The Town FilesWalden, Minnesota
Township in Cass County · population 539 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $207,600
- Household income
- $59,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- -1° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 38.6
Walden is a township of 539 people in Cass County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $207,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 81% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 78% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 76% of Minnesota towns.
How Walden 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 Walden is worth $207,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $59,375, which is more affordable than 45% of Minnesota towns. 91.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Walden | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $207,600 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | — | $991 |
| Median household income | $59,375 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 91.1% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.1% | — |
Who lives in Walden
| People | Walden | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 29.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.1% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.9% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 9.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 5.7% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 27.8 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.7% | 90.2% |
Weather in Walden
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows -0.8°F. About 28.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.2 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 178 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walden since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 11, 1966 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 6, 1969.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on August 28, 1989.
Severe weather in Cass County since 1996
Cass County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Cass County
Cass County had 10,661 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,904 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Walden itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Towns near Walden
- Wilson, MN4.1 mi · 667 people · home $223,100
- Pine River, MN5.3 mi · 911 people · home $180,400
- Pine River, MN6.3 mi · 1,186 people · home $229,200
- Loon Lake, MN7.2 mi · 626 people · home $371,300
- Barclay, MN8.1 mi · 525 people · home $255,300
- Pequot Lakes, MN10.3 mi · 2,395 people · home $289,300
- Lake Shore, MN12.3 mi · 1,056 people · home $513,200
- Powers, MN12.7 mi · 811 people · home $242,200
Walden questions
Is Walden, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Walden scores better for retirees than 75% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 76%. 26.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.6).
How much does a house cost in Walden?
The median owner-occupied home in Walden is valued at $207,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,375, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Walden?
July highs average 79.7°F and January lows -0.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.8 inches of precipitation a year and 39.2 inches of snow.
Does Walden get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walden since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 11, 1966. 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)