Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 15,770, organized in 1896.
Bemidji grades D overall, better than 13% of U.S. towns, mostly because of safety and incomes. It reports more crime per resident than 97% of U.S. towns, including 115 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. The median household income is $55K, and 21% of residents live below the poverty line. One bright spot: it is more walkable than 87% of U.S. towns. 55% of working residents work locally in Bemidji, against 9.7% in Minnesota’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Only 23 of Minnesota’s 572 towns score higher on civic life. Bemidji is home to Bemidji State University.
Where Bemidji beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
2 colleges in town.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Bemidji is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 2,183 in 1900, 14,574 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1908 and 3 maps from 1968 on.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bemidji, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Bemidji.
Bemidji draws workers from Northern Township and beyond and is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it reports violent crime at 3 times the Minnesota rate.
Violent crime runs at 7.3 per 1,000 residents, 3 times the Minnesota rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its D−. Property crime runs at 45 per 1,000 residents, 3 times the Minnesota rate, most of it theft.
The violent crime rate in Bemidji is 7.3 per 1,000 residents. Among 167 Minnesota towns, just 1 have a higher property crime rate than Bemidji. Bemidji reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 97% report less.
| Bemidji | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.3 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 45 per 1,000 residents | 8.6 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by the Bemidji Public School District. Three of its 21 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bemidji MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 967 | C+ |
| Bemidji Senior HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,537 | A− |
| Lincoln ElementaryTop results in townGrades PK–3 | Grades PK–3 | 320 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
18 miles of trail in 16 parks and preserves. Bemidji’s trail density is 0.8 miles per square mile. Bemidji City Park, at 102 acres with 2.2 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
| Bemidji | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.8 miles per square mile | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.8% | 4.6% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bemidji City Park | 2.2 mi | 102 |
| 2. Brinkman Park | 0.4 mi | 53 |
| 3. North Country Park | 0.4 mi | 18 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
14,295 jobs are based in Bemidji, 2.3 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
5.9% of Bemidji workers work from home. Since 2013, Bemidji has added 1,889 jobs, to 14,295 in 2023. The top destinations are Cass Lake (3%), Red Lake (2%) and Northern Township (2%).
| Bemidji | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 5.9% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $91,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Home values rose 31% in five years, to about $217K, against 14% across Minnesota.
43% of households own their home in Bemidji. The typical Bemidji home is worth about $217,000, up 4% in a year, 38% below the Minnesota typical home.
| Bemidji | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 43% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,067 a month | $1,199 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
21.3% of residents live below the poverty line, against 9.3% across Minnesota, which weighs on its C− for jobs and income. Only 43.1% of households own their home, against 72.2% across Minnesota.
Adults 18 to 34 are 36% of residents (22% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 27% of residents (38% statewide). Only 4 of the 273 Minnesota towns we compare have a lower median age than Bemidji. Bemidji has grown 2.3% since 2020, to 15,770 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
| Bemidji | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30 years | 39.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 20% | 23% | 22% |
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±1.6 points. Across Minnesota, 49.9% of residents are women. Median age: women 33.4, men 27.3.
| Bemidji | MN | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.6% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.9% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 24.1% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.2% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.3% | 13.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 6.2% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 8.6% | 12.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.2% | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.9% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.8% | 6.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 26.8% | 23.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.3% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.7% | 11.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.7% | 25.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 14.7% | 13.8% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
January nights average -2.6°, colder than in 98% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 78.7°.
Bemidji has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Only 9 of the 274 Minnesota towns we compare have a lower January low than Bemidji. About 49 inches of snow falls in a winter.
| Bemidji | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | -3°F | 6°F | 22°F |
| July high | 79°F | 82°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 59% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Against the 7,543 U.S. towns with household incomes like Bemidji’s, it is healthier than 83%, so its B− isn’t only a matter of income. Within Minnesota it is less healthy than 83% of the 271 graded towns: Minnesota sets a high bar.
Bemidji beats the Minnesota average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 15. Among 271 Minnesota towns, just 1 have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Bemidji.
| Bemidji | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 75% | 79% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 25% | 23% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 11% | 14% |
| What stands out | Bemidji | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.6% | 8.5% |
| Fewer adults with high cholesterol | 30.2% | 33.4% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 10.8% | 7.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
4 within 15 miles of the center of Bemidji
College town 15 of every 100 Bemidji residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
Where Bemidji’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
6 places in Bemidji on the National Register of Historic Places.
29 notable people were born in Bemidji.
City in Minnesota, United States
Bemidji ( bə-MIJ-ee) is a city in and the county seat of Beltrami County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,574 as of the 2020 census, and was estimated at 15,770 in 2025, making it the largest commercial center between Grand Forks, North Dakota and Duluth. As a central city for three Indian reservations, Bemidji is the site of many Native American services, including the Indian Health Service. Near Bemidji are the Red Lake Indian Reservation, White Earth Indian Reservation, and the Leech Lake Indian Reservation. Bemidji lies on the southwest shore of Lake Bemidji, the northernmost lake feeding the Mississippi River; it is nicknamed "The First City on the Mississippi". Bemidji…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
6 towns share a border with Bemidji.
| Town | MN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bemidji | #270 | D | C+ | D− | B− | B− |
| Bemidji Township | #229 | B− | B− | — | B− | B |
| Northern Township | #248 | C+ | C | — | B− | B |
| Eckles Township | — | — | B− | — | B− | B |
| Grant Valley Township | — | — | C+ | — | B− | B |
| Frohn Township | — | — | C+ | — | B− | B |
| Turtle River Township | — | — | C | — | B− | B |
Eckles Township, Grant Valley Township, Frohn Township and Turtle River Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Bemidji Township, Northern Township, Eckles Township, Grant Valley Township, Frohn Township and Turtle River Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Bemidji with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Bemidji grades D overall, better than 13% of U.S. towns. It grades B− for health, D− for safety and B− for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D−.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
29 notable people were born here, including Jane Russell and Scott Baird.
