Gutters, roofing, siding and windows in Empire, MN

• Gutters in Empire

  Dakota County averages 34.6 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). One inch of rain on 1,000 square feet of roof is about 623 gallons of water for the gutters to carry.

• Roofing in Empire

  10 of the 50 hail events on record within 10 miles of Empire from 2016 through March 31, 2026 had hail 1.5 inches or larger. The National Weather Service counts hail of 1 inch or larger as severe.

• Siding in Empire

  The strongest thunderstorm wind on record within 10 miles of Empire from 2016 through September 22, 2025 was 70 mph. The National Weather Service counts a thunderstorm wind of 58 mph or more as severe.

• Windows in Empire

  22% of homes in the 2 ZIP codes that cover Empire were built before 1980. A home built before 1980 was built before the energy codes in force today were written.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database (hail events through March 31, 2026; thunderstorm-wind and tornado events through September 22, 2025); American Community Survey 2023, 5-year; NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals.

Our pages cover 2 ZIP codes of Empire: 55024 and 55068. ZIP code 55024 has 12,539 households; its median home was built in 1997, and 71% of its housing units are single-family detached. The median home value in ZIP code 55024 is $350,500, and 89% of its occupied homes are owner-occupied. ZIP code 55068 has 11,521 households; its median home was built in 1996, and 69% of its housing units are single-family detached. The median home value in ZIP code 55068 is $379,500, and 87% of its occupied homes are owner-occupied. Each ZIP code in the table links to its own page; a ZIP code shared with a neighboring city has one page, under the city that holds the largest part of it.

Source: American Community Survey 2023, 5-year, by ZIP Code Tabulation Area (a ZIP code can extend beyond the city); ZIP list and address points from the Census address file.

The NOAA Storm Events Database records 50 hail events, 31 thunderstorm-wind events and 7 tornadoes within 10 miles of Empire from 2016 through March 31, 2026 for hail and through September 22, 2025 for thunderstorm wind and tornadoes. The largest hail on record there in that period was 1.75 inches on July 24, 2023, near Hampton. 10 of those hail events had hail 1.5 inches or larger.

The closest event to the center of Empire was 1 in hail on July 3, 2023, 2.3 miles away near Farmington. The most recent hail event within 10 miles of Empire was on August 15, 2025: 1 in hail near Burnsville. The most recent thunderstorm-wind event within 10 miles of Empire was on July 28, 2025, near Rosemount. The strongest thunderstorm wind recorded within 10 miles of Empire in that period was 70 mph. The busiest year was 2023, with 13 events in all.

Apart from those database entries, NOAA weather radar indicated hail of 1 inch or larger over Empire on 1 day from January 2025 on, most recently August 15, 2025. A radar indication is an estimate, not a report from the ground, and the counts and tables on this page do not include it.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database (hail events through March 31, 2026; thunderstorm-wind and tornado events through September 22, 2025); NOAA MRMS radar hail estimates.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database (hail events through March 31, 2026; thunderstorm-wind and tornado events through September 22, 2025).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database (hail events through March 31, 2026; thunderstorm-wind and tornado events through September 22, 2025).

Dakota County has 176,447 housing units, and 58% of them are single-family detached homes (American Community Survey 2023, 5-year). Another 17% are attached homes such as townhomes. Mobile homes make up 2% of the housing units.

The median home in Dakota County was built in 1988. 35% of homes in Dakota County were built before 1980, and 25% were built in 2000 or later. The most common building period is 1990–1999, with 35,086 homes.

75% of occupied homes in Dakota County are owner-occupied. The median owner-occupied home in Dakota County is valued at $362,100. Among occupied homes in Dakota County, 80% heat with utility gas, 16% with electricity and 3% with bottled or tank gas.

• Year-built table and more on the Dakota County page

Source: American Community Survey 2023, 5-year (tables B25024, B25034, B25035, B25003, B25077, B25040).

Empire is in Dakota County, so the county ratings below apply to it. Dakota County scores 97.5 of 100 for hail in FEMA's National Risk Index, which ranks 3rd of 87 Minnesota counties. Dakota County scores 99.4 of 100 for strong wind in FEMA's National Risk Index, which ranks 1st of 87 Minnesota counties. Dakota County scores 91.9 of 100 for winter weather in FEMA's National Risk Index, which ranks 9th of 87 Minnesota counties. Of the perils listed here, the highest score in Dakota County is for strong wind, at 99.4 of 100.

Dakota County averages 34.6 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The average annual temperature in Dakota County is 45.7°F.

Source: FEMA National Risk Index, 2026 release; rank among the state's counties computed from the scores; NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals.

The nearest other cities we serve, by straight-line distance, are Coates (3.8 miles), Farmington (4.1 miles), Rosemount (5 miles), Vermillion (6.1 miles), Hampton (6.3 miles), Apple Valley (7.3 miles), Lakeville (8 miles) and New Trier (9.2 miles). The other Dakota County communities we serve are Apple Valley, Burnsville, Coates, Eagan, Farmington, Hampton, Hastings, Inver Grove Heights, Lakeville, Lilydale, Mendota, Mendota Heights, Miesville, New Trier, Randolph, Rosemount, South St. Paul, Sunfish Lake, Vermillion and West St. Paul.

• Coates 3.8 mi
• Farmington 4.1 mi
• Rosemount 5 mi
• Vermillion 6.1 mi
• Hampton 6.3 mi
• Apple Valley 7.3 mi
• Lakeville 8 mi
• New Trier 9.2 mi
• Inver Grove Heights 10 mi
• Eagan 10 mi

Our Farmington office is at 821 3rd St, Farmington, MN 55024, about 4 miles from Empire. Its hours are Monday–Friday 7:00 AM–7:00 PM. You can reach that office at (651) 998-8500.

• Farmington office: address, hours and map