Gutters, roofing, siding and windows in ZIP code 55981, Wabasha, MN

• Gutters in ZIP code 55981

  Wabasha County averages 36.8 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 ZIP code 55981

  9 of the 30 hail events on record within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 55981 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 ZIP code 55981

  The strongest thunderstorm wind on record within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 55981 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 ZIP code 55981

  55% of homes in ZIP code 55981 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.

ZIP code 55981 is filed here under Wabasha, in Wabasha County, Minnesota; its center is about 29 miles northeast of our Rochester office. Our address file holds 2,590 address points in ZIP code 55981. Of the cities and towns on our pages, ZIP code 55981 covers only Wabasha.

Source: Census ZIP Code Tabulation Area, county and place boundaries (a ZIP code can also take in land outside any city or town).

ZIP code 55981 has 2,229 housing units, and 76% of them are single-family detached homes (American Community Survey 2023, 5-year). Another 5% are attached homes such as townhomes. Mobile homes make up 3% of the housing units.

The median home in ZIP code 55981 was built in 1975. 55% of homes in ZIP code 55981 were built before 1980, and 21% were built in 2000 or later. The most common building period is 1939 or earlier, with 452 homes.

78% of occupied homes in ZIP code 55981 are owner-occupied. The median owner-occupied home in ZIP code 55981 is valued at $234,300. Among occupied homes in ZIP code 55981, 43% heat with utility gas, 16% with electricity, 33% with bottled or tank gas, 1% with fuel oil and 3% with wood.

Source: American Community Survey 2023, 5-year (tables B25024, B25034, B25035, B25003, B25077, B25040), for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 55981.

The nearest other ZIP codes we serve, measured center to center, are 55945 in Kellogg (5.9 miles south), 54756 in Nelson (9.5 miles northeast), 54759 in Pepin (9.8 miles north), 54610 in Alma (12 miles east), 55957 in Millville (13 miles southwest) and 55041 in Lake City (13 miles west). The table sets ZIP code 55981 beside the 8 ZIP codes nearest to it, using the same Census figures for each.

Source: American Community Survey 2023, 5-year, by ZIP Code Tabulation Area; distances are straight lines between ZIP code centers.

The NOAA Storm Events Database records 30 hail events, 17 thunderstorm-wind events and no tornadoes within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 55981 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 2.5 inches on August 11, 2023, near Pepin. 9 of those hail events had hail 1.5 inches or larger.

The closest event to the center of ZIP code 55981 was 1 in hail on June 17, 2021, less than 1 mile away near Wabasha. The most recent hail event within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 55981 was on June 19, 2025: 1.25 in hail near Nelson. The most recent thunderstorm-wind event within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 55981 was on July 28, 2025, near Pepin. The strongest thunderstorm wind recorded within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 55981 in that period was 70 mph. The busiest year was 2021, with 11 events in all.

Apart from those database entries, NOAA weather radar indicated hail of 1 inch or larger over Wabasha on 3 days from January 2025 on, most recently September 2, 2026. 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 (for the city of Wabasha).

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).

This page is filed under Wabasha, which is in Wabasha County; the ratings below are that county's. Wabasha County scores 80.2 of 100 for hail in FEMA's National Risk Index, which ranks 23rd of 87 Minnesota counties. Wabasha County scores 74 of 100 for strong wind in FEMA's National Risk Index, which ranks 31st of 87 Minnesota counties. Wabasha County scores 34.8 of 100 for winter weather in FEMA's National Risk Index, which ranks 75th of 87 Minnesota counties. Of the perils listed here, the highest score in Wabasha County is for tornado, at 84.6 of 100.

Wabasha County averages 36.8 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The average annual temperature in Wabasha County is 45°F.

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

Our Rochester office is at 3470 55th St NW, Rochester, MN 55901, about 29 miles from the center of ZIP code 55981. Its hours are Monday–Friday 7:00 AM–7:00 PM. You can reach that office at (507) 606-2707.

• Rochester office: address, hours and map