1937 · House. Big Falls, Minnesota · Library of Congress
Big Falls’s story
Big Falls in pictures
6 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
Big FallsMN
A town of 136. Nearly 44% of it is conserved land.
Population
136
residents
Median home value
$68K
Census ACS
Household income
$29K
median
Median age
62.5
years
Jobs based here
40
A commuter town
What makes Big Falls stand out
The thing Big Falls does most differently from other towns.
Small town
136 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Big Falls’s report card
Now in Big Falls
Be the first to start the conversation.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Big Falls. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
Nearly a third of Big Falls is conserved land
5.2 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
44%conserved
44%
conserved · 1,689 of 3,839 acres
5.2 mi
of trails · 0.9 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pine Island State Forest | 2.3 mi | 1,688 |
| 2. Big Falls City Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Big Falls
Most working residents leave Big Falls for work: only 5% work in town. The top destinations are International Falls (29%), Bemidji (11%) and Littlefork (7%). Half commute less than 34 miles.
5%work in town
Where working residents work
In Big Falls5%
International Falls29%
Bemidji11%
Littlefork7%
Northome4%
34 mi
median commute distance
40
jobs based in Big Falls
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 75% of U.S. communities.
75risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Big Falls has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to -5°, and about 55 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
55″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter-1–20°
Spring26–51°
Summer52–76°
Fall32–51°
Sep 20
typical first frost
May 24
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Health
How healthy Big Falls is
Big Falls beats the Minnesota average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12.
32 measures vs. Minnesota
5 better15 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Big Falls | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.2% | 17.8% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.3% | 9.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.7% | 5.4% |
Bigfork Valley Hospital
30.8 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Big Falls for work
Where Big Falls’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
40jobs based in Big Falls
5%of working residents work in town
34 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Big Falls
City in Minnesota, United States
Big Falls is a city in Koochiching County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 175 at the 2020 census. U.S. Highway 71 and Minnesota State Highway 6 are two of the main routes in Big Falls.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 175
- Area
- 6.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,217 ft
- ZIP code
- 56627
- Area code
- 218