Willow River Rutabaga Warehouse and Processing Plant · National Register of Historic Places
Willow River’s story
135 years in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1891Willow River is settled
Willow RiverMN
A town of 342, settled in 1891. Public schools that outperform most of Minnesota.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
342
residents
Typical home
$265K
+5% in a year
Household income
$58K
median
Median age
37.7
years
Jobs based here
186
Balanced
What makes Willow River stand out
The 3 things Willow River does most differently from other towns.
Small town
342 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Kettle RiverSturgeon LakeWillow River
Willow River’s report card
Now in Willow River
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Willow River? Is a C for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Willow River’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Willow River. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Willow River’s public schools outperform 29% of Minnesota districts
The public schools Willow River’s kids attend trail 71% of Minnesota’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
CSchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willow River Elementary | PK–6 | 231 | C+ |
| Willow River Secondary | 7–12 | 205 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state testsAll 2 schools →
Housing
A typical Willow River home is worth about $265K
The typical Willow River home is worth about $265,000, up 5% in a year, 24% below the Minnesota typical home.
$265KZillow home value
Typical home value
Willow River$265K
Minnesota$351K
+5%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Outdoors
15.7% of Willow River is conserved land
2.9 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves.
15.7%conserved
15.7%
conserved · 194 of 1,232 acres
2.9 mi
of trails · 1.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. General C.C. Andrews State Forest | 1.6 mi | 194 |
| 2. Frank Magdziarz Feild | — | 2 |
| 3. Willow River City Park | 0.1 mi | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers
Willow River has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 1°, and about 64 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
64″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter5–24°
Spring29–52°
Summer54–77°
Fall34–54°
Oct 2
typical first frost
May 12
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Willow River
Most working residents leave Willow River for work: only 7% work in town. The top destinations are Moose Lake (16%), Duluth (5%) and Sandstone (4%). Half commute less than 32 miles.
7%work in town
Where working residents work
In Willow River7%
Moose Lake16%
Duluth5%
Sandstone4%
Finlayson3%
32 mi
median commute distance
186
jobs based in Willow River
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
How healthy Willow River is
Willow River beats the Minnesota average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8.
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better24 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Willow River | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 7.2% | 5.4% |
| More adults with heart disease | 7.4% | 5.9% |
| More smokers | 16.4% | 13.1% |
Essentia Health Moose Lake
9.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 59% of U.S. communities.
59risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
5
paid flood claims since 1984
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
About Willow River
City in Minnesota, United States
Willow River is a city in Pine County, Minnesota, United States, at the confluence of the Kettle and Willow Rivers. As of the 2020 census, Willow River had a population of 384. Interstate 35, County Road 43, and County 61 (Cross Street) are three of the main routes in the community.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1891
- Population
- 384
- Area
- 1.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,040 ft
- ZIP code
- 55795
- Area code
- 218