Leech Lake and Dam Minnesota, 2000
Federal Dam’s story
116 years in pictures
Census counts: 332 in 1920, 123 in 2020. The archive holds 14 old photos and papers going back to 2000 and 2 maps from 1971 on.
- 1910Federal Dam is settled
Federal DamMN
A town of 116, settled in 1910.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Myotus · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
116
2025 Census estimate · +2.7% since 2020
Typical home
$263K
+5.9% in a year
Household income
$38K
median
Median age
40.5
years
Land area
2 sq mi
Is Federal Dam a good place to live?
Federal Dam’s mean commuting time is 35 minutes, above both the Minnesota town median (23 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). No town among the 274 in Minnesota we compare has a lower typical household income than Federal Dam. Federal Dam’s trail network density is 1.6 miles per square mile, above both Minnesota’s towns (0.5) and U.S. towns (0.4). Federal Dam has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
116 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Gould TownshipFederal Dam
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Federal Dam: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Federal Dam, and how to reach them.
PowerLake Country Power18.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Federal Dam’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 hereCass County Auditor-Treasurer's OfficeCass County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5664156641 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 Federal Dam.
Natural hazards
Federal Dam faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
The risk rating from FEMA for Federal Dam comes to 25 of 100. FEMA puts 58% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 28% to cold waves. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in three quarters of U.S. communities.
25risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
A typical Federal Dam home is worth about $263K
Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 5.9% in value. In Federal Dam, 75% of households own their home.
$263KZillow home value
Typical home value
Federal Dam$263K
Minnesota$349K
+5.9%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Federal Dam
Federal Dam’s midsummer high stands at 79°F.
48″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter2–22°
Spring29–52°
Summer55–77°
Fall34–53°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 8
typical last frost
+2.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Outdoors
In Federal Dam, 12.3% of the land is conserved
Count the trails in 2 parks and preserves and they come to 3.6 miles. Parks and preserves in Federal Dam: 2, covering 12 acres.
12.3%conserved
12.3%
conserved · 173 of 1,413 acres
3.6 mi
of trails · 1.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bowstring State Forest | 0.1 mi | 11 |
| 2. Chippewa National Forest | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Health
Federal Dam stands out in Minnesota and nationally: a larger share of its adults have diabetes
Federal Dam: 16% of adults binge drink. Only one of the 272 Minnesota towns we compare has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Federal Dam. CDC measures, 32 in all: Federal Dam beats Minnesota on 1 and trails on 18.
| Federal Dam | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 10% | 12% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 30% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 31% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better13 too close to call18 worse
| What stands out | Federal Dam | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.9% | 76.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 14.3% | 8.9% |
Essentia Health Deer River
20.9 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 Federal Dam
17pages on Federal Dam
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Federal Dam; the nearest are
Leech Lake Tribal CollegeCommunity college · Public · Cass Lake23.2 mi$4,850 in-state tuitionBemidji State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Bemidji35.2 mi$10,237 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Federal Dam residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
About Federal Dam
City in Minnesota, United States
Federal Dam is a city in Cass County, Minnesota, United States, near Leech Lake. The population was 123 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Brainerd Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,309 ft
- ZIP code
- 56641
- Area code
- 218
Questions about Federal Dam
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Federal Dam, MN a good place to live?
Federal Dam has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.