Steele County, Minnesota
4 ZIP codes · Home Safety Score unavailable · 0 of 4 tracked ZIP records scored · Updated
Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData Last verified:
Key Risk Factors
Health risk index: 12.8 (asthma 9.9%, diabetes 10.9%)
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,440, driven primarily by flood
72.3% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
Violation History (2023–2025)
→ Stable trendEPA violation counts by year across Steele County water systems. Health-based shown in red, total in blue.
Peak year: 2025 with 4 violations. Past 5 years: 6 total (6 health-based).
Source: EPA SDWIS historical violations. Data may lag 6–12 months for the most recent year.
County Health Indicators vs National Average
Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Infrastructure Overview
Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINS infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,440
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
14,351 housing units in Steele County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).
Water Safety Affordability
How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Steele County
Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Steele County, representing a small fraction of property value.
Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.
Health Outcomes vs National Average
CDC PLACES data for Steele County residents
Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Water systems serving Steele County
2 community water systems serving Steele County.
All ZIP Codes in Steele County
4 ZIP codes tracked in Steele County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55049 | Medford | — | — | $233K | |
| 2 | 55060 | Owatonna | — | — | 0 | $239K |
| 3 | 56026 | Ellendale | — | — | 0 | $221K |
| 4 | 56046 | Hope | — | — | $103K |
Recommended Buyer Guides for Steele County
Editorial methodology pairs each documented risk in this county with the buyer category that addresses it, drawing on water-quality detections, housing-stock lead exposure, EPA Radon Zone designation, and FEMA flood and wildfire ratings. NSF-certified options surface where applicable, and products that match the specific contaminant take priority.
- Best Lead Paint Test Kits — 72.3% of homes built before 1978
- Best Radon Test Kits — EPA Radon Zone 1 (highest risk) dominant in county
- Best Sump Pumps — Flood is the top compound risk factor
- Best Mold Test Kits — Flood-driven moisture and mold risk
Overview
Steele County in Minnesota covers 4 tracked ZIP records. No Home Safety Score is published because the required model evidence is incomplete for every tracked record; missing evidence is not treated as zero.
The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 2 ZIP codes with a reported violation count.
← Back to Minnesota Home Safety Profile
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- PFAS screening: EPA UCMR 5
- Radon zones: EPA Map of Radon Zones
- Air quality: EPA AirData annual AQI
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.