Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,348, settled in 1878.
The best of Red Lake Falls’ subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A− for schools and civic life; the weakest is a C− for hazard risk. Only 22 of Minnesota’s 573 towns score higher on cost of living. Red Lake Falls’ trail density is 1.9 miles per square mile, above both the Minnesota town median (0.5) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Red Lake County Courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places. Red Lake Falls has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Red Lake Falls beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| J.A. Hughes Elementary | PK–6 | 237 |
| Lafayette Secondary | 7–12 | 184 |
| Pine to Prairie Coop. CTR. | 7–12 | — |
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Red Lake Falls is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1902.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Red Lake Falls, 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 Red Lake Falls.
At $511 a month, Red Lake Falls’ median rent is where Minnesota’s towns sit at $1,196 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. Typical home values rose 7.9% in the year to September 2026. 80% of Red Lake Falls households own their home.
| Red Lake Falls | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $511 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 80% | 75% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Red Lake Falls Public School District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| J.A. Hughes ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 237 | B− |
| Lafayette SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 184 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 74% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Red Lake Falls has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. Red Lake Falls’ July high is 80°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
About one in 4 of Red Lake Falls’s working residents works in town. The median household income in Red Lake Falls is $64,000. Jobs based in Red Lake Falls fell to 500 in 2023, 34 fewer than in 2013.
| Red Lake Falls | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 28% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $64,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 9.9% | 14% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Red Lake Falls beats the Minnesota average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 31% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Red Lake Falls.
| Red Lake Falls | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 30% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 35% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 33% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 76% | 75% | 79% |
| What stands out | Red Lake Falls | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with heart disease | 7% | 5.9% |
| More adults with arthritis | 25.9% | 22.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.7% | 8.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
4.0 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Sportsmans Park, at 37 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sportsmans Park | — | 37 |
| 2. Riverside Park | 0.1 mi | 28 |
| 3. Sportsman's Park Rifle Range | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Red Lake Falls; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Red Lake Falls residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
City in Minnesota, United States
Red Lake Falls is a city and the county seat of Red Lake County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,339 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Red Lake County. The city lies in the middle of Red Lake Falls Township, from which it was separated when incorporated as a village in 1881. Its status was raised to that of a city in 1898.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
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+.