Winona, MN — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Minnesota·Winona

Winona County · Winona · population 26,173

First-time buyers
Winona, MN
Image: Wikipedia · Winona, Minnesota
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
71
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Winona stands

At or near all-time high. rents up 19.8% in the last year.

Median home $256,640
1-year +3.5%
5-yr CAGR +6.1%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.2%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$257k$139k$182k$224k$267k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
78/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,243/mo$0$659$1,317202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent11814480100120140202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 17.2
Lean buy

At a 17.2 price-to-rent ratio, Winona is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
67 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
70 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
49 · w16%
Rent YoY
85 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
65 · w10%
Long thesis

Winona has held up across the cycle: home values at $256,640 with +6.1% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Winona's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Winona

Winona is a city in Winona County, Minnesota, with an estimated population of 26,173. The median home value in Winona is $256,640 as of 2026-04, up 3.5% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.1% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Winona average $1,243 per month, up 19.8% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 71 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +6.1% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +3.5% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
●Hot rental market: rents up 19.8% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

▼ Bear case

●Rental squeeze: rents up 19.8% YoY — tenants face tough renewals. Affordability deteriorating fast.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Winona (Wikipedia)

Winona is a city in and the county seat of Winona County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 25,948 at the 2020 census. Located in bluff country, otherwise known as the Driftless Area on the Mississippi River, its most noticeable physical landmark is Sugar Loaf. Winona is known as the home of Winona State University, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, and the Minnesota Marine Art Museum.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Winona County right now.

NWS active alerts (MN)Minnesota Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Winona County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Winona

Brainerd, MN70 · RisingOwatonna, MN69 · RisingHutchinson, MN69 · RisingGrand Rapids, MN69 · Rising

Run the numbers for Winona

ToolCan I afford Winona?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Winona rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Winona to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolWinona cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
22° / 4°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
82° / 62°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
198
~54% of year
Annual precip
28″ rain
45″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Winona listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Winona area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$84,300
Minnesota state median
Top industries (state-level)
Medical DevicesFinanceManufacturing

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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