County-level Census Bureau data covering income, housing, demographics, education, employment, and more. Counties are the primary administrative division in the U.S. and the most common unit for comparing local conditions across a state.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Wadena County
- What is the median household income in Wadena County?
- The median household income in Wadena County is $56,882 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Wadena County?
- The poverty rate in Wadena County is 8.9% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Wadena County?
- $170,500 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Wadena County?
- The median gross rent in Wadena County is $706 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Wadena County residents have a college degree?
- 17.5% of adults in Wadena County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
14,135
Median Income
$56,882
Median Home Value
$170,500
Poverty Rate
8.9%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
5.8%
Median Age
40.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$10,277 (+22.1%)
Home Value:
+$38,500 (+29.2%)
Poverty Rate:
+0.5 pp (+6%)
Bachelor's+:
+3.7 pp (+26.8%)
Unemployment:
-0.2 pp (-3.3%)
Demographics
Total Population
14,135
Median Age
40.0
Female
50.1%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 2.3%
White (non-Hisp.) 90.7%
Black 0.7%
Asian 0.5%
Two or More 7.1%
Other 0.1%
Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Filipino
0.2%
Korean
0.1%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
1.7%
Puerto Rican
0.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$56,882
±$3,111
-$30,674 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$73,913
Median Family Income
$78,803
Poverty Rate
8.9%
+3.4 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
15.0%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
15.9%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
24.4%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
3.2%
$10–15k
4.6%
$15–25k
12.6%
$25–35k
8.5%
$35–50k
13.3%
$50–75k
19.0%
$75–100k
14.7%
$100–150k
16.4%
$150–200k
4.7%
$200k+
3.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
6,990
Owner-Occupied
72.5%
Renter-Occupied
27.5%
Vacancy Rate
15.8%
Median Home Value
$170,500
-$135,000 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$706
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
17.5%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
29.3%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
6.7%
$50–100k
14.8%
$100–200k
17.0%
$200–300k
22.5%
$300–500k
13.8%
$500k–$1M
3.4%
$1M+
0.3%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
31.5%
$500–1k
47.6%
$1–1.5k
18.3%
$1.5–2k
1.0%
$2.5–3.5k
1.6%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
8.9%
1 vehicle
26.0%
2 vehicles
30.6%
3+
34.4%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
74.5%
Single-fam. att.
1.4%
2–4 units
1.3%
5–19 units
2.5%
20+ units
6.6%
Mobile home
7.6%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
18.7%
1940–1969
5.1%
1970–1999
15.9%
2000–2009
11.6%
2010+
8.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
91.4%
Bachelor's or Higher
17.5%
-21.3 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
4.3%
Some College / Associate
22.3%
Less Than High School
3.1%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
64.5%
Unemployment Rate
5.8%
+1.9 pp vs. state
Work from Home
7.3%
Self-Employed
11.0%
Government Workers
13.0%
Private For-Profit
75.8%
Industry
Edu/Health
25.3%
Manufacturing
17.2%
Retail
11.2%
Construction
8.4%
Agriculture
7.2%
Transportation
5.3%
Wholesale
4.9%
Prof. Services
4.0%
Finance
3.7%
Arts/Entmt.
3.7%
Public Admin
2.7%
Information
0.8%
Occupation
Management
28.1%
Production
22.8%
Sales
18.0%
Food Prep
17.3%
Construction
13.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
21.7 min
Drove Alone
77.1%
Carpool
10.6%
Public Transit
0.3%
Work from Home
7.3%
Walked
2.5%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
5,889
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
46.6%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
16.9%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
6.5%
5–9
7.9%
10–14
6.8%
15–19
7.3%
20–24
4.5%
25–34
11.0%
35–44
10.9%
45–54
11.8%
55–64
5.8%
65–74
7.5%
75–84
11.3%
85+
4.8%
Under 18: 26.0%
Working age (18–64): 74.0%
65 and over: 20.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
1.8%
Naturalized Citizen
36.6%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
1.5%
Foreign-Born Origin
Africa
40.6%
Asia
23.6%
Latin America
19.3%
Europe
7.9%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
8.1%
With a Disability
15.5%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
94.3%
Uninsured
5.7%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
84.1%
Has a Computer
91.9%
Same House 1 Year Ago
89.6%
Moved from Abroad
0.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Compare Wadena County
Compare to another county →Where People Move From (IRS Migration Data)
Top origins of people who moved to Wadena County in 2023, by number of tax returns filed (IRS SOI Migration Data).
| Origin | Tax Returns | People (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Todd County | 65 | 124 |
| Otter Tail County | 64 | 118 |
| Other flows - Midwest | 52 | 88 |
| Hubbard County | 35 | 74 |
| Other flows - West | 23 | 51 |
| Becker County | 22 | 42 |
| Other flows - South | 20 | 44 |