CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Wadena

Minnesota · 4,143 residents · 5.53 sq mi

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Part of the Fergus Falls micropolitan area

The short version

Wadena is a city of 4,143 people in Minnesota. That trails the Minnesota median by roughly 45%. Median home value sits at $37,900. Median rent is $229 a month. The median household earns $16,955, about 44% below the national median. Getting to work takes 12 minutes on average.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 35.9

US median: 33.0

Less educated

15% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 6%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

4,143

−4%vs 2000

vs 4,294 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

35.9

−12%vs 2000

vs 40.8 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

5.53 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

20244K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 57.5%(312)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97%(291)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147.8%(322)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 196.5%(269)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 245.8%(239)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.2%(588)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4411.8%(489)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 549%(372)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 648.8%(365)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 7411%(455)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 848.6%(358)

US avg: 4%

85 and over2%(83)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$16,955

−17%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $26,947 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$9,407

−39%vs 2000

vs $15,452 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

20.0%

+4.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 15.6% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$37,900

−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $53,200 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$229

−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $326 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

64.1%

+0.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 63.8% in 2000

35.9% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic97.5%(4,187)

Black0.8%(36)

Hispanic / Latino0.6%(26)

Asian0.2%(8)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic99.9%(4,139)

Black0%(0)

Hispanic / Latino0.2%(9)

Asian0.1%(4)

Other0%(0)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican4.3%(192)

Ancestry

German36.5%(1,612)

Norwegian12.6%(556)

Finnish8.5%(376)

Irish6.5%(286)

English5.2%(230)

Swedish5.1%(226)

French Canadian3.8%(170)

American3.7%(163)

Polish2.5%(112)

French1.9%(84)

Danish1.5%(65)

Czech1.4%(61)

+ 7 more ancestry groups with data

Welsh1%(42)

Italian0.8%(36)

Scottish0.8%(34)

Dutch0.7%(29)

Belgian0.6%(26)

Scotch-Irish0.6%(25)

Brazilian0.4%(18)

RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Norwegian population · Largest Finnish population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

15.1%

−0.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 16.0% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

72.6%

−5.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 78.5% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

3.2%

−4.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 7.5% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

12.3 min

+10%vs 2000

vs 11.2 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married30%(497)

Married43.4%(719)

Widowed4.5%(74)

Divorced22.2%(368)

Women 15+

Never married31.5%(559)

Married42%(744)

Widowed10.8%(191)

Divorced15.7%(279)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

7.5%

−3.6 ptssince 2013

from 11.1% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

27.5%

−12.5 ptssince 2020

from 40.0% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

10.3%

−11.4 ptssince 2020

from 21.7% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

20.8%

−3.3 ptssince 2020

from 24.1% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

39.6%

+2.1 ptssince 2020

from 37.5% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

4.4%

+1.5 ptssince 2020

from 2.9% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

48.2%

−12.8 ptssince 2020

from 61.0% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

55.4%

+1.2 ptssince 2020

from 54.2% in 2020

US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024

Gulf War (2001 or later)0%(0)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)5.5%(14)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era40.3%(102)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War0%(0)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 253 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

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