FireDeptAldenMN, 2023
Alden’s story
160 years in pictures
Census counts: 235 in 1880, 583 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1955 on.
- 1866Alden is settled
AldenMN
A town of 575, settled in 1866.
Population
575
2025 Census estimate · −1.4% since 2020
Typical home
$158K
+8.5% in a year
Household income
$73K
median
Median age
50.5
years
Jobs based here
184
A commuter town
Is Alden a good place to live?
Among 232 Minnesota towns, just 4 have a lower typical home value than Alden. Alden has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
575 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Carlston TownshipAlden TownshipAlden
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Alden: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Alden, and how to reach them.
PowerFreeborn Mower Electric Cooperative15.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterAlden water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Alden’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereFreeborn County Government CenterFreeborn County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code5600956009 100%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 Alden.
Housing
A typical Alden home is worth about $158K
The typical Alden home is worth about $158,000, up 8.5% in a year, 55% below the Minnesota typical home. 83% of Alden households own their home, against 75% in Minnesota’s towns and 73% across U.S. towns.
$158KZillow home value
| Alden | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 83% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,042 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Alden$158K
Minnesota$349K
+8.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Alden’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Alden-Conger Public School District. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alden-Conger ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 229 | B− |
| Alden-Conger SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 215 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
About two in five of Alden’s working residents commute to Albert Lea
Most working residents leave Alden for work: only 4% work in town. At 20 minutes, Alden’s average trip to work is where Minnesota’s towns sit at 23 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Jobs based in Alden grew to 184 in 2023, 30 more than in 2013.
4%work in town
| Alden | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.5% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 4% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $73,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Alden4%
Albert Lea41%
Rochester6%
Lake Mills4%
St. Paul3%
13 mi
median commute distance
184
jobs based in Alden
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Alden
Alden has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Alden’s July high is 81°F.
40″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–26°
Spring35–55°
Summer59–79°
Fall37–58°
Oct 6
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Alden
No violent or property crimes were reported in Alden in 2025. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Alden is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
0
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Health
How healthy Alden is
Alden beats the Minnesota average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 29% of Alden adults feel lonely.
| Alden | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 30% | 36% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 23% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better27 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Alden | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.4% | 76.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13% | 8.9% |
Mayo Clinic Health System - Albert Lea and Austin
9.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Alden
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 60% of U.S. communities.
40risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Alden
19pages on Alden
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Alden; the nearest are
Waldorf UniversityUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Forest City, IA28.2 mi$25,978 tuitionRiverland Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Austin28.7 mi$6,298 in-state tuitionMinnesota State University-MankatoUniversity or college · Public · Mankato39.4 mi$9,572 in-state tuition
About 7 of every 100 Alden residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Minnesota.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Alden for work
Where Alden’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
184jobs based in Alden
4%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Alden
City in Minnesota, United States
Alden ( AWL-din) is a city in Freeborn County, Minnesota, United States. As of the 2020 census, Alden had a population of 583.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,270 ft
- ZIP code
- 56009
- Area code
- 507
Questions about Alden
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Alden, MN a good place to live?
Alden has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.