MNMap-doton-Hayfield, 2005
Hayfield’s story
141 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2005.
- 1885Hayfield is settled
HayfieldMN
A town of 1,358, settled in 1885.
Population
1,358
2025 Census estimate · −0.4% since 2020
Typical home
$327K
+7.6% in a year
Household income
$69K
median
Median age
35.8
years
Jobs based here
580
Balanced
Is Hayfield a good place to live?
The best of Hayfield’s subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A for walkability; the weakest is a C− for hazard risk. Only 25 of Minnesota’s 574 towns score higher on walkability. Hayfield has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Hayfield stand out
Where Hayfield beats most towns.
Typical home value
Hayfield$327K
Minnesota$349K
Cost of livingA+
3.6 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 95% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 90% of U.S. towns
4.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Small town
1,358 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Hayfield grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Hayfield is from typical.
Cost of livingA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.9 of 20; 12.5% of households have no carAOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →Jobs & income$69K median household incomeCOpen →HealthMayo Clinic Hospital Rochester 20.3 miles awayB+Open →SchoolsC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC−Open →History3 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life10 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateSnowy winters, 81° summer afternoons, 43″ of snow–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.8; 18% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Hayfield: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hayfield, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy17.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHayfield 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 Hayfield’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 hereDodge County ElectionsDodge County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5594055940 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 Hayfield.
HealthB+
Hayfield ranks healthier than 72% of the country’s towns
Hayfield beats the Minnesota average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 74% of adults had a checkup this year in Hayfield, against 75% in Minnesota’s towns and 79% across U.S. towns. 31% of Hayfield adults sleep under 7 hours.
72%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Hayfield | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 75% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 30% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 18% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 12% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Hayfield | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.6% | 8.5% |
Mayo Clinic Hospital Rochester
20.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsC+
Public schools in Hayfield fall behind 65% of Minnesota districts
Its public schools are run by the Hayfield Public School District. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Hayfield Secondary, with 319 students.
35%of MN districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayfield ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 302 | C |
| Hayfield SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 319 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
High risk in Hayfield, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 70% of U.S. communities. Since 1983, 7 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Hayfield.
70risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
7
paid flood claims since 1983
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Hayfield, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Hayfield has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Hayfield’s July high is 81°F, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 82°F and U.S. towns at 85°F.
43″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter9–26°
Spring34–54°
Summer58–79°
Fall37–57°
Oct 5
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
About one in three of Hayfield’s working residents commute to Rochester
Most working residents leave Hayfield for work: only 13% work in town. 16% of residents live below the poverty line in Hayfield. Since 2013, Hayfield has added 149 jobs, to 580 in 2023.
13%work in town
| Hayfield | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Hayfield13%
Rochester36%
Dodge Center4%
Owatonna4%
Blooming Prairie3%
21 mi
median commute distance
580
jobs based in Hayfield
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 90% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade A+
Homes in Hayfield are worth about $327K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Hayfield home is worth about $327,000, up 7.6% in a year, 6% below the Minnesota typical home. Hayfield’s median rent is $935 a month.
$327KZillow home value
| Hayfield | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $935 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Hayfield$327K
Minnesota$349K
+7.6%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 13 attractions →Spam Museum and 5 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hayfield. Close and well known come first.
17 mi MuseumSpam Museum
24 mi MuseumMinnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children17 mi Zoo & aquariumOxbow Park and Zollman Zoo
15 mi MuseumJay C. Hormel Nature Center
21 mi MuseumRochester Art Center
35 mi MuseumWaseca County Historical Society MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Spam Museum: Darb02, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Minnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Jay C. Hormel Nature Center: Julie Champlin, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rochester Art Center: Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2 · Waseca County Historical Society Museum: Jonathunder, GFDL 1.2
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hayfield
18pages on Hayfield
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Hayfield; the nearest are
Riverland Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Austin16.5 mi$6,298 in-state tuitionUniversity of Minnesota-RochesterUniversity or college · Public · Rochester21.1 mi$15,016 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Hayfield residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Minnesota.
Famous people from Hayfield
3 notable people were born in Hayfield.
About Hayfield
City in Minnesota, United States
Hayfield is a city in Dodge County, Minnesota, United States. As of the 2020 census, Hayfield had a population of 1,364.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,319 ft
- ZIP code
- 55940
- Area code
- 507
Questions about Hayfield
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hayfield, 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 Hayfield, MN known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Russell L. Blaisdell and Herman John Kording.