Wadena County, Minnesota Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Wadena County, Minnesota, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Wadena County, Minnesota. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Wadena County, Minnesota. The estimated population of Wadena County, Minnesota is 14,009 people, with a median age of 40.7.

We can look at the total population in Wadena County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
14,009
+2.4%
+2.81%
2020
13,681
+0.2%
-
2019
13,654
+0.06%
-
2018
13,646
+0.15%
-
2017
13,626
 - -

Population of Wadena County, Minnesota by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
92.2%
94.7%
 -2.64%
Black/African American
0.9%
1.1%
 -18.18%
Native
0.5%
0.7%
 -28.57%
Hispanic
2.1%
1.8%
 +16.67%
Asian
0.4%
0.4%
 0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
3.8%
1.2%
 +216.67%
Other
0%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Wadena County, Minnesota by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 40.7 -1.45% 39.1 -2.74% 41.4 -1.19%
2020 41.3 -0.48% 40.2 -0.74% 41.9 -0.71%
2019 41.5 0% 40.5 +1.25% 42.2 -1.17%
2018 41.5 -0.48% 40 -0.5% 42.7 -1.61%
2017 41.7 - 40.2 - 43.4 -

The median age of Wadena County, Minnesota gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 969 +6.16% 828 +9.34% 1,027 907
10 to 19 885 +12.06% 974 +13.22% 990 1,100
20 to 29 753 -5.56% 688 +4.08% 711 715
30 to 39 757 +8.34% 729 -11.64% 820 646
40 to 49 698 +6.31% 659 +18.57% 741 788
50 to 59 986 -17.98% 911 -13.33% 820 795
60 to 69 821 +24.01% 758 +25.82% 1,035 973
70+ 888 -3.48% 1,322 -19.34% 857 1,084

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Wadena County, Minnesota is $50,100.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Wadena County.

  • Under 25
    $41,540.00
  • 25 to 44
    $61,295.00
  • 45 to 64
    $61,065.00
  • 65 and over
    $36,397.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Wadena County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Wadena County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Wadena County, Minnesota is currently $64,517.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

2.67% of households in Wadena County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Wadena County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    23.86%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    26.07%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    16.97%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    14.58%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    12.74%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3.12%
  • $200,000 or more
    2.67%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Wadena County is $26,332.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Wadena County by the total population of Wadena County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Wadena County, Minnesota, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Wadena County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    4.26%
  • Bachelor's degree
    23.01%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    14.40%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    55.39%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.93%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Wadena County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Wadena County over the age of 16 is 10,777.

Of those people, a total of 61.50% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Wadena County is 56.80%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 792 57.80% 1.70%
20 to 24 years 650 86.90% 16.60%
25 to 29 years 776 86.50% 1.30%
30 to 34 years 700 87.10% 5.40%
35 to 44 years 1,509 84.00% 4.10%
45 to 54 years 1,592 82.40% 11.10%
55 to 59 years 809 78.90% 3.90%
60 to 64 years 1,093 55.40% 11.90%
65 to 74 years 1,529 28.10% 7.20%
75 years and over 1,327 5.10% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Wadena County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 10,099 61.10% 7.50%
Black or African American 107 72.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 60 78.30% 12.80%
Asian 54 66.70% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 39 20.50% 0.00%
Two or more races 418 69.40% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 196 81.60% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 10,061 61.00% 7.60%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Wadena County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Wadena County is 6,116, with median earnings of $33,256.00.

Women in Wadena County, Minnesota earning approximately 73.40% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 6,116 $33,256.00
Male 3,026 $39,567.00
Female 3,090 $29,051.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 481 $52,868.00
Business and Financial 165 $51,083.00
Computer and Mathematical 56 $98,214.00
Architecture and Engineering 61 $83,403.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 29 $47,250.00
Community and Social Service 89 $55,964.00
Legal 5 $108,438.00
Educational and Library 311 $24,250.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 46 $19,091.00
Healthcare Practitioners 373 $46,802.00
Healthcare Support 461 $25,899.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 34 $31,324.00
Law Enforcement 29 $53,906.00
Food Preparation and Serving 278 $13,200.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 234 $20,294.00
Personal Care and Service 111 $20,375.00
Sales 578 $30,185.00
Office and Administrative Support 581 $31,210.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 244 $21,763.00
Construction and Extraction 407 $43,321.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 295 $54,464.00
Production 587 $33,953.00
Transportation and Material Moving 365 $51,875.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 310 $60,563.00 171 $40,605.00
Business and Financial 60 $67,813.00 105 $47,159.00
Computer and Mathematical 41 $167,560.00 15 $89,375.00
Architecture and Engineering 51 $84,097.00 10 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 11 $59,583.00 18 $46,000.00
Community and Social Service 14 $43,750.00 75 $56,179.00
Legal 0 $0.00 5 $108,438.00
Educational and Library 56 $8,750.00 255 $28,472.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 29 $19,659.00 17 $9,250.00
Healthcare Practitioners 42 $64,167.00 331 $46,550.00
Healthcare Support 39 $14,063.00 422 $26,311.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 34 $31,324.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 25 $54,531.00 4 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 63 $22,917.00 215 $13,150.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 94 $29,833.00 140 $14,773.00
Personal Care and Service 21 $2,499.00 90 $22,500.00
Sales 214 $44,167.00 364 $25,469.00
Office and Administrative Support 74 $49,375.00 507 $30,891.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 224 $21,892.00 20 $11,000.00
Construction and Extraction 382 $44,214.00 25 $38,580.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 295 $54,464.00 0 $0.00
Production 407 $36,023.00 180 $29,375.00
Transportation and Material Moving 338 $52,721.00 27 $14,417.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 5,582 households in Wadena County, with an average household size of 2.44 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 3,536 families in Wadena County with an average family size of 3.04 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 2,650 357 529 2,046
Average Household Size 3.22 3.1 2.89 1.21
Total Families 2,650 357 529 0
Average Household Size 3.2 2.34 2.7 0

Poverty

Of the 3,536 families in Wadena County, 9.10% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Wadena County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 6,930 housing units in Wadena County, Minnesota.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 5,582 80.55%
Vacant 1,348 19.45%

18.64% of the total 6,930 housing units in Wadena County are rental units. This is approximately 1,292 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 4,114 are occupied by the owner - or 59.37% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Wadena County is $654.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Wadena County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    176
  • Less than $500
    521
  • $500 to $999
    621
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    135
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    5
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    10
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Wadena County is $143,200.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Wadena County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    290
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    888
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    1,024
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    792
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    675
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    378
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    53
  • $1,000,000 or more
    14

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Wadena County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Wadena County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    1,223
  • 1940 to 1949
    288
  • 1950 to 1959
    679
  • 1960 to 1969
    749
  • 1970 to 1979
    1,196
  • 1980 to 1989
    684
  • 1990 to 1999
    872
  • 2000 to 2009
    819
  • 2010 to 2013
    385
  • 2014 or later
    35

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Wadena County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    514
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,414
  • 2 vehicles available
    1,816
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    1,838

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Wadena County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Wadena County that commute to work in a particular way.

21.7 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Wadena County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    219
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,084
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    1,084
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    726
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    669
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    216
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    600
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    106
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    156
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    304
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    147
  • 90 or more minutes
    140

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Wadena County, Minnesota in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Wadena County, Minnesota

We have data for 15 places in Wadena County, Minnesota. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.