Wahpeton watertower, 2022
Wahpeton’s story
Wahpeton in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2022.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →Population
333
2025 Census estimate · −3.5% since 2020
Typical home
$574K
+3.7% in a year
Household income
$108K
median
Median age
59.5
years
Jobs based here
55
A commuter town
Is Wahpeton a good place to live?
60% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Wahpeton, above both the Iowa town median (25%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). Of the 141 Iowa towns we compare, none has a higher median age than Wahpeton. 45% of the land in Wahpeton is conserved, where Iowa’s towns sit at 3.1% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. Wahpeton has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Iowa Lakeside Laboratory Historic District. Wahpeton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
333 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
West OkobojiWahpeton
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Wahpeton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Wahpeton, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWahpeton Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet9 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpTwice a month, FriCurbside recyclingTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDickinson County AuditorDickinson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes51351, 5136051351 85% · 51360 15%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Wahpeton.
Housing
The typical home in Wahpeton is valued at about $574K
The typical Wahpeton home is worth about $574,000, up 3.7% in a year, more than twice the Iowa typical home. 79% of Wahpeton households own their home.
$574KZillow home value
Typical home value
Wahpeton$574K
Iowa$237K
+3.7%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in March
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Outdoors
Wahpeton stands out in Iowa and nationally, with trail density higher than most
Wahpeton’s trail density is 2.0 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Gull Point State Park, 218 acres with 1.8 miles of trail. 2.4 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
45%conserved
45%
conserved · 350 of 778 acres
2.4 mi
of trails · 2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Gull Point State Park | 1.8 mi | 218 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commute
A smaller share of working residents in Wahpeton work locally than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
0.8% of working residents work locally in Wahpeton. The top destinations are Milford (16%), Spirit Lake (16%) and Spencer (10%). The median household income in Wahpeton is $108,000.
1%work in town
| Wahpeton | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 0.8% | 31% | 8% |
| Median household income | $108,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 5.7% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Wahpeton1%
Milford16%
Spirit Lake16%
Spencer10%
Estherville5%
15 mi
median commute distance
55
jobs based in Wahpeton
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Wahpeton
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 69% of U.S. communities.
69risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Wahpeton, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Wahpeton has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 7° and about 38 inches of snow falls in a winter.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–27°
Spring35–56°
Summer60–81°
Fall37–59°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 1
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Wahpeton is
Wahpeton beats the Iowa average on 17 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7. No town among the 141 in Iowa we compare has a lower share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Wahpeton.
| Wahpeton | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 32% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 20% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 84% | 78% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
17 better8 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Wahpeton | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 4.8% | 9.4% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 3.5% | 6.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 15.3% | 8.7% |
Lakes Regional Healthcare
4.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wahpeton
17pages on Wahpeton
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Wahpeton; the nearest are
Iowa Lakes Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Estherville17.2 mi$7,392 in-state tuitionMinnesota State University-MankatoUniversity or college · Public · Mankato, MN79.6 mi$9,572 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Wahpeton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Wahpeton for work
Where Wahpeton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
55jobs based in Wahpeton
1%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Wahpeton
City in Iowa, United States
Wahpeton is a city in Dickinson County, Iowa, United States. The population was 345 at the time of the 2020 census. Wahpeton is part of the Iowa Great Lakes region of northwestern Iowa, which is a regional vacation and recreation destination.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,398 ft
Questions about Wahpeton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Wahpeton, IA a good place to live?
Wahpeton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.