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Of about 2,417 rented homes in Owatonna, 96% rent for under $2,000 a month and 99% for under $3,000.
Under $1,000: 49%
$1,000 to $1,499: 33%
$1,500 to $1,999: 13%
$2,000 to $2,499: 3%
$2,500 to $2,999: 0%
$3,000 or more: 1%
Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.
What moving costs
Hiring movers
Average cost: $1,946
From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.
Moving in as a renter
The middle rented home in Owatonna rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about $2,000 to $2,998 for first month plus a deposit, or up to $3,000 to $4,497 where landlords also ask for last month.
Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For $1,000 to $1,499, that's a yearly income of about $36,000 to $53,964.
Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.
Moving to Minnesota: before and after
Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Minnesota DMV.
Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.
Schools
3 public school districts in this county, with about 6,691 students in all. The county also has 1 public charter school and 2 private schools. Which public school serves a home depends on its address.
Public Public charter Private District that covers the center of Owatonna: Owatonna Public School District
District lines: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024. Tap a dot for details. A home's assigned school depends on its address; check with the district before you buy or rent.
Closest public schools to the center of Owatonna
Elementary
Washington Elementary0.8 mi
Public
grades K to 5 · 484 students · 12.7 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 51%, math 53% (state: reading 51%, math 45%)
Wilson Elementary0.9 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 5 · 560 students · 17 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 40 to 44%, math 40 to 44% (state: reading 51%, math 45%)
Mckinley Elementary1.7 mi
Public
grades K to 5 · 483 students · 13.8 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 47%, math 45% (state: reading 51%, math 45%)
Middle
Choice Technical Academy0.9 mi
Public charter
grades 7 to 12 · 44 students · 44 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 50% or less, math 50% or less (state: reading 51%, math 45%)
Owatonna Middle School1.0 mi
Public
grades 6 to 8 · 1,015 students · 15.4 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 44%, math 33% (state: reading 51%, math 45%)
Lincoln Elementary1.8 mi
Public
grades K to 6 · 609 students · 16.5 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 55%, math 67% (state: reading 51%, math 45%)
High school
Choice Technical Academy0.9 mi
Public charter
grades 7 to 12 · 44 students · 44 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 50% or less, math 50% or less (state: reading 51%, math 45%)
Owatonna Senior High2.5 mi
Public
grades 9 to 12 · 1,494 students · 17.8 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 53%, math 45 to 49% (state: reading 51%, math 45%)
Medford Secondary5.6 mi
Public
grades 7 to 12 · 399 students · 19.9 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 35 to 39%, math 32% (state: reading 51%, math 45%)
Private
St Marys School1.0 mi
Private
grades Pre-K to 8 · 270 students · 12.6 per teacher
Owatonna Christian School1.3 mi
Private
grades Pre-K to 12 · 94 students · 10.7 per teacher
Straight-line miles from the center of Owatonna, nearest first. Being closest doesn't mean a school serves a given home. "Passed the state test" is the share of students who scored proficient or better on Minnesota's own reading and math tests in the 2021-22 school year, the latest year the U.S. Department of Education has published for every school. Each state sets its own test and passing bar, so compare schools within the same state, not across states. Test results track family income closely and leave out a lot (teachers, programs, how a school fits your child). For newer results, see the state's school report card.
853 students · 13.8 students per teacher · 2 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
School choice and pre-K in Minnesota
Going to school in another district
State law lets each district decide whether to take students from other districts. Some do, some don't; ask the district you'd like.
Picking a different school in your district
State law doesn't set a rule for switching schools within a district; it's up to each district.
Free state pre-K
18% of 4-year-olds and 1% of 3-year-olds in Minnesota attend state-funded pre-K (U.S.: 37% and 9%). Spots, hours and who qualifies vary by district.
School choice: state law as summarized by the Education Commission of the States, 50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies (2022). Pre-K: share of children in state-funded pre-K, National Institute for Early Education Research, State of Preschool 2025 Yearbook (2024-25 school year).
NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Private schools: NCES Private School Survey, 2021-22. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For programs and newer results, see each district's site and the state's school report card.
Childcare and colleges
Daycare and preschool
Minnesota keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.
Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
Age
Daycare center
Home daycare
Infant (under 2)
$235/week
about $12,200 a year
$123/week
about $6,400 a year
Toddler (2)
$212/week
about $11,000 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)
$201/week
about $10,500 a year
$125/week
about $6,500 a year
School-age
$169/week
about $8,800 a year
For an infant at a center: $235/week here, $323 across MN, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 12% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.
U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).
The facts behind it
Data centers nearby
None within 15 miles
No mapped data center buildings near the town center.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Homeowners insurance
About $2,729 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in MN. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Very Low
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
2 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
Fewer than 10 a year
The CDC doesn't publish exact counts under 10. MN average: 17.1 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 8 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 611 people without housing in the Rochester/Southeast Minnesota area (20 counties): 476 in shelters and 135 outside, up from 608 in 2024. MN: 14.5 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$83,448
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.21% of home value a year
About $1,210 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 9.85%
MN's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.