Is Vadnais Heights, MN a Good Place to Live?
Vadnais Heights is a small city of 12,864 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $89,632 and a 4.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.
Strengths: Vadnais Heights stands out for solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Vadnais Heights is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Vadnais Heights 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: 104.5Vadnais Heights's overall cost of living index is 104.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Vadnais Heights costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Vadnais Heights, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $314,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,155 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.7% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $89,632 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageVadnais Heights's violent crime rate is 450.8 per 100,000 residents — 19% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Vadnais Heights is served primarily by Gentry Academy Charter School. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Vadnais Heights, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Gentry Academy Charter School | — |
| Elementary Schools | N/A | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 18.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 96.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Vadnais Heights sees average highs of 24.6°F in January and 82.7°F in July, with 33.1 inches of annual precipitation and 40.4 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Vadnais Heights, MN |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 24.6°F |
| Average High — July | 82.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 40.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | Vadnais Heights, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,864 | — |
| Median Age | 40.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 26.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 77.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 5.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.2% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 8.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 19.0% | 16.8% |