Tower is a city located in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 430. State Highways 1 (MN 1), 169 (MN 169), and 135 (MN 135) are three of the main routes in Tower. Tower is located on the southern shore of Lake Vermilion.

Official town website ↗

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

Town numbers

ZIP code55790

Area code218

Living in Tower

Housing in Tower

$359K▲ 8.6% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Tower home is worth about $359,000, up 8.6% in a year, close to the Minnesota typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Work & commute in Tower

Full picture →

Most working residents leave Tower for work: only 15% work in town. The top destinations are Virginia (16%), Greenwood (14%) and Duluth (8%). Half commute less than 23 miles.

Virginia

16%

Greenwood

14%

Duluth

Mountain Iron

15%Work in townlive and work in Tower 23 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 338Jobs based herea job hub

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Tower →

Health in Tower

Compared with Minnesota

3better than MN·8worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 21 are too close to call.

Conditions 7▼ 5 close Habits all close Care 3▲ 4 close Mind 1▼ 4 close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

81.9%More adults treating high blood pressureMN 76.1% · better 78.4%More adults getting a yearly checkupMN 74.8% · better 8.4%More adults with heart diseaseMN 5.9% · worse

Care nearby

Cook HospitalCook · 19 mi · ER · rural critical access

Scenic Rivers Health ServicesTower · 0.6 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Tower · CMS · HRSAHealth in Tower →

Natural hazards in Tower

Moderate

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 43% of U.S. communities.

🥶 Cold waves🌊 Inland flooding

0Does Tower flood?no paid flood claims on record 1Disasters that paid out herefederal disaster sent FEMA money to Tower MapTower vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Tower →

Climate in Tower

Full climate →

Tower has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to -5°, and about 69 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

21° / -1°Winter

51° / 25°Spring

76° / 51°Summer

51° / 31°Fall

How much snow does Tower get?About 69 inches a winter.Rain & snow →Does it ever freeze?In about 100% of years.Frost →Is it warmer than it used to be?+2.0° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

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

Schools in Tower

All Tower schools →

School Grade B

The public schools Tower’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 60% of Minnesota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

DistrictST. LOUIS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTSchools2

Tower-Soudan Elementary B-Elementary · Grades PK–6 · 95 students Vermilion Country School C-High · Grades 7–12 · 50 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.