Climax, Minnesota, 1899
Climax’s story
138 years in pictures
Census counts: 259 in 1900, 243 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1899 and 2 maps from 1964 on.
- 1888Climax is settled
ClimaxMN
A town of 240, settled in 1888.
Population
240
2025 Census estimate · −1.2% since 2020
Typical home
$217K
+5.5% in a year
Household income
$51K
median
Median age
24.9
years
Jobs based here
58
A commuter town
Is Climax a good place to live?
35% of residents are under 18 in Climax, above both Minnesota’s towns (23%) and U.S. towns (22%). Among 274 Minnesota towns, just 1 have a lower median age than Climax. Climax has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
240 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 Climax: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Climax, and how to reach them.
PowerOtter Tail Power11.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterClimax water system3 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Climax’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 herePolk County Taxpayer Service CenterPolk County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5652356523 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 Climax.
Natural hazards
Compared with most of Minnesota and the rest of the country, the FEMA risk score in Climax is higher
At 84 of 100, Climax’s FEMA risk score is above both the Minnesota town median (40 of 100) and the median of U.S. towns (44 of 100). One flood insurance claim has been paid in Climax since 1997.
84risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesDrought
1
paid flood claims since 1997
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Schools
The schools Climax’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Climax-Shelly Public Schools. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Climax ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 65 | B |
| Climax SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 94 | D |
NCES · EDFacts
Housing
Homes in Climax are worth about $217K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Climax home is worth about $217,000, up 5.5% in a year, 38% below the Minnesota typical home. 68% of Climax households own their home.
$217KZillow home value
Typical home value
Climax$217K
Minnesota$349K
+5.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Climax stands out in Minnesota and nationally: the median household income there is lower
Climax’s median household income is $51,000. Jobs based in Climax fell to 58 in 2023, 25 fewer than in 2013. 16% of residents live below the poverty line in Climax.
1%work in town
| Climax | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $51,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.8% | 9.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Climax1%
Crookston29%
Grand Forks14%
Fisher7%
East Grand Forks7%
19 mi
median commute distance
58
jobs based in Climax
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Climax, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Climax has cold winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. The July high in Climax is 81°F.
81°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter3–20°
Spring31–52°
Summer56–79°
Fall34–54°
Sep 27
typical first frost
May 11
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
81°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Climax is
Climax beats the Minnesota average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
| Climax | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 75% | 79% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 31% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better31 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Climax | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 4.1% | 8.9% |
Riverview Hospital
14.5 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Climax
16pages on Climax
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Climax; the nearest are
University of Minnesota-CrookstonUniversity or college · Public · Crookston16.4 mi$13,288 in-state tuitionNorthland Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Thief River Falls46.6 mi$6,289 in-state tuition
About 7 of every 100 Climax residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Minnesota.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Climax for work
Where Climax’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
58jobs based in Climax
1%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Climax
City in Minnesota, United States
Climax is a city in Polk County, Minnesota, United States. It is part of the Grand Forks, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 243 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 866 ft
- ZIP code
- 56523
- Area code
- 218
Questions about Climax
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Climax, MN a good place to live?
Climax has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.