The Town FilesRed Eye, Minnesota
Township in Wadena County · population 506 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $236,100
- Household income
- $72,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- -3° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 33.3
Red Eye is a township of 506 people in Wadena County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $236,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 89% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 79% of Minnesota towns.
How Red Eye 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 Red Eye is worth $236,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $72,000, which is more affordable than 55% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $925 a month. 87.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Red Eye | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $236,100 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $925 | $991 |
| Median household income | $72,000 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 87.9% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 13.8% | — |
Who lives in Red Eye
| People | Red Eye | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.3 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.0% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 36.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 4.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.9% | 90.2% |
Weather in Red Eye
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 47.9 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
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Red Eye since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on June 17, 2010 about 8.8 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 7 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 24, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 17, 2010.
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 Red Eye itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Towns near Red Eye
- Sebeka, MN3.6 mi · 741 people · home $84,300
- Menahga, MN5.1 mi · 1,340 people · home $155,500
- Blueberry, MN6.6 mi · 828 people · home $266,000
- Runeberg, MN8.7 mi · 639 people · home $241,700
- Straight River, MN11.2 mi · 788 people · home $248,800
- Hubbard, MN13.5 mi · 770 people · home $324,500
- Wadena, MN16.2 mi · 4,325 people · home $160,800
- Park Rapids, MN16.4 mi · 4,142 people · home $227,500
Red Eye questions
Is Red Eye, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Red Eye scores better for retirees than 79% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 49%. 11.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.3).
How much does a house cost in Red Eye?
The median owner-occupied home in Red Eye is valued at $236,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,000, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $925 a month.
What is the weather like in Red Eye?
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 47.9 inches of snow.
Does Red Eye get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Red Eye since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on June 17, 2010. 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)