John A. Oldenburg House · National Register of Historic Places
Finlayson’s story
139 years in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1887Finlayson is settled
FinlaysonMN
A town of 332, settled in 1887. A regional job hub with 222 jobs.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Lorie Shaull · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
332
2025 Census estimate · +12.2% since 2020
Typical home
$276K
+5.5% in a year
Household income
$69K
median
Median age
47.5
years
Jobs based here
222
A job hub
Is Finlayson a good place to live?
Finlayson has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Northern Pacific Depot and John A. Oldenburg House. Finlayson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Finlayson stand out
Where Finlayson beats most towns.
Small town
332 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Finlayson TownshipPine Lake TownshipFinlayson
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Finlayson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Finlayson, and how to reach them.
PowerEast Central Energy17.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterFinlayson water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offSouth Pine County Recycling Center, 5 miOpenStreetMap
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 herePine County CourthousePine County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5573555735 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 Finlayson.
Work & commute
With 1.8 jobs for every working resident, Finlayson draws in 216 commuters
For Finlayson, the typical household income is $69,000. Most people who work leave Finlayson to do it: just 5% work in town. 18% of Finlayson residents live below the poverty line. Its mean commuting time stands at 20 minutes, below both the Minnesota town median (23 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes).
5%work in town
| Finlayson | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.8% | 9.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Finlayson5%
Sandstone11%
Hinckley9%
Moose Lake8%
Finlayson Township7%
18 mi
median commute distance
222
jobs based in Finlayson
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Finlayson’s kids attend
Its one school is below. Public schools: the Hinckley-Finlayson School District. Enrollment at the town’s public school: 58 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finlayson ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 58 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts
Housing
Homes in Finlayson are worth about $276K, by Zillow’s estimate
Finlayson’s midpoint rent stands at $950 a month, against $1,196 a month in Minnesota’s towns and $1,185 a month across U.S. towns. Typical home values rose 5.5% in the year to September 2026.
$276KZillow home value
| Finlayson | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $950 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Finlayson$276K
Minnesota$349K
+5.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Expect snowy winters and pleasant summers in Finlayson
The midsummer high in Finlayson is 80°F.
45″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter5–24°
Spring30–52°
Summer54–77°
Fall35–54°
Sep 29
typical first frost
May 13
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
A larger share of adults in Finlayson have diabetes than in the typical Minnesota or U.S. town
32% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Finlayson. Among 272 Minnesota towns, just one has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Finlayson. This Minnesota town beats the Minnesota average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 15.
| Finlayson | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 31% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 10% | 12% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 35% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better16 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Finlayson | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.4% | 76.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.3% | 5.4% |
Essentia Health Sandstone
6.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Moderate risk in Finlayson, with inland flooding at the top
Expected damage from storms and floods is lower here than in 56% of U.S. communities.
44risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Finlayson
17pages on Finlayson
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Finlayson; the nearest are
Pine Technical & Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Pine City27.1 mi$4,738 in-state tuitionFond du Lac Tribal and Community CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Cloquet40.2 mi$6,006 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Finlayson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
A job hub
Every workday, about 216 people come to Finlayson for work
Where Finlayson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
222jobs based in Finlayson
5%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
2 places in Finlayson on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Finlayson
City in Minnesota, United States
Finlayson is a city in Pine County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 295 at the 2020 census. The city's area was incorporated from Finlayson Township, the remainder of which is still adjacent to it. https://finlayson.municipalimpact.com/ Interstate 35 and Minnesota State Highways 18 and 23 are three of the main routes in the area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,109 ft
- ZIP code
- 55735
- Area code
- 320
Questions about Finlayson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Finlayson, MN a good place to live?
Finlayson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.