Barnesville is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,759 at the 2020 census, and was estimated at 2,765 in 2024. It is part of the Fargo–Moorhead metropolitan area.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Barnesville ranks

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#17Safest in MN #29Best schools in MN #35Fewest uninsured in MN All MN rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code56514

Area code218

Living in Barnesville

Safety in Barnesville

Safety Grade A

Barnesville reports less crime per resident than 91% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.

Violent crime per 1,000

Barnesville 1.1

Minnesota 2.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Barnesville 0.4

Minnesota 14.3

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Barnesville

Full picture →

Most working residents leave Barnesville for work: only 13% work in town. The top destinations are Fargo (38%), Moorhead (11%) and West Fargo (5%). Half commute less than 25 miles.

Fargo, ND

38%

Moorhead

11%

West Fargo, ND

Hawley

13%Work in townlive and work in Barnesville 25 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 694Jobs based herea commuter town

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Barnesville →

Health in Barnesville

Health Grade A

Healthier than 86% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Minnesota

1better than MN·1worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 30 are too close to call.

Conditions 1▼ 11 close Habits all close Care all close Mind all close Everyday needs 1▲ 3 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

5.9%Fewer adults without reliable transportationMN 7.1% · better 11.3%More older adults who have lost all their teethMN 8.9% · worse

Care nearby

Essentia HealthFargo · 23.2 mi · ER

Community Health Service Inc. MoorheadMoorhead · 22.1 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Barnesville · CMS · HRSAHealth in Barnesville →

Natural hazards in Barnesville

Very high

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 80% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🥶 Cold waves🌪️ Tornadoes

0Does Barnesville flood?no paid flood claims on record 1Disasters that paid out herefederal disaster sent FEMA money to Barnesville MapBarnesville vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Barnesville →

Climate in Barnesville

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Barnesville has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 0°, and about 50 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

22° / 3°Winter

53° / 32°Spring

79° / 57°Summer

55° / 35°Fall

How much snow does Barnesville get?About 50 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 3, with the last in spring around May 5.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.5° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Barnesville →

Schools in Barnesville

All Barnesville schools →

A⁺

School Grade A+

The public schools Barnesville’s kids attend outperform 99% of Minnesota’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

#29Best public schoolsof 230 in MN

DistrictBARNESVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.Schools2

Barnesville Elementary School AElementary · Grades PK–6 · 490 students Barnesville High School AHigh · Grades 7–12 · 380 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results, graded within MN. Ratings are from neighbors.