Waubun, Minnesota, 2007
Waubun’s story
120 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2007.
- 1906Waubun is settled
WaubunMN
A town of 389, settled in 1906.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0
Population
389
2025 Census estimate · −5.1% since 2020
Typical home
$278K
+5.6% in a year
Household income
$58K
median
Median age
31.3
years
Jobs based here
93
A commuter town
Is Waubun a good place to live?
34% of residents are under 18 in Waubun, against 23% in Minnesota’s towns and 22% across U.S. towns. Among 274 Minnesota towns, just 6 have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Waubun. Waubun has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
389 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Popple Grove TownshipWaubun
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Waubun: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Waubun, and how to reach them.
PowerOtter Tail Power11.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWaubun water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Waubun’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 hereMahnomen County CourthouseMahnomen County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5658956589 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 Waubun.
Natural hazards
Waubun faces a very low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 81% of U.S. communities. Since 2002, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Waubun.
19risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesDrought
3
paid flood claims since 2002
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Schools
The schools Waubun’s kids attend
Its public schools are run by the Waubun-Ogema-White Earth Schools. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waubun ElementaryLargest public middle schoolGrades 4–6 | Grades 4–6 | 162 | C− |
| Waubun SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 283 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts
Work & commute
About half of Waubun’s working residents commute to Mahnomen
Most working residents leave Waubun for work: only 3% work in town. At 13 minutes, Waubun’s average trip to work is below both the Minnesota town median (23 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). 18% of residents live below the poverty line in Waubun.
3%work in town
| Waubun | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 13 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $58,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.3% | 9.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Waubun3%
Mahnomen45%
Detroit Lakes5%
Minneapolis3%
Fargo3%
10 mi
median commute distance
93
jobs based in Waubun
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Waubun has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Waubun has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Waubun’s July high is 80°F.
48″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter2–20°
Spring30–51°
Summer55–78°
Fall33–53°
Sep 28
typical first frost
May 7
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Housing
The median rent in Waubun is lower than in most of Minnesota or the rest of the country
The median rent in Waubun is $650 a month. Typical home values rose 5.6% in the year to September 2026.
$278KZillow home value
| Waubun | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $650 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Waubun$278K
Minnesota$349K
+5.6%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Health
Waubun stands out in Minnesota and nationally, with more of its adults who say their health is fair or poor
30% of Waubun adults say their health is fair or poor. Of the 272 Minnesota towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Waubun. 20% of Waubun adults report frequent mental distress.
| Waubun | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 16% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 10% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 12% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better9 too close to call22 worse
| What stands out | Waubun | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.6% | 76.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21.3% | 8.9% |
Mahnomen Health Center
8.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 324 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Waubun City Park | 0.1 mi | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Waubun
18pages on Waubun
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Waubun
About 4 of every 100 Waubun residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Waubun for work
Where Waubun’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
93jobs based in Waubun
3%of working residents work in town
10 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Waubun
City in Minnesota, United States
Waubun is a city in Mahnomen County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 409 at the 2020 census. U.S. Route 59 and Minnesota State Highway 113 are two of the main routes in the community.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,240 ft
- ZIP code
- 56589
- Area code
- 218
Questions about Waubun
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Waubun, MN a good place to live?
Waubun has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.