The Town FilesWoodside, Minnesota
Township in Polk County · population 512 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $530,400
- Household income
- $106,786
- Jan low / Jul high
- -3° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 59.1
Woodside is a township of 512 people in Polk County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $530,400, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 99% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 94% of Minnesota towns, hipper than 83% of Minnesota towns.
How Woodside 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 Woodside is worth $530,400, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $106,786, which is more affordable than 5% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $975 a month. 92.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Woodside | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $530,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $975 | $991 |
| Median household income | $106,786 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 92.4% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 74.3% | — |
Who lives in Woodside
| People | Woodside | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 36.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 14.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.0% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 18.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.2% | 90.2% |
Weather in Woodside
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows -2.9°F. About 24.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.9 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 182 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Woodside since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on June 17, 2010 about 2.3 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 2 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 8, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 45 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 27, 2006.
Severe weather in Polk County since 1996
Polk County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| 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 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Polk County
Polk County had 12,036 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,723 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Woodside itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Woodside
- Knute, MN6.0 mi · 563 people · home $291,700
- Garfield, MN7.8 mi · 519 people · home $247,300
- Fertile, MN9.7 mi · 804 people · home $129,500
- McIntosh, MN11.4 mi · 606 people · home $103,600
- Fosston, MN18.0 mi · 1,434 people · home $151,700
- Red Lake Falls, MN18.7 mi · 1,339 people · home $139,300
- Mahnomen, MN23.1 mi · 1,240 people · home $83,200
- Crookston, MN24.2 mi · 7,482 people · home $185,600
Woodside questions
Is Woodside, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Woodside scores better for retirees than 94% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 69%. 36.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 59.1).
How much does a house cost in Woodside?
The median owner-occupied home in Woodside is valued at $530,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $106,786, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $975 a month.
What is the weather like in Woodside?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows -2.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.3 inches of precipitation a year and 49.9 inches of snow.
Does Woodside get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Woodside since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 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)