Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 362, platted in 1881.
Ole and Anne Foss House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Underwood has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Underwood beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 258 in 1920, 356 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1915 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Underwood, 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 Underwood.
Only 4% of working residents stay in Underwood for work; the rest commute out. Jobs in Underwood grew by 151 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 234. The town’s average trip to work stands at 17 minutes. Also worth knowing: its median household income stands at $75,000, against $90,000 in Minnesota’s towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns.
| Underwood | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.9% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $75,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 9.5% | 7% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The Underwood Public School District runs its public schools. Two of its 3 schools are shown below, with the reason for each. Public school enrollment in the town: 554 students across 2 schools.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Underwood ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 282 | B− |
| Underwood SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 5–12 | Grades 5–12 | 272 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Underwood’s natural-hazard score from FEMA stands at 21 of 100, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 40 of 100 and U.S. towns at 44 of 100. Nearly three fifths of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 18%. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 79% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Against the Minnesota average, Underwood comes out ahead on 5 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 2. For adults locally, the share who report frequent mental distress is 15%. Two figures for adults in the town: 30% sleep under 7 hours, 30% have high blood pressure.
| Underwood | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 16% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 31% | 35% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 8.8% | 11% | 14% |
| What stands out | Underwood | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.8% | 11.4% |
| Fewer adults without reliable transportation | 5.5% | 7.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.6% | 8.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
There are 0.3 miles of trail across 1 park or preserve. One park or preserve covers 2 acres in Underwood.
| Underwood | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.3% | 4.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Public Beach and Access | 0.1 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Underwood’s midpoint rent is $925 a month. In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 5.7%. 85% of Underwood households are owner-occupiers.
| Underwood | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 85% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $925 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1 within 15 miles of the center of Underwood
About 1 of every 100 Underwood residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
Where Underwood’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Minnesota, United States
Underwood is a city in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 356 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Underwood has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.