The Town FilesVadnais Heights, Minnesota
City in Ramsey County · population 12,912 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $363,100
- Household income
- $98,685
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 39.6
Vadnais Heights is a city of 12,912 people in Ramsey County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $363,100, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more vibrant than 93% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 92% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 88% of Minnesota towns.
How Vadnais Heights 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 Vadnais Heights is worth $363,100, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $98,685, which is more affordable than 34% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,455 a month. 79.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Vadnais Heights | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $363,100 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,455 | $991 |
| Median household income | $98,685 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 79.6% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Vadnais Heights
| People | Vadnais Heights | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.6% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.9% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.9% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.8% | — |
| Work from home | 22.7% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.4% | 90.2% |
Weather in Vadnais Heights
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 8.3°F. About 33.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.4 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 157 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vadnais Heights since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 6, 1965 about 9.2 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 7 deaths and 434 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 27, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 240 times; the largest was 3.10 inches on August 24, 2006.
Severe weather in Ramsey County since 1996
Ramsey County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 10, 2011 | Flood | DR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Ramsey County
Ramsey County had 325,226 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $77,908 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Vadnais Heights itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Public schools in Vadnais Heights
4 public schools with 607 students, about 18.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFSA HIGH SCHOOL (charter) | 7-12 | 255 | 18.2 |
| Gentry Academy Middle (charter) | 5-8 | 192 | 21.3 |
| Gentry Academy High (charter) | 9-12 | 131 | 21.8 |
| WELS North | 10-12 | 29 | 7.3 |
Towns near Vadnais Heights
- Little Canada, MN2.5 mi · 10,819 people · home $319,800
- White Bear Lake, MN2.7 mi · 24,883 people · home $331,800
- Maplewood, MN3.2 mi · 42,088 people · home $323,200
- White Bear, MN3.6 mi · 11,049 people · home $386,300
- North Oaks, MN3.7 mi · 5,272 people · home $821,200
- Shoreview, MN4.0 mi · 26,921 people · home $383,700
- North St. Paul, MN4.4 mi · 12,364 people · home $298,500
- Mahtomedi, MN4.7 mi · 8,138 people · home $476,000
Vadnais Heights questions
Is Vadnais Heights, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Vadnais Heights scores better for retirees than 48% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 15%. 19.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.6).
How much does a house cost in Vadnais Heights?
The median owner-occupied home in Vadnais Heights is valued at $363,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $98,685, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,455 a month.
What is the weather like in Vadnais Heights?
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 8.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.1 inches of precipitation a year and 40.4 inches of snow.
Does Vadnais Heights get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Vadnais Heights since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 6, 1965. 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)