1905 · Overlooking the ore docks · Library of Congress
Two Harbors’s story
Two Harbors in pictures
6 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 6 places on the National Register.
Two HarborsMN
A town of 3,567. More miles of trail than almost any town in Minnesota.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown · Public domain
Population
3,567
−3% since 2010
Typical home
$296K
+5.2% in a year
Household income
$66K
median
Median age
41.2
years
Jobs based here
1,471
Balanced
What makes Two Harbors stand out
The 3 things Two Harbors does most differently from other towns.
Get outside
16 miles of trails in Two Harbors
1.3% of the town is conserved land, across 5 parks and preserves.
Trails © OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Two Harbors’s report card
Outdoors16 mi#1 for trails in MNHousing$296K16% below the MN typical homeSchoolsBBeats 58% of MN districtsSafetyALess crime than 92% of U.S. townsHazards6/100Very low risk of storm & flood damageHealthC+Healthier than 38% of U.S. townsClimate75°/4°Summer high · winter low · 61″ snowCommute24 miHalf of commuters travel less
Now in Two Harbors
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Two Harbors is #271 of 271 in MN for “Hottest summers”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Two Harbors’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →49°
Clear
Tonight L 41°
Local news
All →- Motorcyclist Dead, Multiple Injured After Crashing Near Tunnel Along Minnesota's North ShoreKROC-AM · Sep 13
- The Current's Happy Hours: Castle Danger Brewery with Alex Lambertmpr.org · Aug 13
- Ukulele Magic Hits Lake County: Free Four-Day International Carnival AnnouncedNorth Shore Journal · Aug 5
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Two Harbors. Another town gets a different order.
Outdoors
1.3% of Two Harbors is conserved land
16 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves. More trails than any other town in Minnesota.
#1for trails in MN
1.3%
conserved · 27 of 2,092 acres
16 mi
of trails · 4.8 per sq mi
#121
most walkable in MN
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lakeview Park | 0.2 mi | 10 |
| 2. Paul Van Hover Park | 0.1 mi | 9 |
| 3. Odegard Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Housing
A typical Two Harbors home is worth about $296K
The typical Two Harbors home is worth about $296,000, up 5.2% in a year, 16% below the Minnesota typical home.
$296KZillow home value
Typical home value
Two Harbors$296K
Minnesota$351K
+5.2%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Schools
Two Harbors’s public schools outperform 58% of Minnesota districts
The public schools Two Harbors’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 58% of Minnesota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
BSchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnehaha Elementary | PK–5 | 367 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduationAll 1 schools →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 92% of U.S. towns
Two Harbors reports less crime per resident than 92% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
ASafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Two Harbors0.6
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Two Harbors0.9
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
92nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
86th
percentile among MN towns
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
3
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Natural hazards
Very low risk, with cold waves at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 6% of U.S. communities.
6risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesStrong windInland flooding
1
paid flood claims since 2012
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Health
Healthier than 38% of U.S. towns
Two Harbors beats the Minnesota average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12.
C+Health Grade
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better19 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Two Harbors | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.2% | 76.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.6% | 5.4% |
Aspirus Lake View Hospital
0.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
7th
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Two Harbors has cold, snowy winters and cool summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 75°, a January night drops to 4°, and about 61 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
61″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter8–25°
Spring28–47°
Summer52–73°
Fall36–52°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 12
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Work & commute
About one in three working residents works right in Two Harbors
About one in 3 of Two Harbors’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Duluth (20%), Silver Creek (7%) and Stony River (3%). Half commute less than 24 miles.
31%work in town
Where working residents work
In Two Harbors31%
Duluth20%
Silver Creek7%
Stony River3%
Silver Bay2%
24 mi
median commute distance
1,471
jobs based in Two Harbors
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Landmarks
6 places in Two Harbors on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Two Harbors
11 notable people were born in Two Harbors.
P
Philip BerriganAmerican priest and anti-war activist · 1923–2002J
Johnny WesternAmerican singer · born 1934
B
Bill SteinNational Football League player · 1899–1983E
Eileen Rose BusbyAmerican historian and writer · 1922–2005
About Two Harbors
City in Minnesota, United States
Two Harbors is a city and the county seat of Lake County, Minnesota, United States, along the shore of Lake Superior. The population was 3,633 at the 2020 census. Minnesota State Highway 61 serves as a main route in Two Harbors. Gooseberry Falls State Park is 13 miles (21 km) to the northeast. The city is home to a cargo shipping port for mined iron ore.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 3,633
- Area
- 3.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 669 ft
- ZIP code
- 55616
- Area code
- 218
Two Harbors’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Two Harbors.
Silver CreekTwo Harbors
More about Two Harbors
Still missing for Two Harbors:upcoming events