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.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How St. James ranks

All →

#6Most affordable in MN #11Most walkable in MN #15Lowest depression in MN All MN rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code56081

Area codeSign in to add

Living in St. James

Safety in St. James

B⁺

Safety Grade B+

St. James reports less crime per resident than 67% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

Violent crime per 1,000

St. James 2.3

Minnesota 2.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

St. James 9.1

Minnesota 14.3

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in St. James

Full picture →

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.

Madelia

Mankato

New Ulm

Butterfield

40%Work in townlive and work in St. James 11 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 1,866Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in St. James →

Health in St. James

C⁺

Health Grade C+

Healthier than 37% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 58% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Minnesota

16worse than MN

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 16 are too close to call.

Conditions 5▼ 7 close Habits 1▼ 3 close Care 4▼ 3 close Mind 2▼ 3 close Everyday needs 4▼ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

16.7%More uninsured adultsMN 7.5% · worse 15.4%More older adults who have lost all their teethMN 8.9% · worse 19.2%More adults facing food insecurityMN 11.4% · worse

Care nearby

Mayo Clinic Health System St. JamesSt. James · 0.6 mi · ER · rural critical access

Access Health - WindomWindom · 25.4 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for St. James · CMS · HRSAHealth in St. James →

Natural hazards in St. James

Low

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 29% of U.S. communities.

🥶 Cold waves🌊 Inland flooding🌪️ Tornadoes

1Does St. James flood?paid flood claims since 2024 2Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to St. James MapSt. James vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in St. James →

Climate in St. James

Full climate →

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.

27° / 10°Winter

55° / 35°Spring

81° / 60°Summer

59° / 38°Fall

How much snow does St. James get?About 50 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 7, with the last in spring around Apr 30.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.0° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in St. James →

Schools in St. James

All St. James schools →

C⁺

School Grade C+

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.

See how St. James’s schools compare in MN →

DistrictST. JAMES PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTSchools5

ST. James Northside Elementary B-Elementary · Grades K–5 · 502 students St. Pauls Lutheran SchoolElementary · Grades PK–8 · 56 students St. James Middle/High School CHigh · Grades 6–12 · 566 students Armstrong SchoolPrekindergarten · Grades PK · 65 students ST. James Early ChildhoodPrekindergarten · Grades PK · 10 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within MN. Ratings are from neighbors.