2003 · St Louis River · Wikimedia Commons
Thomson’s story
Thomson in pictures
4 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 4 places on the National Register.
- 2003St Louis River
- 2017Willard Munger State Trail
- 2021Town of
ThomsonMN
A town of 5,534. Public schools that outperform most of Minnesota.
6 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Lorie Shaull · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
5,534
+9.2% since 2010
Median home value
$339K
Census ACS
Household income
$119K
median
Median age
42.5
years
Jobs based here
621
A commuter town
What makes Thomson stand out
The 3 things Thomson does most differently from other towns.
A+School Grade
Schools
#7 for schools in MN
of 230 towns
School Grade A+.
Outdoors
#61 most conserved land in MN
19 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
9.7% of the town is conserved land.
100 U.S. towns● Thomson
Health
Healthier than 86%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than MN on 9 measures, worse on 0.
A commuter town
93% of working residents leave Thomson for work
Where Thomson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
621jobs based in Thomson
7%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Thomson’s report card
Now in Thomson
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Residents weigh in
Live in Thomson? Is an A+ for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Thomson’s Town Square.
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The data
Ordered by what stands out in Thomson. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Thomson’s public schools outperform 98% of Minnesota districts
The public schools Thomson’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 98% of Minnesota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
A+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winterquist Elementary | PK–6 | 684 | A+ |
| Lincoln Secondary | 7–12 | 603 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduationAll 2 schools →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Thomson
Most working residents leave Thomson for work: only 7% work in town. The top destinations are Duluth (40%), Cloquet (15%) and Superior (5%). Half commute less than 12 miles.
7%work in town
Where working residents work
In Thomson7%
Duluth40%
Cloquet15%
Superior5%
Hermantown3%
12 mi
median commute distance
621
jobs based in Thomson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors
9.7% of Thomson is conserved land
19 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves.
9.7%conserved
9.7%
conserved · 2,480 of 25,483 acres
19 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
#61
most conserved land in MN
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jay Cooke State Park | 18.4 mi | 2,409 |
| 2. Riverlands State Forest | — | 537 |
| 3. Northridge Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Health
Healthier than 86% of U.S. towns
Thomson beats the Minnesota average on 9 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
AHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Minnesota
9 better23 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Thomson | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.3% | 11.4% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.2% | 7.5% |
Community Memorial Hospital
4.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
83rd
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
High risk, with cold waves at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 70% of U.S. communities.
70risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland flooding
6
paid flood claims since 1985
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Thomson has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 1°, and about 71 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
71″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter5–23°
Spring28–50°
Summer52–75°
Fall34–52°
Sep 23
typical first frost
May 26
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Landmarks
4 places in Thomson on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Thomson
Former city in Minnesota, United States
Thomson was a city in Carlton County, Minnesota, United States, located along the Saint Louis River. The population was 159 at the 2010 census. In 2013, voters approved the consolidation of Thomson into the nearby city of Carlton, and Thomson ceased to exist as its own city in 2015. Thomson is adjacent to Jay Cooke State Park and is located on the Willard Munger State Trail. Minnesota Highway 210 and Dalles Avenue are two of the main routes in the community. Thomson is located seven miles southeast of the city of Cloquet, and 18 miles southwest of the city of Duluth.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 159
- Area
- 2.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,053 ft
- Area code
- 770
Thomson’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Thomson.
Twin LakesCarltonCloquetScanlonSolwayMidwayThomson
More about Thomson
Still missing for Thomson:local news coverageupcoming events