
27jobs based in Appleton
3%of working residents work in town
23 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
19082007About Appleton
City in Minnesota, United States
Appleton is a city in Swift County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was 1,392 at the 2020 census. The town is home to a vacant medium-security prison, the Prairie Correctional Facility, which is wholly owned and operated by Corrections Corporation of America. Appleton also includes a plant-protein factory operated by Eat Just, Inc. Elmer A. Benson, who served as a United States Senator and as governor of Minnesota, was born in Appleton on September 22, 1895. All of its twenty-odd streets, except Minnesota Street, are named for local veterans who died in combat.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 1,392
- Area
- 2.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,007 ft
- ZIP code
- 56208
- Area code
- 320
More about Appleton
Still missing for Appleton:upcoming events