The Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg Marching Saints, 2009
Kerkhoven’s story
155 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005.
- 1871Kerkhoven is settled
Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0
Population
790
2025 Census estimate · −1.3% since 2020
Typical home
$213K
+7.7% in a year
Household income
$73K
median
Median age
38.7
years
Jobs based here
246
Balanced
Is Kerkhoven a good place to live?
Kerkhoven has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
790 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Kerkhoven: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Kerkhoven, and how to reach them.
PowerOtter Tail Power11.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterKerkhoven water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpMondayTrash dayTown site
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 hereSwift County AuditorSwift County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code5625256252 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 Kerkhoven.
Housing
Kerkhoven’s typical home value is about $213K
The midpoint rent for Kerkhoven comes to $745 a month, against $1,196 a month in Minnesota’s towns and $1,185 a month across U.S. towns. Home values are up 7.7% over the year to September 2026. 67% of Kerkhoven households own their home.
$213KZillow home value
| Kerkhoven | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $745 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 67% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Kerkhoven$213K
Minnesota$349K
+7.7%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Schools
The schools Kerkhoven’s kids attend
One of its 2 schools is below, with the reason it’s listed. The Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg school district runs its public schools. The largest public high school is Kerkhoven Secondary, with 382 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kerkhoven SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 382 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers: that is Kerkhoven’s year
The peak summer temperature for Kerkhoven comes to 82°F, near the Minnesota town median (82°F) and below the median of U.S. towns (85°F).
46″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter7–25°
Spring33–54°
Summer58–80°
Fall36–57°
Oct 7
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Most of Kerkhoven’s workers commute out: the town has 0.8 jobs for each of them
For Kerkhoven, the typical household income is $73,000. Employers in Kerkhoven added 97 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 246. In Kerkhoven, 5.7% of residents live below the poverty line. Half of commuters travel less than 16 miles.
9%work in town
| Kerkhoven | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 5.7% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $73,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Kerkhoven9%
Willmar19%
Benson10%
Murdock7%
Fargo6%
16 mi
median commute distance
246
jobs based in Kerkhoven
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Kerkhoven is
For adults in Kerkhoven, the share who sleep under 7 hours is 32%. 28% of adults in Kerkhoven get no exercise outside work; 74% had a checkup this year.
| Kerkhoven | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 23% | 25% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 75% | 79% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better17 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Kerkhoven | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 11.1% | 7.5% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 15% | 11.4% |
| More smokers | 17% | 13.1% |
Centracare- Rice Memorial Hospital
14.2 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
Kerkhoven has a moderate natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Compared with 52% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in Kerkhoven is lower. FEMA puts 44% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 21% to cold waves.
48risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesHail
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 533 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pillsbury Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Kerkhoven
18pages on Kerkhoven
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Kerkhoven
About 1 of every 100 Kerkhoven residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
About Kerkhoven
City in Minnesota, United States
Kerkhoven ( KURK-hoh-vən) is a city in Swift County, Minnesota, United States, located roughly 100 miles (160 km) west of the Twin Cities region of Minneapolis/St. Paul along U.S. Route 12. The population was 805 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,099 ft
- ZIP code
- 56252
- Area code
- 320
Questions about Kerkhoven
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Kerkhoven, MN a good place to live?
Kerkhoven has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.