Median Income
$46,500
household / year
Median Home Value
$89,300
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$663
gross / month
Cost of Living
90
national avg = 100

Is Badger, MN a Good Place to Live?

Badger is a small town of 434 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $46,500 and a 7.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is 10% below the national average.

Strengths: Badger stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Badger is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Badger city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 89.6

Badger's overall cost of living index is 89.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Badger costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.

Metric Badger, MN National Avg
Median Home Value $89,300 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $663 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 71.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $46,500 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Badger's violent crime rate is 158.3 per 100,000 residents — 58% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
158.3 /100k
Property Crime
316.5 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Badger is served primarily by BADGER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Badger, MN National Avg
School District BADGER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools 1 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 10.9:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 12.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 96.7% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Badger sees average highs of 13.2°F in January and 76.9°F in July, with 27.7 inches of annual precipitation and 45.9 inches of snow per year.

MetricBadger, MN
Average High — January13.2°F
Average High — July76.9°F
Annual Precipitation27.7"
Annual Snowfall45.9"

Demographics

MetricBadger, MNNational Avg
Population434—
Median Age38.838.9
Unemployment Rate7.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time19.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)97.0%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino0.9%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1831.8%22.2%
65 and over19.1%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Badger

Badger, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Badger vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Badger's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average. That makes Badger roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $89,300 and median rent is $663/month.
Badger's violent crime rate is 158.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 316.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Badger are operated by BADGER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.9:1. 12.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Badger, MN has a population of 434, a median household income of $46,500, and an unemployment rate of 7.9%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Badger averages 13.2°F in January and 76.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 27.7 inches with about 45.9 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Badger, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: 56714.
The population of Badger, Minnesota is 434 with a median age of 38.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Badger: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $89,300, median household income $46,500, crime index 31 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Badger side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.