KarlstadMN
A town of 679, settled in 1905.
Is Karlstad a good place to live?
Only 2 of the 257 Minnesota towns we compare have a lower midpoint rent than Karlstad. Karlstad has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
679 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Karlstad: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Karlstad, 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.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Karlstad.
The typical home in Karlstad is valued at about $153K
Home values are up 3.3% over the year to September 2026. Nearly three quarters of Karlstad households own their home, close to both Minnesota’s towns (75%) and U.S. towns (73%).
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The schools Karlstad’s kids attend
Its two schools are below. Public schools: the Tri-County School District.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karlstad ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 96 | B− |
| Tri-County SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 83 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts
The biggest natural risk in Karlstad is inland flooding, at a high overall level
For Karlstad, the natural-hazard score from FEMA is 79 of 100. Expected losses in Karlstad break down as 48% from inland flooding and 18% from wildfires.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
A older population than Minnesota as a whole
40% of Karlstad adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more, above both the Minnesota town median (33%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). People 65 and older are 28% of residents (17% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (22% statewide). For Karlstad, the median age is 50.2 years. Since 2020, Karlstad has lost 4.4% of its people, to 679 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
| Karlstad | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.2 years | 39.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 40% | 33% | 29% |
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
56% women, 44% men
About 80 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3.9 points). Across Minnesota, 49.9% of residents are women. Among residents 18 to 24, 88% are women (MN 49%).
| Karlstad | MN | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.6% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.5% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.1% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.6% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8.8% | 13.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 15.1% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.3% | 12.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.7% | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 14.3% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 0.7% | 6.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 35.3% | 23.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.6% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.9% | 11.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 37.5% | 25.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 2% | 13.8% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 700, single groups can be off by several points
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Karlstad
The typical July afternoon high for Karlstad comes to 80°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
About one in five working residents works right in Karlstad
In Karlstad, just over one in ten residents live below the poverty line. Jobs here fell by 73 from 2013 to 2023, to 292. Its middle household income is $64,000. For half of commuters, work is under 24 miles away.
| Karlstad | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 20% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
How healthy Karlstad is
For adults in Karlstad, the share who get no exercise outside work is 27%. Against the Minnesota average, Karlstad comes out ahead on 1 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 8. 29% of adults in Karlstad feel lonely; 31% sleep under 7 hours.
| Karlstad | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 31% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 30% | 36% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 10% | 12% |
| What stands out | Karlstad | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.4% | 76.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 12.7% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0% of Karlstad is conserved land
Count the trails in 1 park or preserve and they come to 0.2 miles. The trail network density in Karlstad is 0.1 miles per square mile. One park or preserve covers 16 acres locally.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Moose Park | 0.2 mi | 16 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Everything we know about Karlstad
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Karlstad; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Karlstad residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
About Karlstad
City in Minnesota, United States
Karlstad ( KARL-stad) is a city in Kittson County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 710 at the 2020 census. U.S. Route 59 and Minnesota State Highway 11 are two of the main arterial routes in the city. The city's slogan is "The Moose Capital of the North".
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,050 ft
- ZIP code
- 56732
- Area code
- 218
Questions about Karlstad
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Karlstad, MN a good place to live?
Karlstad has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.