Gutters, roofing, siding and windows in St. James, MN

• Gutters in St. James

  Watonwan County averages 34.1 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 St. James

  2 of the 8 hail events on record within 10 miles of St. James 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 St. James

  The strongest thunderstorm wind on record within 10 miles of St. James from 2016 through September 22, 2025 was 78 mph. The National Weather Service counts a thunderstorm wind of 58 mph or more as severe.

• Windows in St. James

  65% of homes in ZIP code 56081 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 1 ZIP code of St. James: 56081. ZIP code 56081 has 2,413 households; its median home was built in 1968, and 75% of its housing units are single-family detached. The median home value in ZIP code 56081 is $153,400, and 74% of its occupied homes are owner-occupied. The median owner-occupied home in St. James is valued at $109,600.

• ZIP code 56081

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

The NOAA Storm Events Database records 8 hail events, 16 thunderstorm-wind events and 2 tornadoes within 10 miles of St. James 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 June 20, 2019, near St. James. 2 of those hail events had hail 1.5 inches or larger.

The closest event to the center of St. James was 0.75 in hail on April 28, 2025, less than 1 mile away near St. James. The most recent hail event within 10 miles of St. James was on April 28, 2025: 0.75 in hail near St. James. The most recent thunderstorm-wind event within 10 miles of St. James was on July 7, 2025, near La Salle. The strongest thunderstorm wind recorded within 10 miles of St. James in that period was 78 mph. The busiest year was 2019, with 7 events in all.

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).

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

Watonwan County has 4,904 housing units, and 79% of them are single-family detached homes (American Community Survey 2023, 5-year). Another 2% are attached homes such as townhomes. Mobile homes make up 5% of the housing units.

The median home in Watonwan County was built in 1961. 73% of homes in Watonwan County were built before 1980, and 10% were built in 2000 or later. The most common building period is 1939 or earlier, with 1,581 homes.

78% of occupied homes in Watonwan County are owner-occupied. The median owner-occupied home in Watonwan County is valued at $151,600. Among occupied homes in Watonwan County, 53% heat with utility gas, 15% with electricity, 25% with bottled or tank gas, 2% with fuel oil and 2% with wood.

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

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

St. James is in Watonwan County, so the county ratings below apply to it. Watonwan County scores 54.8 of 100 for hail in FEMA's National Risk Index, which ranks 65th of 87 Minnesota counties. Watonwan County scores 55.9 of 100 for strong wind in FEMA's National Risk Index, which ranks 45th of 87 Minnesota counties. Watonwan County scores 76.1 of 100 for winter weather in FEMA's National Risk Index, which ranks 31st of 87 Minnesota counties. Of the perils listed here, the highest score in Watonwan County is for tornado, at 90.6 of 100.

Watonwan County averages 34.1 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The average annual temperature in Watonwan County is 45.9°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 La Salle (6.6 miles), Butterfield (8.5 miles), Ormsby (9.9 miles), Odin (9.9 miles), Lewisville (10 miles), Madelia (11 miles), Darfur (12 miles) and Hanska (13 miles). The other Watonwan County communities we serve are Butterfield, Darfur, La Salle, Lewisville, Madelia, Odin and Ormsby.

• La Salle 6.6 mi
• Butterfield 8.5 mi
• Ormsby 9.9 mi
• Odin 9.9 mi
• Lewisville 10 mi
• Madelia 11 mi
• Darfur 12 mi
• Hanska 13 mi
• Truman 14 mi
• Mountain Lake 15 mi

Our Marshall office is at 408 E Main St Ste 3, Marshall, MN 56258, about 65 miles from St. James. Its hours are Monday–Friday 7:00 AM–7:00 PM. You can reach that office at (507) 606-2707.

• Marshall office: address, hours and map