Menagha St. Urho, 2020
Menahga’s story
135 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2020.
- 1891Menahga is settled
MenahgaMN
A town of 1,361, settled in 1891.
Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0
Population
1,361
2025 Census estimate · +1.6% since 2020
Typical home
$199K
+7.4% in a year
Household income
$58K
median
Median age
42.1
years
Jobs based here
790
A job hub
Is Menahga a good place to live?
Menahga’s best subject grades are an A+ for safety and an A− for walkability and cost of living; its weakest is a C− for incomes. On safety, just 17 of Minnesota’s 212 towns do better. The biggest park or preserve is Memorial Forest Park, at 36 acres. Menahga has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Menahga stand out
Where Menahga beats most towns.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Menahga1.5
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
SafetyA+
35% less violent crime than MN
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 83% of U.S. towns
6.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Typical home value
Menahga$199K
Minnesota$349K
Cost of livingA−
3.2 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 80% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Small town
1,361 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Menahga grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Menahga is from typical.
SafetyA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.1 of 20; 8% of households have no carA−Open →Jobs & income790 jobs based hereC−Open →Cost of livingA−Open →SchoolsB+Open →HealthLess healthy than 56% of U.S. towns; St. Josephs Area Health Services 11.4 miles awayC+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 46% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 5% conserved landBOpen →History1 notable person born hereC+Open →Civic life3.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 42.1; 26% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Menahga: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Menahga, and how to reach them.
PowerMinnesota Power15.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMenahga water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpSchaefer Auto Recycling CenterIn townOpenStreetMap
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 hereWadena County CourthouseWadena County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5646456464 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 Menahga.
SafetyA+
Menahga reports less crime per resident than 96% of U.S. towns
At 0.7 per 1,000 residents, Menahga’s property crime rate is below both the Minnesota town median (8.7) and the median of U.S. towns (9.9).
96%of U.S. towns report more crimeA+Safety Grade
| Menahga | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.7 per 1,000 residents | 8.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.5 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Menahga1.5
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Menahga0.7
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
96th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
1
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsB+
Menahga’s schools rank ahead of 65% of Minnesota districts
Its public schools are run by the Menahga Public School District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Menahga High School, with 450 students.
65%of MN districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menahga ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 537 | B+ |
| Menahga High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 450 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
With 1.5 jobs for every working resident, Menahga draws in 677 commuters
About one in 5 of Menahga’s working residents works in town. At 19 minutes, Menahga’s average trip to work is where Minnesota’s towns sit at 23 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. The median household income in Menahga is $58,000.
22%work in town
| Menahga | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 22% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 19 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $58,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 10% | 7% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Menahga22%
Park Rapids17%
Wadena6%
Staples4%
Perham3%
14 mi
median commute distance
790
jobs based in Menahga
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 83% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade A−
The typical home in Menahga is valued at about $199K
The typical Menahga home is worth about $199,000, up 7.4% in a year, 43% below the Minnesota typical home. Menahga’s median rent is $734 a month.
$199KZillow home value
| Menahga | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $734 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 61% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Menahga$199K
Minnesota$349K
+7.4%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Menahga
Menahga has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 79°, January nights drop to -1° and about 46 inches of snow falls in a winter.
46″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter3–22°
Spring30–51°
Summer55–77°
Fall34–53°
Sep 25
typical first frost
May 14
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
More of Menahga’s adults have diabetes than in the typical Minnesota or U.S. town
14% of adults have diabetes in Menahga. Only 4 of the 272 Minnesota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Menahga. 28% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Menahga.
44%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Menahga | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 36% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 23% | 25% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 10% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 31% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better19 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Menahga | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 82.3% | 76.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.5% | 5.9% |
St. Josephs Area Health Services
11.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsB
Menahga has set aside 4.6% of its land for conservation
0.9 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
4.6%conserved
| Menahga | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.6% | 4.7% | 4.3% |
4.6%
conserved · 114 of 2,480 acres
0.9 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Memorial Forest Park | — | 36 |
| 2. Menahga Beach Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Menahga
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 54% of U.S. communities.
46risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Menahga
20pages on Menahga
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 65% of MN districts · 3 schoolsSafetyA+1.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthC+Better than MN on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−$199K typical home · up 7.4% in a yearWork & commuteC−$58K median household income · 790 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 46% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Menahga; the nearest are
Oak Hills Christian CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Bemidji47.4 mi$19,440 tuitionLeech Lake Tribal CollegeCommunity college · Public · Cass Lake49.2 mi$4,850 in-state tuitionBemidji State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Bemidji51.5 mi$10,237 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Menahga residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
A job hub
Every workday, about 677 people come to Menahga for work
Where Menahga’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
790jobs based in Menahga
22%of working residents work in town
14 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Menahga
City in Minnesota, United States
Menahga ( mə-NAH-gə) is a city in Wadena County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,340.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,401 ft
- ZIP code
- 56464
- Area code
- 218
Questions about Menahga
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Menahga, 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−.