The Town FilesMenahga, Minnesota
City in Wadena County · population 1,340 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $155,500
- Household income
- $58,036
- Jan low / Jul high
- -3° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 42.1
Menahga is a city of 1,340 people in Wadena County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $155,500, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 90% of Minnesota towns, better for a vacation home than 90% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 81% of Minnesota towns.
How Menahga 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 Menahga is worth $155,500, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $58,036, which is more affordable than 79% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $734 a month. 60.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Menahga | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $155,500 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $734 | $991 |
| Median household income | $58,036 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 60.8% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.2% | — |
Who lives in Menahga
| People | Menahga | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.1% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.4% | 90.2% |
Weather in Menahga
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows -2.8°F. About 23.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.6 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 186 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Menahga since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 24, 2022 about 1.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 24, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 27, 2007.
Severe weather in Wadena County since 1996
Wadena County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 9, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4666: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 8, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4658: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, 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 Wadena County
Wadena County had 5,650 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,358 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Menahga itself the ACS puts it at 8.5%.
Public schools in Menahga
2 public schools with 945 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MENAHGA ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 511 | 13.8 |
| MENAHGA HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 434 | 16.1 |
Towns near Menahga
- Blueberry, MN1.6 mi · 828 people · home $266,000
- Red Eye, MN5.1 mi · 506 people · home $236,100
- Straight River, MN6.2 mi · 788 people · home $248,800
- Runeberg, MN6.5 mi · 639 people · home $241,700
- Sebeka, MN8.6 mi · 741 people · home $84,300
- Hubbard, MN9.6 mi · 770 people · home $324,500
- Park Rapids, MN11.4 mi · 4,142 people · home $227,500
- Todd, MN13.1 mi · 1,464 people · home $294,400
Menahga questions
Is Menahga, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Menahga scores better for retirees than 81% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 48%. 27.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.1).
How much does a house cost in Menahga?
The median owner-occupied home in Menahga is valued at $155,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,036, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $734 a month.
What is the weather like in Menahga?
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows -2.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 23.9 inches of precipitation a year and 45.6 inches of snow.
Does Menahga get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Menahga since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 24, 2022. 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)