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Minnesota›Yellow Medicine County

Wood LakeMN

A town of 371, settled in 1879.

Is Wood Lake a good place to live?

Only 3 of the 257 Minnesota towns we compare have a lower going rate for rent than Wood Lake. Wood Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

371 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Getting set up

Moving to Wood Lake: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Wood Lake, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerXcel Energy17.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWood Lake water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Wood Lake’s trash rules yet
SchoolsLakeview School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereYMC Government CenterYellow Medicine County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5629756297 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 Wood Lake.

Housing

Wood Lake’s typical home value is about $176K

In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 8.6%. Among households in Wood Lake, 85% are owner-occupiers, above both Minnesota’s towns (75%) and U.S. towns (73%).

$176KZillow home value

Typical home value

Wood Lake$176K
Minnesota$349K
+8.6%
value change, 1 year

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Work & commute

Wood Lake has 0.3 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out

The top destinations are Marshall (15%), Granite Falls (13%) and Cottonwood (11%). Just 1% of Wood Lake’s working residents have a job in town. The town’s median household income stands at $65,000, below both the Minnesota town median ($90,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). The median commute is under 18 miles.

1%work in town
Wood LakeMinnesota townsU.S. towns
Working residents who work in town1.2%9.8%8%
Median household income$65,000$90,000$80,000
Average trip to work25 minutes23 minutes25 minutes
Below the poverty line8.7%7%9.6%

Where working residents work

In Wood Lake1%
Marshall15%
Granite Falls13%
Cottonwood11%
Echo7%
18 mi
median commute distance
47
jobs based in Wood Lake
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

In Wood Lake, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers

Among 275 Minnesota towns, just 3 have a higher July high than Wood Lake. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 5° and about 44 inches of snow falls in a winter.

44″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter9–26°
Spring34–55°
Summer59–81°
Fall37–58°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy Wood Lake is

Nearly a fifth of adults binge drink in Wood Lake. In Wood Lake, nearly three quarters of adults had a checkup this year, and 33% sleep under 7 hours.

Wood LakeMinnesota townsU.S. towns
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)19%18%16%
Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES)74%75%79%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)33%30%36%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)38%35%35%
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better31 too close to call1 worse
What stands outWood LakeMN
Fewer adults seeing a dentist62.3%67.5%
Avera Granite Falls
10.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazards

Natural hazards: moderate risk in Wood Lake, mostly inland flooding

30% of Wood Lake’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by heat waves at 30%. Storm and flood damage is expected to run lower than in 56% of U.S. communities.

44risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
44Moderate riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingHeat wavesCold waves

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Wood Lake

16pages on Wood Lake
After high school

Colleges nearby

1 within 15 miles of the center of Wood Lake

A commuter town

99% of working residents leave Wood Lake for work

Where Wood Lake’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

15% → Marshall Marshall 15% 13% → Granite Falls Granite Falls 13% 11% → Cottonwood Cottonwood 11% 7% → Echo Echo 7% 4% → Redwood Falls Redwood Falls 4% 3% → Minneota Minneota 3% Wood Lake · 1% stay
47jobs based in Wood Lake
1%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Wood Lake

Township in Minnesota, United States

Wood Lake Township is a township in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 220 at the 2000 census. Wood Lake Township was organized in 1873, and named after Wood Lake.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
35 sq mi
Elevation
1,030 ft

Questions about Wood Lake

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Wood Lake, MN a good place to live?

Wood Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.