Wadena County, Minnesota
Among the top 12% of US counties for safety & wellbeing.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 37% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 36% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A, better than 88% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 40% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 75% of US counties
- top 2% for park & nature access
- top 15% for natural disaster risk
- bottom 6% for income tax
Wadena County is a county in Minnesota with about 14,000 residents. It grades A for safety & wellbeing and C for weather. Standout strengths include park & nature access, natural disaster risk, and cost of living. It rates lower on estimated total tax burden and income tax.
Official websiteco.wadena.mn.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cold
comf.
warm
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cold
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74%53%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.9 in0.7 in
humid 17%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$55k32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$42kbetter than 84% of US counties
Home Value$163k52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$694better than 81% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 57% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.05%better than 36% of US counties
Income Tax9.90%better than 6% of US counties
Sales Tax8.04%better than 38% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden15.68%better than 7% of US counties
Unemployment6.1%better than 26% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)9°F1st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation27.5 in22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall49.5 inbetter than 12% of US counties
Sunny Days233 daysbetter than 46% of US counties
Summer Humidity59°Fbetter than 80% of US counties
Comfortable Days78 daysbetter than 46% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk12.9better than 85% of US counties
School Quality70.5better than 75% of US counties
Violent Crime519/100kbetter than 69% of US counties
Property Crime571/100kbetter than 68% of US counties
Community
Population14,10831st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.036th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1526th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9836th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+4660th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)91.6%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.5%23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.2%20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.5%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.1%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 71% of US counties
Walkability5.7/20better than 38% of US counties
Airport Distance144 mibetter than 28% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.4%better than 44% of US counties
Amenities Nearby2.84better than 54% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 98% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Wadena County an affordable place to live?
- Wadena County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $42k, better than 84% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Wadena County?
- The median home value in Wadena County is $163k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Wadena County?
- Median household income in Wadena County is $55k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Wadena County?
- Median gross rent in Wadena County is $694 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Wadena County safe?
- Wadena County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 519/100k (better than 69%). Property crime is 571/100k.
- What is the weather like in Wadena County?
- Wadena County averages 69°F in July and 9°F in January, with 27.5 in of annual precipitation and about 233 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Wadena County?
- Public-school quality in Wadena County is above average, scoring better than 75% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Wadena County?
- The average one-way commute in Wadena County is 21 min.
Other counties in Minnesota
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Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)