Wadena County, Minnesota: commercial real estate data.
Wadena County, Minnesota had an estimated 14,437 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,063, across 536 square miles. County output reached $744.5 m in 2024, 399 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 49 7(a) approvals worth $17.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Wadena County
How many people live in Wadena County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202414,256
- Households6,081
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$61,467
- Median age40.0
- Median gross rent$746 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$173,000
- Home value to household income2.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher19.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree4.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over9,518
- Population under 183,722
- Share under 1826.1 percent
- Population 65 and over2,881
- Share 65 and over20.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 647,653
- Civilian labor force6,757
- Unemployment rate5.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.1 percent
- Rank by population among Minnesota counties58th of 87
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2207th of 3,222
Wadena County is the 58th largest of 87 Minnesota counties by population. A median home costs 2.8 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 26.1 percent against 20.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Wadena County
Is Wadena County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202414,437
- Census 2020 base population14,063
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.66 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024144
- Births, 2024192
- Deaths, 2024236
- Natural change, 2024-44
- Net domestic migration, 2024164
- Net international migration, 202426
- Total net migration, 2024190
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024331
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents960th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.66 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Wadena County
Where are people moving to Wadena County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving410
- People arriving, from those returns738
- Tax returns filed by households leaving453
- Net household movement-43
- Adjusted gross income arriving$21.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$360,000
- Average income of an arriving household$52,073
- Average income of a leaving household$46,336
- Largest single originTodd County (57 households)
- Largest single destinationOtter Tail County (77 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Todd County | 57 | 118 | $2.4 m |
| Otter Tail County | 52 | 93 | $2.4 m |
| Hubbard County | 28 | 56 | $1.2 m |
| Becker County | 24 | 55 | $1.9 m |
Households arriving report $5,737 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Todd County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Wadena County
What is the Wadena County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$744.5 m
- County GDP, 2023$700.7 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.2 percent
- GDP change over five years35.9 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Minnesota areas BEA publishes66th of 87
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2082nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$52,221
Output grew 6.2 percent in the latest year and 35.9 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Wadena County
Employment by industry in Wadena County
- Covered employment, annual average5,650
- Establishments reporting451
- Average annual pay$50,358
- Average weekly wage$968
- Retail trade, employment614
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,823
- Wholesale trade, employment537
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$54,279
- Manufacturing, employment447
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$56,973
- Accommodation and food services, employment343
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$17,596
- Construction, employment257
- Other services, except public administration, employment183
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 614 | 50 | $33,823 |
| Wholesale trade | 537 | 15 | $54,279 |
| Manufacturing | 447 | 27 | $56,973 |
| Accommodation and food services | 343 | 34 | $17,596 |
| Construction | 257 | 62 | $66,609 |
| Other services, except public administration | 183 | 40 | $31,543 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 172 | 16 | $53,316 |
| Finance and insurance | 112 | 14 | $60,983 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 614 jobs, 10.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Wadena County
How many businesses are in Wadena County?
- Establishments, all industries399
- Employment at those establishments3,946
- Annual payroll$179.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents28.0
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Wadena County
Building permits in Wadena County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202457
- Declared construction value permitted$11.8 m
- Single family units authorized48
- Multifamily units authorized9
- Multifamily share of units15.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$207,561
- Units authorized per 1,000 households9.4
Single-family homes are 84.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Wadena County
SBA loans in Wadena County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded49
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$17.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$357,318
- Median 7(a) approval$210,000
- 10th percentile approval$66,120
- 90th percentile approval$827,000
- Largest single approval$2,500,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)804
- Jobs per approval16.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active9
- Distinct industries receiving approvals31
- Median 7(a) term72 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer14.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms7
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter36
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals2.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (4)
- Most active lenderWadena State Bank (35)
- 504 approvals recorded6
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.9 m
- Average 504 approval$315,333
- Median 504 approval$318,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval16.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved50.7
- Most active CDCMidwest Business Finance Corporation (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$19.4 m
The average approval of $357,318 sits well above the median of $210,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 14.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wadena County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Wadena County
Do SBA loans in Wadena County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded22
- Paid in full21
- Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure26
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Paid in full21
- Status: Charged off1
Only 22 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wadena County
SBA lending by place in Wadena County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Wadena, approvals34
- Sebeka, approvals9
- Menahga, approvals3
- Staples, approvals2
- Verndale, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Wadena | 34 | $11,139,500 |
| Sebeka | 9 | $5,460,800 |
| Menahga | 3 | $358,300 |
| Staples | 2 | $470,000 |
| Verndale | 1 | $80,000 |
Wadena accounts for 34 approvals against 9 in Sebeka. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wadena County
How large is Wadena County?
- Land area536 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Minnesota counties64th of 87
- Width, east to west20.5 mi
- Height, north to south30.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land27
- Establishments per square mile0.74
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Wadena County
Flood risk in Wadena County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Wadena County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 270637
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate62.5 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Wadena County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Wadena County (community 270637), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Wadena County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 62.5 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Wadena County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Wadena County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202414,256
- Households6,081
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$61,467
- Median age40.0
Common questions
Wadena County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Wadena County, Minnesota?
The Census Bureau estimates 14,437 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 14,256, in 6,081 households, ranking 58th of 87 Minnesota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Wadena County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.66 percent since the 2020 census base of 14,063, to 14,437 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 192 births against 236 deaths, with net migration of 190. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Wadena County?
$61,467. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $173,000, which is 2.8 times income, and median gross rent is $746 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Wadena County?
399 establishments, employing 3,946 people with an annual payroll of $179.1 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Wadena County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 614 jobs, 10.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 5,650 jobs at an average annual pay of $50,358, or $968 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Wadena County?
49 7(a) approvals totaling $17.5 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $210,000, plus 6 504 approvals worth $1.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Wadena County?
57 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $11.8 m. Multifamily was 15.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Wadena County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Wadena County come from?
The largest single origin is Todd County, with 57 households. Arriving households report an average income of $52,073 against $46,336 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Wadena County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Wadena County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Wadena County
Cities and places in Wadena.
7 Census places lie wholly or partly in Wadena County. All 7 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wadena | city | 4,419 | 34 | 95.4 percent here, 4.6 percent Otter Tail County |
| Staples | city | 2,269 | 2 | 53.1 percent here, 46.9 percent Todd County |
| Menahga | city | 1,343 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Sebeka | city | 725 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Verndale | city | 452 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Nimrod | city | 118 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Aldrich | city | 37 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
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