Big Louis, 2017
Barnum’s story
154 years in pictures
Census counts: 49 in 1880, a low of 49 in 1880, 620 in 2020. The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 2017 and 2 maps from 1953 on.
- 1872Barnum is settled
BarnumMN
Population
605
2025 Census estimate · −2.4% since 2020
Typical home
$297K
+5.3% in a year
Household income
$43K
median
Median age
48.9
years
Jobs based here
263
Balanced
Is Barnum a good place to live?
19% of residents live below the poverty line in Barnum, above both the Minnesota town median (7%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 1 of the 274 Minnesota towns we compare have a lower median household income than Barnum. The biggest park or preserve is Robert Johnson Memorial Park, at 20 acres. Barnum has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Barnum stand out
Where Barnum beats most towns.
Small town
605 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Barnum TownshipSkelton TownshipBarnum
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Barnum: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Barnum, and how to reach them.
PowerMinnesota Power15.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBarnum water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Barnum’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 hereCarlton County AuditorCarlton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2024
ZIP code5570755707 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 Barnum.
Schools
The schools Barnum’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Barnum Public School District. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Barnum Secondary, with 312 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnum ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 348 | A− |
| Barnum SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 312 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Barnum
Barnum has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Barnum’s July high is 79°F, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 82°F and U.S. towns at 85°F.
64″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter4–23°
Spring28–51°
Summer53–77°
Fall34–53°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 12
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Barnum has 0.9 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Barnum for work: only 4% work in town. The top destinations are Cloquet (19%), Moose Lake (14%) and Duluth (12%).
4%work in town
| Barnum | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 4% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Work from home | 11% | 14% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Barnum4%
Cloquet19%
Moose Lake14%
Duluth12%
Carlton3%
19 mi
median commute distance
263
jobs based in Barnum
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
Homes in Barnum are worth about $297K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Barnum home is worth about $297,000, up 5.3% in a year, 15% below the Minnesota typical home. 55% of Barnum households own their home.
$297KZillow home value
| Barnum | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 55% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $885 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Barnum$297K
Minnesota$349K
+5.3%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Health
A larger share of adults in Barnum have been diagnosed with depression than in the typical Minnesota or U.S. town
28% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Barnum. Barnum beats the Minnesota average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 38% of adults have obesity in Barnum.
| Barnum | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 25% | 23% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 73% | 75% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 30% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Barnum | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults screened for colon cancer | 64.3% | 68.7% |
Essentia Health Moose Lake
5.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Cold waves leads a moderate hazard risk in Barnum
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 53% of U.S. communities.
47risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 645 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Robert Johnson Memorial Park | — | 20 |
| 2. Barnum City Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Barnum
18pages on Barnum
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Barnum; the nearest are
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Cloquet17 mi$6,006 in-state tuitionLake Superior CollegeCommunity college · Public · Duluth32.2 mi$5,785 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Barnum residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Minnesota.
About Barnum
City in Minnesota, United States
Barnum is a city in Carlton County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 620 at the 2020 census. Interstate Highway 35, Carlton County Road 6 (Main Street), and Carlton County Road 61 (Front Street) are three of the main routes in Barnum.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,106 ft
- ZIP code
- 55707
- Area code
- 218
Questions about Barnum
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Barnum, MN a good place to live?
Barnum has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.