Waterville’s story
Waterville in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →WatervilleMN
A town of 1,947. Safer than 98% of U.S. towns.
Population
1,947
−6.3% since 2010
Median home value
$236K
Census ACS
Household income
$76K
median
Median age
43.8
years
Jobs based here
432
A commuter town
What makes Waterville stand out
The 3 things Waterville does most differently from other towns.
100 U.S. towns● Waterville
Safety
Safer than 98%
of U.S. towns we grade
Safety Grade A+. FBI data, crimes reported to police.
100 U.S. towns● Waterville
Health
Healthier than 68%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than MN on 0 measures, worse on 3.
BSchool Grade
Schools
Better than 64%
of MN districts
School Grade B.
A commuter town
90% of working residents leave Waterville for work
Where Waterville’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
432jobs based in Waterville
10%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Waterville’s report card
Now in Waterville
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Live in Waterville? Is an A+ for safety right?
Your answer becomes a post in Waterville’s Town Square.
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Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Waterville. Another town gets a different order.
Safety
Less crime per resident than 98% of U.S. towns
Waterville reports less crime per resident than 98% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
A+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Waterville0
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Waterville0
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
98th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
95th
percentile among MN towns
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
0
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Work & commute
About one in ten working residents works right in Waterville
Most working residents leave Waterville for work: only 10% work in town. The top destinations are Mankato (11%), Faribault (10%) and Waseca (7%). Half commute less than 20 miles.
10%work in town
Where working residents work
In Waterville10%
Mankato11%
Faribault10%
Waseca7%
Owatonna5%
20 mi
median commute distance
432
jobs based in Waterville
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 72% of U.S. communities.
72risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
45
paid flood claims since 1983
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Health
Healthier than 68% of U.S. towns
Waterville beats the Minnesota average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3.
B+Health Grade
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better29 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Waterville | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with heart disease | 7.1% | 5.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.2% | 8.5% |
| More adults with arthritis | 26.3% | 22.3% |
Mayo Clinic Health System - Waseca
10.6 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
52nd
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Waterville has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 6°, and about 52 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
52″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–26°
Spring35–55°
Summer59–80°
Fall37–57°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Schools
Waterville’s public schools outperform 64% of Minnesota districts
The public schools Waterville’s kids attend outperform 64% of Minnesota’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
BSchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterville Elementary | PK–4 | 264 | A |
| Waterville-Elysian-Morristown SR. | 9–12 | 232 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state testsAll 2 schools →
Outdoors
0.1% of Waterville is conserved land
0.0 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
0.1%conserved
0.1%
conserved · 1 of 1,313 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sakatah Lake State Park | — | 1 |
| 2. Elam Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Housing
Homes in Waterville sell for about $195K
The median sale price was $195,000 in May 2026.
$195Kmedian sale price
Market temperature
13
days on market
101.6%
sale-to-list price
7
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
About Waterville
City in Minnesota, United States
Waterville is a city in Le Sueur County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,750 at the 2020 census. It is close to Sakatah Lake State Park on the Cannon River. Waterville has a yearly celebration called "Bullhead Days," and it is held in early June; the residents of the town get together for food, fun, a parade, a carnival, and fireworks.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 1,750
- Area
- 2.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,014 ft
- ZIP code
- 56096
- Area code
- 507