Wendell, Minnesota, 2006
Wendell’s story
139 years in pictures
Census counts: 175 in 1910, a peak of 284 in 1950, 166 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1910 on.
- 1887Wendell is settled
WendellMN
A town of 165, settled in 1887.
Photo: afiler from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
165
2025 Census estimate · +0.6% since 2020
Median home value
$83K
Census ACS
Household income
$61K
median
Median age
39.3
years
Jobs based here
18
A commuter town
Is Wendell a good place to live?
Wendell has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
165 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Wendell: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Wendell, and how to reach them.
PowerOtter Tail Power11.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWendell water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Wendell’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 hereGrant County CourthouseGrant County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5659056590 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 Wendell.
Work & commute
Compared with most of Minnesota and the rest of the country, more of Wendell’s residents live below the poverty line
The middle household income for Wendell comes to $61,000, below both the Minnesota town median ($90,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). The town’s mean commuting time stands at 21 minutes. The top destinations are Elbow Lake (21%), Fergus Falls (12%) and Alexandria (12%). For half of commuters, work is under 22 miles away.
0%work in town
| Wendell | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 22% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $61,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Wendell0%
Elbow Lake21%
Fergus Falls12%
Alexandria12%
Ashby5%
22 mi
median commute distance
18
jobs based in Wendell
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Top of a low hazard risk in Wendell: inland flooding
The FEMA risk score for Wendell comes to 27 of 100, below both Minnesota’s towns (40 of 100) and U.S. towns (44 of 100). FEMA puts just over two fifths of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 28% to cold waves. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 73% of U.S. communities.
27risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
81°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter5–23°
Spring32–53°
Summer58–79°
Fall35–56°
Oct 5
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
81°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
A larger share of adults in Wendell have obesity than in the typical Minnesota or U.S. town
26% of Wendell adults have been diagnosed with depression. Only 9 of the 272 Minnesota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Wendell. Among adults here, 18% smoke cigarettes and 29% sleep under 7 hours. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Wendell is ahead of Minnesota on 1 and behind on 12.
| Wendell | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 35% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 31% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better19 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Wendell | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80% | 76.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 17.4% | 8.9% |
Prairie Ridge Hospital and Health Services
6.7 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wendell
16pages on Wendell
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Wendell; the nearest are
Minnesota State Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Fergus Falls17.5 mi$5,908 in-state tuitionUniversity of Minnesota-MorrisUniversity or college · Public · Morris32.3 mi$14,526 in-state tuition
About 8 of every 100 Wendell residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Wendell for work
Where Wendell’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
18jobs based in Wendell
0%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Wendell
City in Minnesota, United States
Wendell is a city in Grant County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 166 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,145 ft
- ZIP code
- 56590
- Area code
- 218
Questions about Wendell
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Wendell, MN a good place to live?
Wendell has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.