Facts from public sources, not quotes. Where these numbers come from
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Everything on this page is an estimate from a published guide or a company's posted prices, not a quote. ProMatcher puts a Minneapolis driveway and sidewalk plow visit at about $44.76 on average, and Twin Cities Snow Plowing lists seasonal residential contracts from $600 to $1,400 depending on the lot.
| Service | Estimated range | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Driveway + sidewalk plow, per visit | $44.76 average ($39.78–$49.73) | ProMatcher, Minneapolis |
| Snow blowing | $87.50 an hour; $121.25 a visit | ProMatcher, Minneapolis |
| Per visit: plow / walks only | $45–$100 / $25–$60 | Twin Cities Snow Plowing |
| Seasonal residential | $600–$750 suburban; $700–$950 city lot; $1,100–$1,400 corner | Twin Cities Snow Plowing |
| Per visit / season | $35–$75 / $400–$800 | Triple Landscaping |
| Roof snow removal | $300–$800 | Twin Cities Snow Plowing |
| Ice dam removal | About $1,200 typical; $400–$700 per eave; $1,800–$2,800 large home; from $450 (Salva) | Twin Cities Snow Plowing; Salva |
| Commercial lot | $200–$300 an hour | ProMatcher, 2026 Minneapolis report |
| National ranges | Plowing $30–$70 a visit; commercial $50–$150 an hour | HomeGuide, national |
Estimates only, from ProMatcher, Twin Cities Snow Plowing, Triple Landscaping, Salva and HomeGuide. A local crew quotes your property for free.
Your price depends on the size of the area, the equipment it takes, how fast you need it done and whether salting is included. In the Twin Cities, two local factors matter: snow emergencies mean return trips to clear driveway aprons after the city plows, and deep cold means salting plans need melts that work below 15°F.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Area and layout | Long driveways, wide lots, tight cul-de-sacs and lots of sidewalk take more time and more machine. |
| Trigger depth | A lower trigger means more visits in a season. |
| Timing | Lots that must be open before the first shift or first customer need crews overnight. |
| Salting | Material, number of applications and whether walks get treated as well as lots. |
| Snow piles | Where snow can go on site. Keep it out of the street and off the sidewalk, and big lots sometimes need piles moved or hauled. |
| Contract type | Seasonal, per visit or per hour. Seasonal prices spread the cost and lock in your spot. |
| The winter | The Minneapolis–St. Paul airport averages 51.2 inches (NOAA), but seasons vary. Per-visit costs rise in a heavy winter. |
You can see what the gear costs in the Ice Fighter shop, from shovels and ice melt to snow blowers and truck salt spreaders. For a driveway, a blower can pay off over a few winters. For HOA drives and commercial lots, the machines, insurance, crews and overnight hours are why contracts exist.
Every fact in the ticker and on our pages comes from one of these public sources. Figures are typical or historical, not promises about your property or the next winter.
| Fact shown | Source | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis–St. Paul airport averages 51.2 inches of snow a season (1991–2020 normals) | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport (USW00014922) |
| December is the snowiest month at 11.4 inches; January averages 11.0 and February 9.5 | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport (USW00014922) |
| About 14.6 days a year bring 1 inch of snow or more at the airport | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport (USW00014922) |
| Normal January high 23.6°F and low 8.8°F at the Minneapolis–St. Paul airport | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport (USW00014922) |
| On average, the Twin Cities sees its first measurable snowfall November 4 | NWS Twin Cities | National Weather Service Twin Cities, "Late Snow Season Start" |
| Rock salt works down to about 15°F; below −6°F it doesn’t work at all | MN LTAP | University of Minnesota MN LTAP, Smart Winter Salt, "Deicing Use" |
| Homes and duplexes: clear sidewalks within 24 hours after it stops snowing; other properties within 4 daytime hours | Minneapolis | City of Minneapolis, "Sidewalk snow clearing" |
| Snow emergency Day 1 starts at 9 p.m.: no parking on either side of snow emergency routes | Minneapolis | City of Minneapolis, "Snow emergency parking rules" |
| Impound: $222 standard tow plus $18 a day storage | Minneapolis | City of Minneapolis, "Impound Lot" fees |
| Clear sidewalks within 24 hours after a winter weather event, full width | St. Paul | City of Saint Paul, "Sidewalk Snow Shoveling" |
| Snow emergency ticket $56; towing and impound $246 | St. Paul | City of Saint Paul, "Ticketing and Towing" |
| Commercial sidewalks: within 4 business hours after snow stops | St. Louis Park | City of St. Louis Park, "Snow Plowing and Removal" |
| Sidewalks cleared within 12 hours after the snow has stopped falling | Maple Grove | City of Maple Grove, "Snowplowing" |
| Minneapolis driveway and sidewalk visit: about $44.76 on average | ProMatcher | ProMatcher, "Minneapolis Snow Removal Costs & Prices" |
| Snow and ice customers are retained 93% of the time year over year | SIMA | Turf Magazine, "SIMA Industry Impact Report: Average snow and ice revenue" |
| Estimate: Minneapolis driveway and sidewalk plow visit $44.76 average ($39.78–$49.73); snow blowing $87.50 an hour or $121.25 a visit | ProMatcher | ProMatcher, "Minneapolis Snow Removal Costs & Prices" |
| A 2026 Minneapolis contractor report: commercial lot $200–$300 an hour | ProMatcher | ProMatcher, "Minneapolis Snow Removal Costs & Prices" |
| Seasonal residential: $600–$750 suburban, $700–$950 city lot, $1,100–$1,400 corner; per visit $45–$100, walks only $25–$60 | Twin Cities Snow Plowing | Twin Cities Snow Plowing, "Pricing" |
| Roof snow removal $300–$800; ice dam typical job about $1,200 ($400–$700 per eave; $1,800–$2,800 large home) | Twin Cities Snow Plowing | Twin Cities Snow Plowing, "Pricing" |
| Per visit $35–$75; season $400–$800 | Triple Landscaping | Triple Landscaping, "Snow Removal" |
| Ice dam service from $450 | Salva | Salva, "Ice Dams" |
| National estimates: plowing $30–$70 a visit; roof raking $200–$500; ice dam $200–$2,400; commercial $50–$150 an hour | HomeGuide | HomeGuide, "Snow Removal Cost" (national) |
| Average monthly snow, Minneapolis–St. Paul airport: Oct. 0.8 in, Nov. 6.8, Dec. 11.4, Jan. 11.0, Feb. 9.5, Mar. 8.2, Apr. 3.5 | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport (USW00014922) |
| About 56 freeze-thaw days a winter, November through March (our count) | NOAA | NOAA NCEI, GHCN-Daily, Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport (USW00014922), our count |
| Calcium chloride: lowest practical melting temperature about −20°F | MN LTAP | University of Minnesota MN LTAP, Smart Winter Salt, "Deicing Use" |
| Sidewalk bill if the city clears it: $99.20 (40-foot lot), $229 (corner lot) | Minneapolis | City of Minneapolis, sidewalk snow clearing flyer (PDF) |
| Night Plow Routes from 9 p.m.; Day Plow Routes from 8 a.m. the next day; alerts in five languages | St. Paul | City of Saint Paul, "Snow Emergencies" |
| Residential sidewalks: 6 daylight hours or noon the next day; snow emergency at 3 inches or more | St. Louis Park | City of St. Louis Park, "Snow Plowing and Removal" |
| Owners have 48 hours to clear sidewalks (City Code Sec. 820) | Plymouth | City of Plymouth, "Sidewalks and Trails" (snow removal) |
| City clears eligible sidewalks within 2 days; other sidewalks are the adjacent owner’s (Sec. 24-91) | Edina | City of Edina, "Sidewalk Maintenance Policy" |
| 511: road conditions, closures and cameras | MnDOT | MnDOT 511 road conditions |
| Forecasts, watches and warnings for the Twin Cities | NWS Twin Cities | National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen, forecast office home page |
| Minneapolis–St. Paul metro population estimate, July 1, 2024: 3,757,952 | Census | U.S. Census Bureau, metro area population estimates, Vintage 2024 |
| Metro landscaping services (NAICS 561730), 2023: 1,605 establishments, 9,993 employees | Census | U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023, NAICS 561730 (Minneapolis–St. Paul metro) |
| 88,200 U.S. snow and ice businesses; more than half are lawn and landscape companies | SIMA | Turf Magazine, "SIMA Industry Impact Report: Average snow and ice revenue" |
| The average operator earns 37% of revenue from snow; about 4 in 5 businesses are sole proprietors | SIMA | Turf Magazine, "SIMA Industry Impact Report: Average snow and ice revenue" |
Sources checked October 9, 2026. Snow normals are for the NOAA Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport station (USW00014922). Cost figures are estimates from published guides or posted company prices, not quotes.
