Watonwan County Courthouse · National Register of Historic Places
St. James’s story
St. James in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →
St. JamesMN
A town of 4,767. Nearly 3.1% of it is conserved land.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Jatakuck · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
4,767
+4.1% since 2010
Median home value
$122K
Census ACS
Household income
$60K
median
Median age
37.6
years
Jobs based here
1,866
Balanced
What makes St. James stand out
The 3 things St. James does most differently from other towns.
Outdoors
#11 most walkable in MN
0.1 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
3.1% of the town is conserved land.
100 U.S. towns● St. James
Health
63% of U.S. towns are healthier
on CDC estimates
Better than MN on 0 measures, worse on 16.
100 U.S. towns● St. James
Safety
Safer than 67%
of U.S. towns we grade
Safety Grade B+. FBI data, crimes reported to police.
St. James’s report card
Now in St. James
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
St. James is #271 of 273 in MN for “Fewest uninsured”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in St. James’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in St. James. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
3.1% of St. James is conserved land
0.1 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves.
3.1%conserved
3.1%
conserved · 48 of 1,546 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
#11
most walkable in MN
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Memorial Park | — | 13 |
| 2. Southside Park | — | 2 |
| 3. Deer Park | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Health
Healthier than 37% of U.S. towns
St. James beats the Minnesota average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 16.
C+Health Grade
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better16 too close to call16 worse
| What stands out | St. James | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 16.7% | 7.5% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.4% | 8.9% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 19.2% | 11.4% |
Mayo Clinic Health System St. James
0.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
6th
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
About one in three working residents works right in St. James
40% of St. James’s working residents work right in town. The top destinations are Madelia (6%), Mankato (5%) and New Ulm (4%). Half commute less than 11 miles.
40%work in town
Where working residents work
In St. James40%
Madelia6%
Mankato5%
New Ulm4%
Butterfield2%
11 mi
median commute distance
1,866
jobs based in St. James
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
Low risk, with cold waves at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 29% of U.S. communities.
29risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 2024
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 67% of U.S. towns
St. James reports less crime per resident than 67% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
B+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
St. James2.3
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
St. James9.1
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
67th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
52nd
percentile among MN towns
11
violent crimes reported in 2025
43
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
St. James has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 6°, and about 50 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
50″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–27°
Spring35–55°
Summer60–81°
Fall38–59°
Oct 7
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Schools
St. James’s public schools outperform 42% of Minnesota districts
The public schools St. James’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 58% of Minnesota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
C+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| ST. James Northside Elementary | K–5 | 502 | B− |
| St. Pauls Lutheran School Private | PK–8 | 56 | |
| St. James Middle/High School | 6–12 | 566 | C |
| Armstrong School | PK | 65 | Not graded |
| ST. James Early Childhood | PK | 10 | Not graded |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduationAll 5 schools →
Landmarks
2 places in St. James on the National Register of Historic Places.
About St. James
City in Minnesota, United States
St. James or Saint James is a city in and the county seat of Watonwan County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 4,793 at the 2020 census. Minnesota State Highways 4, 30, and 60 are three of the main routes in the city.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 4,793
- Area
- 2.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,079 ft
- ZIP code
- 56081
St. James’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with St. James.
St. JamesRosendaleSt. James