Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 255, settled in 1855.
No town among the 274 in Minnesota we compare has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Hayward. Hayward has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 158 in 1930, 252 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2019 and 2 maps from 1954 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hayward, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Hayward.
The typical Hayward home is worth about $225,000, up 6.8% in a year, 35% below the Minnesota typical home. 83% of Hayward households own their home, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 75% and U.S. towns at 73%.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1% of Hayward working residents work locally, below both the Minnesota town median (9.8%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). Hayward’s median household income is $61,000. The top destinations are Albert Lea (33%), Austin (16%) and Rochester (11%).
| Hayward | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Hayward has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Hayward is 81°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
22% of Hayward adults have been diagnosed with depression. Only 9 of the 272 Minnesota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Hayward. 13% of Hayward adults have diabetes.
| Hayward | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 31% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 10% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 23% | 25% |
| What stands out | Hayward | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.8% | 76.1% |
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 87.4% | 85.3% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.3% | 5.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 58% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
1 within 15 miles of the center of Hayward
About 2 of every 100 Hayward residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
Where Hayward’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Minnesota, United States
Hayward is a city in Freeborn County, Minnesota, United States, near Albert Lea. As of the 2020 census, Hayward had a population of 252.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Hayward has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.