Wadena is a city located in Wadena County Minnesota. Wadena has a 2024 population of 4,327. It is also the county seat of Wadena County. Wadena is currently declining at a rate of -0.09% annually and its population has decreased by -0.37% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 4,343 in 2020.
The average household income in Wadena is $54,588 with a poverty rate of 16.5%. The median age in Wadena is 37.4 years: 38.8 years for males, and 34.5 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Wadena was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 4,036 | 93.25% |
| Two or more races | 265 | 6.12% |
| Native American | 16 | 0.37% |
| Other race | 8 | 0.18% |
| Black or African American | 3 | 0.07% |
| Asian | 0 | 0% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
White
Two or more races
Native American
Other race
Black or African American
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 1,948 | 2.14 | 51.4 | 48.6 |
| Non Family | 826 | 1.26 | 20.2 | 79.8 |
| Married | 744 | 3.02 | 85.3 | 14.7 |
| Female | 205 | 2.33 | 13.2 | 86.8 |
| Male | 173 | 2.32 | 100 | 0 |
2.78
Average Family Size
2.14
Average Household Size
51.4%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 120 | 4.27% |
| Associates Degree | 540 | 19.2% |
| Bachelors Degree | 397 | 14.11% |
| Graduate Degree | 90 | 3.2% |
| High School Graduate | 938 | 33.35% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 91 | 3.23% |
| Some College | 637 | 22.64% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 2,623 | 2,412 | 467 |
| 2+ Races | 163 | 163 | 20 |
| Hispanic | 52 | 52 | 0 |
| Native American | 16 | 16 | 0 |
| Other Race | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Black | 3 | 3 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among black people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 17.8%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Graduate Degree | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| High School Graduate | $27,794 | $33,221 | $26,691 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $21,136 | $5,750 | $21,402 |
| Overall | $28,491 | $34,734 | $24,343 |
| Some College | $31,136 | $45,807 | $23,750 |
$28,491
Average Earnings
$34,734
Average Male
$24,343
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
95.03% of Wadena residents speak only English, while 4.97% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Other languages, which is spoken by 3.65% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 3,925 | 694 | 17.68% |
16.5%
Overall Poverty Rate
18.03%
Male Poverty Rate
15.06%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Wadena is White, with 17.68% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Wadena is White, with 17.68% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.51%. Among those working part-time, it was 22.47%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 22.6%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| High School | 22.35% |
| Some College | 17.96% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 9.18% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 4.93% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 100% |
| Male Unemployed | 50.66% |
| Male Employed | 9.9% |
| Female Employed | 7.51% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $60,278 | $70,974 |
| Households | $44,450 | $54,588 |
| Married Families | $80,833 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $23,221 | $32,330 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
43.1%
Overall Marriage Rate
45.4%
Male Marriage Rate
41.0%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
217
Number of Veterans
208
Male Veterans
9
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 96 |
| First Gulf War | 38 |
| Second Gulf War | 0 |
| Korea | 0 |
| World War II | 0 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 65 to 74 | 91 |
| 35 to 54 | 54 |
| 75+ | 49 |
| 55 to 64 | 23 |
| 18 to 34 | 0 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 184 | 6.28% |
| 2+ Races | 26 | 10.7% |
| Native American | 7 | 43.75% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
11.98%
Veteran Poverty Rate
38.71%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
65.2%
Labor Force Participation
57.3%
Employment Rate
10.7%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
72.87%
Born in Wadena
95.98%
Native Born
4.02%
Foreign Born
3.19%
Non Citizen
0.83%
Naturalized
95.98% of Wadena residents were born in the United States, with 72.87% having been born in Minnesota. 3.19% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Africa.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 4,307 | -4 | -0.09% |
| 2028 | 4,311 | -4 | -0.09% |
| 2027 | 4,315 | -4 | -0.09% |
| 2026 | 4,319 | -4 | -0.09% |
| 2025 | 4,323 | -4 | -0.09% |
| 2024 | 4,327 | -4 | -0.09% |
| 2023 | 4,331 | -10 | -0.23% |
| 2022 | 4,341 | 5 | 0.12% |
| 2021 | 4,336 | -7 | -0.16% |
| 2020 | 4,343 | 247 | 6.03% |
| 2019 | 4,096 | 17 | 0.42% |
| 2018 | 4,079 | 16 | 0.39% |
| 2017 | 4,063 | 11 | 0.27% |
| 2016 | 4,052 | -41 | -1% |
| 2015 | 4,093 | 58 | 1.44% |
| 2014 | 4,035 | -30 | -0.74% |
| 2013 | 4,065 | 33 | 0.82% |
| 2012 | 4,032 | -15 | -0.37% |
| 2011 | 4,047 | -25 | -0.61% |
| 2010 | 4,072 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 4,294 | 163 | 3.95% |
| 1990 | 4,131 | -568 | -12.09% |
| 1980 | 4,699 | 59 | 1.27% |
| 1970 | 4,640 | 259 | 5.91% |
| 1960 | 4,381 | 423 | 10.69% |
| 1950 | 3,958 | 1,042 | 35.73% |
| 1940 | 2,916 | 404 | 16.08% |
| 1930 | 2,512 | -1,795 | -41.68% |