Ulen Residence, 1906
Ulen’s story
142 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1906.
- 1884Ulen is settled
UlenMN
A town of 473, settled in 1884.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Andrew Filer · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
473
2025 Census estimate · −1.3% since 2020
Typical home
$298K
+5.3% in a year
Household income
$61K
median
Median age
56.2
years
Jobs based here
365
A job hub
Is Ulen a good place to live?
24% of residents live below the poverty line in Ulen, against 7% in Minnesota’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Among 274 Minnesota towns, just 2 have a higher median age than Ulen. Ulen has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Ulen stand out
Where Ulen beats most towns.
Small town
473 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Ulen TownshipUlen
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Ulen: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ulen, and how to reach them.
PowerOtter Tail Power11.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterUlen water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers94% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Ulen’s trash rules yet
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 hereClay County CourthouseClay County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2024
ZIP code5658556585 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 Ulen.
Work & commute
A job hub: Ulen has 2.0 jobs for every working resident and draws in 355 commuters
Most working residents leave Ulen for work: only 5% work in town. Ulen’s average trip to work is 15 minutes, below both Minnesota’s towns (23 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Jobs based in Ulen grew to 365 in 2023, 229 more than in 2013.
5%work in town
| Ulen | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 15 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.4% | 9.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Ulen5%
Fargo36%
Moorhead12%
Hawley11%
West Fargo5%
29 mi
median commute distance
365
jobs based in Ulen
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Ulen’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Ulen-Hitterdal Public School District. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ulen-Hitterdal ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 144 | B |
| Ulen-Hitterdal SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 158 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Ulen
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 77% of U.S. communities.
77risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Ulen, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Ulen has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Ulen’s July high is 80°F.
41″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter2–20°
Spring30–52°
Summer56–79°
Fall34–54°
Sep 27
typical first frost
May 11
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Housing
The typical home in Ulen is valued at about $298K
The typical Ulen home is worth about $298,000, up 5.3% in a year, 15% below the Minnesota typical home. 59% of Ulen households own their home.
$298KZillow home value
| Ulen | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 59% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $903 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Ulen$298K
Minnesota$349K
+5.3%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Health
How healthy Ulen is
Ulen beats the Minnesota average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 15% of adults report frequent mental distress in Ulen.
| Ulen | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 30% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 35% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 31% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better28 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Ulen | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with heart disease | 7.2% | 5.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.3% | 8.5% |
| More adults with arthritis | 25.5% | 22.3% |
Essentia Health Ada
19.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ulen
17pages on Ulen
The big questions
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Ulen; the nearest are
White Earth Tribal and Community CollegeCommunity college · Private nonprofit · Mahnomen21.9 mi$5,490 tuitionMinnesota State University MoorheadUniversity or college · Public · Moorhead27.8 mi$10,428 in-state tuitionMinnesota State Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fergus Falls55 mi$5,908 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Ulen residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
A job hub
Every workday, about 355 people come to Ulen for work
Where Ulen’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
365jobs based in Ulen
5%of working residents work in town
29 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Ulen
City in Minnesota, United States
Ulen ( YOO-lən) is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States, along the South Branch of the Wild Rice River. The population was 476 at the 2020 census. Near this small community, what may be an authentic Viking sword known as the Ulen sword was found in a field by Hans O. Hansen in 1911. The sword is currently on display in the Ulen Museum. Ulen and the area surrounding is mostly inhabited by later generation Norwegian-Americans. Ulen is the southern terminus of the Agassiz Recreational Trail, a 53-mile multi-use trail built on an abandoned railroad grade which has its northern terminus at Crookston, Minnesota.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,152 ft
- ZIP code
- 56585
- Area code
- 218
Questions about Ulen
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ulen, MN a good place to live?
Ulen has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.