Wadena County, Minnesota Demographics 2026

Name: Wadena County, Minnesota Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Wadena County, Minnesota has a population of 14,256, the 58th most populous county in Minnesota. The median household income is $61,467 and the median home value is $173,000. The poverty rate is 12.5%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Wadena County Quick Facts

Population 14,256

Median Household Income $61,467

Median Home Value $173,000

Poverty Rate 12.5%

Unemployment Rate 5.5%

Median Age 40.0 years

Homeownership Rate 73.6%

Affordability Ratio 2.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 19.8%

High School Graduation 92.6%

Cities/Places 6

Population 14,256 58th of 87

Median Income $61,467 31% lower than state

Poverty Rate 12.5%

Unemployment 5.5%

How Wadena County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	14,135	14,256	+0.9%
Median household income	$56,882	$61,467	+8.1%
Median home value	$170,500	$173,000	+1.5%

Median Household Income

Wadena

$61,467

$89,062

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Wadena

$173,000

$329,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 18.4%

$25K-$50K 21.5%

$50K-$100K 31.9%

$100K+ 28.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.9%

$10K-$15K

4.5%

$15K-$20K

5.1%

$20K-$25K

3.8%

$25K-$30K

4.0%

$30K-$35K

4.4%

$35K-$40K

5.7%

$40K-$45K

3.5%

$45K-$50K

4.0%

$50K-$60K

9.2%

$60K-$75K

10.2%

$75K-$100K

12.6%

$100K-$125K

12.2%

$125K-$150K

6.6%

$150K-$200K

6.0%

$200K+

3.3%

Employment

5.5% Unemployment Rate State: 4.1%|National: 5.2%

62.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 73.6%

Renter 26.4%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $746/mo 14.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

26.1%

18-34

17.6%

35-54

23.3%

55-74

24.4%

75+

8.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 41 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Wadena County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Wadena	4,419	$56,080	17.7%	$160,800
Menahga	1,343	$58,036	10.1%	$155,500
Sebeka	725	$39,000	24.6%	$84,300
Verndale	452	$49,063	16.2%	$104,600
Nimrod	118	$117,500	2.6%	$78,600
Aldrich	37	$37,500	8.3%	$89,000

Explore Minnesota Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Wadena County is located in Minnesota with a total population of 14,256. It is the 58th most populous county out of 87 in Minnesota. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wadena County is 40.0 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 38.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Wadena County is $61,467. This is 31% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 24% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.5%. This is 34% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. The unemployment rate is 5.5%. This is 35% higher than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $173,000. Housing costs are 47% lower than the state median of $329,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Wadena County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 73.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% higher than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wadena County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 86.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.4%. The Black or African American population (1.7%) is well below the state average of 7.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.4%) is well below the state average of 6.4%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 5.1%.

Education

19.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 50% lower than the state rate of 39.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 92.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Wadena County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Minnesota and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Wadena County, Minnesota?

Wadena County has a population of 14,256, making it the 58th most populous county in Minnesota.

What is the median income in Wadena County?

The median household income in Wadena County is $61,467 with a poverty rate of 12.5%.

How many cities are in Wadena County, Minnesota?

Wadena County contains 6 Census-designated places.