Hotel Atwater · National Register of Historic Places
Atwater’s story
156 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1913.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1870Atwater is settled
AtwaterMN
A town of 1,090, settled in 1870.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0
Population
1,090
2025 Census estimate · −2.9% since 2020
Typical home
$284K
+2.7% in a year
Household income
$71K
median
Median age
33.1
years
Jobs based here
249
A commuter town
Is Atwater a good place to live?
Atwater’s best subject grades are an A+ for cost of living, an A for civic life, and an A− for the outdoors. Only 23 of Minnesota’s 573 towns score higher on cost of living. Atwater’s January low is 4°F, close to Minnesota’s towns (6°F) and below U.S. towns (22°F). Atwater’s trail density is 2.1 miles per square mile, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 0.5 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Only 37 of Minnesota’s 572 towns score higher on civic life. Hotel Atwater is on the National Register of Historic Places. Atwater has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Atwater stand out
Where Atwater beats most towns.
Typical home value
Atwater$284K
Minnesota$349K
Cost of livingA+
3.7 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 96% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Atwater6
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical MN town4.2
Civic lifeA
44% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Minnesota town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Small town
1,090 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Gennessee TownshipAtwater
How Atwater grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Atwater is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →HealthMeeker Memorial Hospital 12.2 miles awayB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 33% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →SchoolsC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.7 of 20; 0.9% of households have no car; 1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →Jobs & incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trailsA−Open →History1 place on the National Register; 3 notable people born hereBOpen →Civic life6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 33.1; 18% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Atwater: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Atwater, and how to reach them.
WaterAtwaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet11 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Atwater’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 hereKandiyohi County Office BldgKandiyohi County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2022
ZIP code5620956209 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 Atwater.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Atwater has 0.5 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Atwater for work: only 4% work in town. Since 2013, Atwater has added 81 jobs, to 249 in 2023. The median household income in Atwater is $71,000.
4%work in town
| Atwater | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 5.5% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.5% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Atwater4%
Willmar33%
Litchfield6%
Gennessee Township3%
Grove City2%
13 mi
median commute distance
249
jobs based in Atwater
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 45% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsC+
On state tests, Atwater’s schools trail 62% of Minnesota districts
Its public schools are run by the A.C.G.C. Public School District. Its one school is below.
38%of MN districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| A.C.G.C. ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 369 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
HealthB+
Residents of Atwater are healthier than 70% of U.S. towns
Atwater tracks Minnesota closely on all 32 CDC measures. 19% of Atwater adults binge drink.
70%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Atwater | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 30% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 31% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Meeker Memorial Hospital
12.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Atwater
Atwater has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Atwater’s July high is 81°F.
46″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter7–24°
Spring33–54°
Summer58–79°
Fall36–56°
Oct 7
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Atwater
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 67% of U.S. communities.
33risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesStrong wind
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A+
Atwater’s typical home value is about $284K
The typical Atwater home is worth about $284,000, up 2.7% in a year, 19% below the Minnesota typical home. 80% of households own their home in Atwater.
$284KZillow home value
| Atwater | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $768 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 80% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Atwater$284K
Minnesota$349K
+2.7%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Safety
Crime reported in Atwater
Atwater's reported crime rate is well below Minnesota's. Most reported incidents are property crimes. No violent crimes were reported in 2025.
| Atwater | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.9 per 1,000 residents | 8.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Atwater0
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Atwater0.9
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
1
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 694 acres
2.3 mi
of trails · 2.1 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Atwater
19pages on Atwater
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 62% of MN districts · 1 schoolSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB+Better than MN on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA+$284K typical home · up 2.7% in a yearWork & commuteB−$71K median household income · 249 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 33% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Atwater
About 1 of every 100 Atwater residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Atwater for work
Where Atwater’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
249jobs based in Atwater
4%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Atwater
3 notable people were born in Atwater.
About Atwater
City in Minnesota, United States
Atwater ( AT-wah-tər) is a city in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,124 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,220 ft
- ZIP code
- 56209
- Area code
- 320
Questions about Atwater
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Atwater, MN expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.
What is Atwater, MN known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Elmer Feig and Mary Gibbs.