Willow River, MN housing market
The typical Willow River home is worth about $265,000, up 5% in a year, 24% below the Minnesota typical home.
Home values, sales, trends and how Willow River compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Willow River at a glance
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Willow River | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $133,000 | $217,000 |
| 2018 | $145,000 | $232,000 |
| 2019 | $151,000 | $246,000 |
| 2020 | $153,000 | $259,000 |
| 2021 | $174,000 | $282,000 |
| 2022 | $206,000 | $313,000 |
| 2023 | $233,000 | $325,000 |
| 2024 | $243,000 | $331,000 |
| 2025 | $251,000 | $341,000 |
| 2026 | $256,000 | $349,000 |
| August 2026 | $265,000 | $351,000 |
2 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 2 new homes in Willow River in 2025, all single-family houses. Over the past 10 years, Willow River has permitted 12 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Willow River's population fell by 31 even though 2 new homes were permitted. Homes are holding fewer people: households are getting smaller, or more homes are used part of the year. Across Minnesota: 2.2 new residents per new home.
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 2 | 2 | 0 | $641,000 |
| 2025 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $641,000 |
| 2024 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $641,000 |
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $303,000 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 4 | 2 | 2 | $768,000 |
| 2020 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $150,000 |
| 2019 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $215,000 |
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $215,000 |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $300,000 |
| 2007 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $300,000 |
| 2006 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $300,000 |
| 2005 | 12 | 10 | 2 | $1.3 million |
| 2004 | 16 | 8 | 8 | $1.9 million |
| 2003 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $1.2 million |
| 2002 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $600,000 |
| 2001 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $80,000 |
| 2000 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $60,000 |
Willow River's permit office didn't report to the Census in 2025, so the 2025 figures are Census estimates.
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Willow River and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willow River | $265K | +5% | $980 | 2 | $58,125 |
| Kettle River | — | — | $990 | 0 | $65,500 |
| Sturgeon Lake | $277K | +3.4% | $1,170 | 1 | $81,875 |
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 · figures for a place this size carry wide margins of error.
A two-bedroom rents for about $980
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Willow River is $980 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Willow River pay a median of $743, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put.
Studio $740 · 4 bedrooms $1,300
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (55795; Pine County, MN), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.