Lake Bemidji State Park CCC/NYA/Rustic Style Historic Resources · National Register of Historic Places
Northern’s story
Northern in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →NorthernMN
A town of 3,659. Nearly 15.8% of it is conserved land.
Population
3,659
−2.6% since 2010
Median home value
$320K
Census ACS
Household income
$100K
median
Median age
43.1
years
Jobs based here
599
A commuter town
What makes Northern stand out
The 3 things Northern does most differently from other towns.
Outdoors
#24 most conserved land in MN
18 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves
15.8% of the town is conserved land.
100 U.S. towns● Northern
Health
Healthier than 58%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than MN on 0 measures, worse on 10.
B−School Grade
Schools
#76 for schools in MN
of 230 towns
School Grade B−.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Northern for work
Where Northern’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
599jobs based in Northern
3%of working residents work in town
6 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Northern’s report card
Now in Northern
What neighbors are saying. Town Square →
Residents weigh in
Northern is #8 of 275 in MN for “Vacation-home towns”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Northern’s Town Square.
TT Weaver · 1w · Town talk
New to Northern
I was just thinking about how nice it is to have a relatively short commute to work, with the average being 20 minutes, and I started wondering what…
Or start one of these
Weather
Forecast →62°
Partly Cloudy
Tonight L 55°
Local news
All →- Joseph Louis BullyanDuluth News Tribune · Sep 25
- Businesses in Northern MN drought disaster zone offered fed loan assistanceKAXE · Sep 23
- Homicide of 17-year-old boy in northern Minnesota under investigationStar Tribune · Sep 21
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Northern. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
15.8% of Northern is conserved land
18 miles of trails across 2 parks and preserves.
#95for trails in MN
15.8%
conserved · 3,014 of 19,085 acres
18 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
#24
most conserved land in MN
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Buena Vista State Forest | 4.5 mi | 916 |
| 2. Movil Maze Recreation Area | — | 694 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Health
Healthier than 58% of U.S. towns
Northern beats the Minnesota average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10.
BHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better22 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Northern | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 12% | 8.9% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 8.8% | 7.1% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 14% | 11.4% |
Sanford Bemidji Medical Center
3.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
29th
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Northern
Most working residents leave Northern for work: only 3% work in town. The top destinations are Bemidji (58%), Red Lake (3%) and Little Rock (2%). Half commute less than 6 miles.
3%work in town
Where working residents work
In Northern3%
Bemidji58%
Red Lake3%
Little Rock2%
Bagley2%
6 mi
median commute distance
599
jobs based in Northern
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Schools
Northern’s public schools outperform 45% of Minnesota districts
The public schools Northern’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 55% of Minnesota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Elementary | PK–3 | 282 | B+ |
| Heartland Christian Academy Private | PK–11 | 72 |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduationAll 2 schools →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Northern has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to -3°, and about 49 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
49″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter1–21°
Spring28–51°
Summer54–76°
Fall33–52°
Sep 26
typical first frost
May 17
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 61% of U.S. communities.
61risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
About Northern
Township in Minnesota, United States
Northern Township is a township in Beltrami County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 4,535 as of the 2020 United States Census. Northern Township was named from its location on the north shore of Lake Bemidji. Northern Township was granted incorporation in February 2026 to form the new city of Northern, avoiding annexation into neighboring Bemidji. The township will host its first election for mayor and council on November 3, 2026.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 4,535
- Area
- 34 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,355 ft
Northern’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Northern.
BemidjiTurtle RiverEcklesTurtle LakeFrohnGrant ValleyNorthern