Main Street, 1908
Eden Valley’s story
140 years in pictures
Census counts: 327 in 1890, 1,027 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1908 and 2 maps from 1967 on.
- 1886Eden Valley is platted
Eden ValleyMN
A town of 1,062, platted in 1886.
Population
1,062
2025 Census estimate · +3.2% since 2020
Typical home
$292K
+4.4% in a year
Household income
$68K
median
Median age
29.6
years
Jobs based here
423
Balanced
Is Eden Valley a good place to live?
Eden Valley’s best subject grades are an A+ for safety, an A for cost of living, and an A− for schools; its weakest is a C for incomes. On safety, just 8 of Minnesota’s 212 towns do better. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 69% of U.S. towns. Among 274 Minnesota towns, just 2 have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Eden Valley. Eden Valley has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Eden Valley stand out
Where Eden Valley beats most towns.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Eden Valley0
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
SafetyA+
No violent crime reported in 2025
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
Typical home value
Eden Valley$292K
Minnesota$349K
Cost of livingA
3.9 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 90% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
EDEN VALLEY-WATKINS SCHOOL DISTRICT
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Eden Valley Elementary | K–6 | 383 |
| Eden Valley Secondary | 7–12 | 425 |
| Eden Valley-Watkins Alp | 8–12 | — |
SchoolsA−
On state tests and graduation
NCES · EDFacts.
Small town
1,062 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Eden Lake TownshipManannah TownshipEden Valley
How Eden Valley grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Eden Valley is from typical.
SafetyA+Open →Cost of livingAOpen →SchoolsA−Open →Jobs & income$68K median household incomeCOpen →HealthCentracare - Paynesville Hospital 9 miles awayB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.2 of 20; 0.8% of households have no car; 1.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 44% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC−Open →HistoryPlatted 1886; 2 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life15 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 29.6; 10% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Eden Valley: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Eden Valley, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy17.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEden Valley water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Eden Valley’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 hereMeeker County CourthouseMeeker County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2026
ZIP code5532955329 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 Eden Valley.
SafetyA+
Eden Valley is safer than 98% of U.S. towns, by crime per resident
At 0 per 1,000 residents, Eden Valley’s property crime rate is against 8.7 in Minnesota’s towns and 9.9 across U.S. towns.
98%of U.S. towns report more crimeA+Safety Grade
| Eden Valley | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 8.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Eden Valley0
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Eden Valley0
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
98th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
0
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsA−
Public schools in Eden Valley beat 80% of Minnesota districts
Its public schools are run by the Eden Valley-Watkins School District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Eden Valley Secondary, with 425 students.
80%of MN districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eden Valley ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 383 | A− |
| Eden Valley SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 425 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
HealthB+
Eden Valley ranks healthier than 71% of the country’s towns
Eden Valley beats the Minnesota average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 20% of Eden Valley adults binge drink, above both Minnesota’s towns (18%) and U.S. towns (16%). 29% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Eden Valley.
71%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Eden Valley | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 75% | 79% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better30 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Eden Valley | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults seeing a dentist | 71.3% | 67.5% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 11.2% | 8.9% |
Centracare - Paynesville Hospital
9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Eden Valley has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Eden Valley has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Eden Valley is 81°F.
57″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter7–24°
Spring33–54°
Summer58–79°
Fall36–56°
Oct 5
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Most of Eden Valley’s workers commute out: the town has 0.8 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Eden Valley for work: only 5% work in town. Eden Valley’s average trip to work is 31 minutes. Jobs based in Eden Valley fell to 423 in 2023, 272 fewer than in 2013.
5%work in town
| Eden Valley | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $68,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.8% | 9.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Eden Valley5%
St. Cloud10%
Litchfield9%
Hutchinson6%
Cold Spring5%
22 mi
median commute distance
423
jobs based in Eden Valley
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 31% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade A
The typical home in Eden Valley is valued at about $292K
The typical Eden Valley home is worth about $292,000, up 4.4% in a year, 16% below the Minnesota typical home.
$292KZillow home value
| Eden Valley | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $922 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 79% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Eden Valley$292K
Minnesota$349K
+4.4%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Eden Valley faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 56% of U.S. communities.
44risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Eden Valley
19pages on Eden Valley
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 80% of MN districts · 3 schoolsSafetyA+0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB+Better than MN on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$292K typical home · up 4.4% in a yearWork & commuteC$68K median household income · 423 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 44% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Eden Valley; the nearest are
Saint Johns UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Collegeville19.1 mi$55,816 tuitionSaint Cloud State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Saint Cloud24.7 mi$10,245 in-state tuitionSt Cloud Technical and Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Saint Cloud25.1 mi$6,124 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Eden Valley residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Minnesota.
About Eden Valley
City in Minnesota, United States
Eden Valley is a city in Meeker and Stearns counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 1,027 at the 2020 census. Most of Eden Valley is in Meeker County; the Stearns County portion is part of the St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,115 ft
- ZIP code
- 55329
- Area code
- 320
Questions about Eden Valley
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Eden Valley, MN expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
What is Eden Valley, MN known for?
Eden Valley was platted in 1886. 2 notable people were born here, including Frieda Hardin and Stephen A. McCarthy.