VerndaleMN
A town of 508, settled in 1878.
Is Verndale a good place to live?
Verndale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
508 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Verndale: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Verndale, 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.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Verndale.
The schools Verndale’s kids attend
Two of its 3 schools are below, each with the reason it’s listed. The Verndale Public School District runs its public schools. Also worth knowing: 2 public schools serve Verndale, with 484 students in all.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verndale ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 253 | C+ |
| Verndale SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 231 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
The median household income in Verndale is lower than in the typical Minnesota or U.S. town
In Verndale, 2.4% of working residents work locally. 16% of residents live below the poverty line here, against 7% in Minnesota’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. The average trip to work for Verndale comes to 31 minutes. Half the trips to work are shorter than 24 miles.
| Verndale | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $49,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 7% | 14% | 11% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical home in Verndale is valued at about $249K
Only 9 of the 257 Minnesota towns we compare have a lower rent at the middle of the market than Verndale. 89% of households live in a home they own here, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 75% and U.S. towns at 73%. Values rose 5% in the 12 months to September 2026.
| Verndale | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 89% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $708 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Snowy winters and pleasant summers: that is Verndale’s year
Verndale’s midsummer high stands at 80°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Crime reported in Verndale
In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Verndale is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
How healthy Verndale is
31% of Verndale adults sleep under 7 hours. Verndale: 17% of adults smoke cigarettes.
| Verndale | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 23% | 25% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 30% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 35% | 35% |
| What stands out | Verndale | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 12.8% | 8.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 7.4% | 5.4% |
| More adults with heart disease | 7.6% | 5.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Verndale has a moderate natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Expected damage from storms and floods is lower here than in 56% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in Verndale, 58% come from inland flooding and 11% from cold waves.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Everything we know about Verndale
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Verndale; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Verndale residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
98% of working residents leave Verndale for work
Where Verndale’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Verndale
City in Minnesota, United States
Verndale is a city in Wadena County, Minnesota, United States. As of the 2020 census, Verndale had a population of 511.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,348 ft
- ZIP code
- 56481
- Area code
- 218
Questions about Verndale
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Verndale, MN a good place to live?
Verndale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.