Wells, MN housing market
The typical Wells home is worth about $141,000, about the same as a year ago, 60% below the Minnesota typical home.
Home values, sales, trends and how Wells compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Wells at a glance
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Wells | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $72,000 | $217,000 |
| 2018 | $69,000 | $232,000 |
| 2019 | $75,000 | $246,000 |
| 2020 | $79,000 | $259,000 |
| 2021 | $89,000 | $282,000 |
| 2022 | $108,000 | $313,000 |
| 2023 | $126,000 | $325,000 |
| 2024 | $128,000 | $331,000 |
| 2025 | $137,000 | $341,000 |
| 2026 | $145,000 | $349,000 |
| August 2026 | $141,000 | $351,000 |
No new homes permitted in 2025
No permits for new homes were issued in Wells in 2025. The last year with any was 2021 (4 new homes).
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Wells gained 67 residents with no new homes permitted, so the growth came from existing homes. Across Minnesota: 2.2 new residents per new home.
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 4 | 0 | 4 | $956,000 |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $109,000 |
| 2005 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $336,000 |
| 2004 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $474,000 |
| 2003 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $1 million |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $261,000 |
| 2000 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $642,000 |
Wells's permit office didn't report to the Census in 2025, so the 2025 figures are Census estimates.
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
2.4 years of income
The typical Wells home costs about 2.4 years of the town's median household income, less than across Minnesota (3.9 years).
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $970
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Wells is $970 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Wells pay a median of $694, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 19% of the town's median household income.
Studio $670 · 4 bedrooms $1,390
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (56097; Faribault County, MN), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.