Buffalo River MN, 2005
Hawley Township’s story
Hawley Township in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
Explore the history →
Hawley TownshipMN
A town of 481.
5 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Moncrief at en.wikipedia · Public domain
Population
481
2025 Census estimate · +0.8% since 2020
Median home value
$402K
Census ACS
Household income
$117K
median
Median age
36.5
years
Jobs based here
93
A commuter town
Is Hawley Township a good place to live?
Hawley Township’s January low is -1°F, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 6°F and U.S. towns at 22°F. Among 274 Minnesota towns, just 1 have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Hawley Township. The biggest park or preserve is Doran Lake WPA, at 329 acres. Hawley Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
481 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
HawleyEglon TownshipRiverton TownshipCromwell TownshipSkree TownshipHawley Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Hawley Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hawley Township, and how to reach them.
PowerWild Rice Electric Coop14.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHawley water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Hawley 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 hereClay County CourthouseClay County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2024
ZIP code5654956549 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 Hawley Township.
Work & commute
With 0.4 jobs for every working resident, most of Hawley Township’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Hawley Township for work: only 2% work in town. At $117,000, Hawley Township’s median household income is above both the Minnesota town median ($90,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). The top destinations are Fargo (33%), Hawley (10%) and Moorhead (9%).
2%work in town
| Hawley Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $117,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.9% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Hawley Township2%
Fargo33%
Hawley10%
Moorhead9%
Detroit Lakes7%
21 mi
median commute distance
93
jobs based in Hawley Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
High risk in Hawley Township, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 77% of U.S. communities.
77risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Hawley Township has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Hawley Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Hawley Township is 81°F.
53″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter3–21°
Spring31–52°
Summer57–79°
Fall34–54°
Oct 3
typical first frost
May 5
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
More children than Minnesota overall
Children under 18 are 31% of residents (23% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (22% statewide). 46% of Hawley Township adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more.
36.5median age · MN 38.8
| Hawley Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 46% | 33% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 13% | 18% | 18% |
| Median age | 36.5 years | 39.9 years | 40.5 years |
Hawley TownshipMinnesotaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma1%
High school14%
Some college13%
Associate’s26%
Bachelor’s35%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±9.3 points. Across Minnesota, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Hawley Township | MN | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 17.9% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.9% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.3% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.3% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14% | 13.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 17.6% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 8.8% | 12.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.7% | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 2.5% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1.3% | 6.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 13.8% | 23.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 13.3% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 26% | 11.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 35% | 25.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.8% | 13.8% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 500, single groups can be off by several points
10.2%conserved
10.2%
conserved · 2,010 of 19,732 acres
6.2 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Doran Lake WPA | — | 329 |
| 2. Severson Lake WPA | — | 236 |
| 3. Kasin WPA | — | 189 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Health
How healthy Hawley Township is
Hawley Township tracks Minnesota closely on all 32 CDC measures. 19% of adults binge drink in Hawley Township.
| Hawley Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 75% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 30% | 36% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 12% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Fargo VA Medical Center
19.7 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 Hawley Township
17pages on Hawley Township
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Hawley Township; the nearest are
Minnesota State University MoorheadUniversity or college · Public · Moorhead18.5 mi$10,428 in-state tuitionMinnesota State Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fergus Falls40.3 mi$5,908 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Hawley Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Hawley Township for work
Where Hawley Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
93jobs based in Hawley Township
2%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Hawley Township
City in Minnesota, United States
Hawley is a town in Clay County, Minnesota, United States, along the Buffalo River. The population was 2,219 at the 2020 census. Part of the Fargo–Moorhead area, it is just 23 miles away.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,152 ft
- ZIP code
- 56549
- Area code
- 218
Questions about Hawley Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hawley Township, MN a good place to live?
Hawley Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.