Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 981, settled in 1878.
Tinnes-Baker House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Bird Island 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: 289 in 1880, a peak of 1,384 in 1960, 1,005 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 2 maps from 1957 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bird Island, 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 Bird Island.
Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 5.7% in value. Among households in Bird Island, 87% are owner-occupiers.
| Bird Island | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $617 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 87% | 75% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Mary's School PrivateLargest elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 143 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
In Bird Island, the average trip to work is 21 minutes. Most working residents leave Bird Island for work: only 12% work in town. Jobs here fell by 176 from 2013 to 2023, to 242. Half the trips to work are shorter than 19 miles.
| Bird Island | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $76,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 7% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Compared with 78% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Bird Island is lower. Federal aid has come to Bird Island households in 3 declared disasters; the latest was in 2019. Expected losses in Bird Island break down as 36% from inland flooding and 18% from cold waves.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
A winter brings about 38 inches of snow, with January nights at 5° and July afternoons at 82°.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Nearly a third of Bird Island adults feel lonely, against 30% in Minnesota’s towns and 33% across U.S. towns. CDC measures, 32 in all: Bird Island beats Minnesota on 3 and trails on 7. For adults here, the share who sleep under 7 hours is 28%.
| Bird Island | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 36% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 10% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 31% | 35% |
| What stands out | Bird Island | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 73.8% | 68.7% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.7% | 76.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 7.5% | 5.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0.6 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. In Bird Island, the trail network density is 0.4 miles per square mile, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 0.5 and U.S. towns at 0.4.
| Bird Island | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.3% | 4.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sunrise Park | — | 1 |
| 2. Lions Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Bird Island; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Bird Island residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
Where Bird Island’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Minnesota, United States
Bird Island is a town located on U.S. Route 212 in Renville County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,005 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Bird Island has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.