City Hall, 2025
Deer River Township’s story
Deer River Township in pictures
Census counts: 251 in 1900, 909 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2025 and 3 maps from 1954 on.
Explore the history →
Deer River TownshipMN
A town of 653.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0
Population
653
2025 Census estimate · +1.4% since 2020
Median home value
$219K
Census ACS
Household income
$71K
median
Median age
49.0
years
Jobs based here
45
A commuter town
Is Deer River Township a good place to live?
Deer River Township’s January low is -2°F, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 6°F and U.S. towns at 22°F. The biggest park or preserve is Bowstring State Forest, at 7,784 acres. Deer River Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
653 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Deer RiverOteneagen TownshipZempleMorse TownshipDeer River Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Deer River Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Deer River Township, and how to reach them.
PowerLake Country Power18.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterDeer River water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Deer River Township’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 hereItasca County CourthouseItasca County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5663656636 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 Deer River Township.
Work & commute
Most of Deer River Township’s workers commute out: the town has 0.2 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Deer River Township for work: only 1% work in town. The average trip to work in Deer River Township is 21 minutes. The top destinations are Deer River (25%), Grand Rapids (22%) and Cohasset (4%).
1%work in town
| Deer River Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.3% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 9.3% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $71,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Deer River Township1%
Deer River25%
Grand Rapids22%
Cohasset4%
Duluth2%
16 mi
median commute distance
45
jobs based in Deer River Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Low risk in Deer River Township, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 74% of U.S. communities.
26risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
16%conserved
16%
conserved · 3,578 of 22,369 acres
1.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bowstring State Forest | 0.1 mi | 7,784 |
| 2. Chippewa National Forest | — | 747 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Deer River Township has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Deer River Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Deer River Township’s July high is 79°F.
60″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter2–22°
Spring28–52°
Summer54–76°
Fall33–52°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 16
typical last frost
+2.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
A larger share of adults in Deer River Township smoke cigarettes than in the typical Minnesota or U.S. town
20% of Deer River Township adults smoke cigarettes. No town among the 272 in Minnesota we compare has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Deer River Township. 29% of Deer River Township adults get no exercise outside work.
| Deer River Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 31% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 16% | 19% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 23% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better14 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Deer River Township | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.1% | 76.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.9% | 5.4% |
Essentia Health Deer River
3.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Deer River Township
17pages on Deer River Township
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Deer River Township; the nearest are
Minnesota North CollegeCommunity college · Public · Hibbing38.8 mi$6,022 in-state tuitionBemidji State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Bemidji53 mi$10,237 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Deer River Township residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Minnesota.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Deer River Township for work
Where Deer River Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
45jobs based in Deer River Township
1%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Deer River Township
City in Minnesota, United States
Deer River is a city in Itasca County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 909 at the 2020 census. U.S. Highway 2 and Minnesota State Highways 6 and 46 are three of the main routes in the community.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,293 ft
- ZIP code
- 56636
- Area code
- 218
Questions about Deer River Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Deer River Township, MN a good place to live?
Deer River Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.