Outhouse in Minnesota, 2015
Carlos’s story
145 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
- 1881Carlos is settled
CarlosMN
A town of 482, settled in 1881.
Population
482
2025 Census estimate · −3.2% since 2020
Median home value
$205K
Census ACS
Household income
$70K
median
Median age
32.3
years
Jobs based here
317
Balanced
Is Carlos a good place to live?
Only 4 of the 274 Minnesota towns we compare have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Carlos. Carlos has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
482 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Carlos: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Carlos, and how to reach them.
PowerOtter Tail Power11.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCarlos water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Carlos’ 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 hereDouglas County Auditor/TreasurerDouglas County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2026
ZIP code5631956319 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 Carlos.
Schools
The schools Carlos’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Alexandria Public School District. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 108 | A |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Low risk in Carlos, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Carlos, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Carlos has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Carlos’ July high is 80°F, below both Minnesota’s towns (82°F) and U.S. towns (85°F).
54″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter4–22°
Spring31–52°
Summer56–78°
Fall35–54°
Oct 8
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
About half of Carlos’ working residents commute to Alexandria
Most working residents leave Carlos for work: only 2% work in town. Carlos’ average trip to work is 20 minutes, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 23 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Since 2013, Carlos has added 56 jobs, to 317 in 2023.
2%work in town
| Carlos | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.5% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $70,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.8% | 7% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Carlos2%
Alexandria49%
Carlos Township3%
La Grand Township2%
Sauk Centre2%
9 mi
median commute distance
317
jobs based in Carlos
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
A smaller share of adults in Carlos have high blood pressure than in the typical Minnesota or U.S. town
25% of Carlos adults have high blood pressure. Carlos beats the Minnesota average on 8 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 7.6% of Carlos adults have diabetes.
| Carlos | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 31% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 75% | 79% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 7.6% | 10% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
8 better23 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Carlos | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.3% | 8.9% |
| Fewer adults with diabetes | 7.6% | 10.1% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 71.6% | 76.1% |
Alomere Health
8.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
$325Kmedian sale price
| Carlos | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 86% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $925 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
1
homes sold in April
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Carlos
17pages on Carlos
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Carlos
About 3 of every 100 Carlos residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
About Carlos
City in Minnesota, United States
Carlos is a city in Douglas County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 497 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,371 ft
- ZIP code
- 56319
- Area code
- 320
Questions about Carlos
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Carlos, MN a good place to live?
Carlos has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.