The Town FilesPonemah, Minnesota
Community in Beltrami County · population 599 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $123,600
- Jan low / Jul high
- -3° / 77°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 43.8
Ponemah is a community of 599 people in Beltrami County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $123,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better transit than 89% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 70% of Minnesota towns.
How Ponemah 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 Ponemah is worth $123,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). 68.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ponemah | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $123,600 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | — | $991 |
| Median household income | — | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 68.9% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ponemah
| People | Ponemah | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 0.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.0% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 14.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | — min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.4% | 90.2% |
Weather in Ponemah
July highs average 76.6°F and January lows -2.7°F. About 22.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 187 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ponemah since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 11, 2018 about 2.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 11, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on October 7, 2007.
Severe weather in Beltrami County since 1996
Beltrami County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Beltrami County
Beltrami County had 20,746 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,299 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Ponemah itself the ACS puts it at 22.5%.
Public schools in Ponemah
1 public school with 115 students, about 6.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PONEMAH ELEMENTARY | PK-8 | 115 | 6.4 |
Towns near Ponemah
- Redby, MN11.4 mi · 1,302 people · home $108,000
- Red Lake, MN12.4 mi · 1,786 people · home $116,500
- Little Rock, MN15.0 mi · 1,021 people · home $41,900
- Blackduck, MN26.2 mi · 845 people · home $96,900
- Hines, MN26.2 mi · 612 people · home $238,800
- Liberty, MN27.5 mi · 746 people · home $261,400
- Port Hope, MN28.6 mi · 745 people · home $315,600
- Turtle Lake, MN28.8 mi · 1,299 people · home $420,600
Ponemah questions
Is Ponemah, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ponemah scores better for retirees than 0% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 23%. 25.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.8).
How much does a house cost in Ponemah?
The median owner-occupied home in Ponemah is valued at $123,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Ponemah?
July highs average 76.6°F and January lows -2.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.8 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Ponemah get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ponemah since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 11, 2018. 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)