The Town FilesBaudette, Minnesota
City in Lake of the Woods County · population 966 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $173,600
- Household income
- $71,061
- Jan low / Jul high
- -5° / 81°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 41.6
Baudette is a city of 966 people in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $173,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for retirees than 99% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 92% of Minnesota towns, hipper than 92% of Minnesota towns.
How Baudette ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Baudette is worth $173,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $71,061, which is more affordable than 86% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $899 a month. 64.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Baudette | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $173,600 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $899 | $991 |
| Median household income | $71,061 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 64.4% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.6% | — |
Who lives in Baudette
| People | Baudette | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.5% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.7% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 14.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 3.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 10.3 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.3% | 90.2% |
Weather in Baudette
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows -5.3°F. About 25.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 184 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Baudette since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 25, 1963 about 1.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 17, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 19, 2016.
Severe weather in Lake of the Woods County since 1996
Lake of the Woods County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 13, 2022 | Flood | DR-4659: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Lake of the Woods County
Lake of the Woods County had 1,578 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,228 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Baudette itself the ACS puts it at 0.4%.
Public schools in Baudette
2 public schools with 458 students, about 16.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAKE OF THE WOODS SECONDARY | 6-12 | 230 | 23.0 |
| LAKE OF THE WOODS ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 228 | 12.7 |
Towns near Baudette
- Laona, MN27.2 mi · 508 people · home $124,700
Baudette questions
Is Baudette, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Baudette scores better for retirees than 99% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 74%. 21.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.6).
How much does a house cost in Baudette?
The median owner-occupied home in Baudette is valued at $173,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,061, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $899 a month.
What is the weather like in Baudette?
July highs average 80.9°F and January lows -5.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 25.1 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Baudette get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Baudette since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 25, 1963. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)