Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 156, settled in 1898.
23% of residents live below the poverty line in Bena, above both Minnesota’s towns (7%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 4 of the 274 Minnesota towns we compare have a lower middle household income than Bena. Winnibigoshish Lake Dam and Winnibigoshish Resort is on the National Register of Historic Places. Bena has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 179 in 1910, a peak of 331 in 1950, 143 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1980 and 2 maps from 1971 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bena, 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 Bena.
FEMA puts 44% of Bena’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 39% to cold waves. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 97% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
A winter brings about 48 inches of snow, with January nights at -2° and July afternoons at 79°.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Of the 272 Minnesota towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than Bena. Bena: 29% of adults smoke cigarettes. In addition, 46% of adults sleep under 7 hours locally, against 30% in Minnesota’s towns and 36% across U.S. towns.
| Bena | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 16% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 10% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 16% | 17% |
| What stands out | Bena | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 29.1% | 8.9% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 33% | 11.4% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 16.5% | 5.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The biggest park or preserve is Bowstring State Forest, at 329 acres. Bena has 2 parks and preserves, 331 acres in all.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bowstring State Forest | — | 329 |
| 2. Chippewa National Forest | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Bena; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Bena residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
City in Minnesota, United States
Bena ( BEE-nə) is a city in Cass County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 143 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Brainerd Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Bena has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.