Wadena County, Minnesota
Located in Minnesota, Wadena County has a population of 14,256 residents and a median age of 40.0 years, making it the #2,207 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.5%. The median home value is $173,000, and the median household income is $61,467, which is 18% below the national median.
Demographics
Wadena County has a population of 14,256, making it the #2,207 most populous county in the US. The median age is 40.0 years, which is 2.8% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Wadena County is $61,467, ranking #1,935 out of 3,222 counties — 18.2% below the national median. The poverty rate is 12.5% and unemployment stands at 5.4%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Wadena County is $173,000 (-38.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $746/mo and the homeownership rate is 73.6%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Wadena County, 19.8% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 41.2% below the national average, ranking #2,029 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Wadena County is 77.1 years. 17.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
18.8% of adults in Wadena County smoke , 42.9% are obese , and 23.5% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 16.2 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 17.5 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
15.3% of children in Wadena County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 17.3 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Wadena County is 76.7%. The mean commute time is 22.9 min, which is 16.9% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Wadena County voted Republican with a margin of 51.4%. The vote was 23.7% Dem / 75.1% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 5.9 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Wadena County, Minnesota
Wadena County, Minnesota has a total population of 14,256, making it the 2,207th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Wadena County is 40.0 years, which is 2.8% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Wadena County is $61,467, which ranks #1,935 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 18.2% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.5%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.4%.
The median home value in Wadena County is $173,000, 38.6% below the national median. Renters in Wadena County pay a median gross rent of $746 per month. The homeownership rate is 73.6%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Wadena County, 19.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 41.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.5% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 22.9 min.
Wadena County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 86.1% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (9.1%) and Hispanic or Latino (2.4%).
All data for Wadena County, Minnesota comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.