City · Minnesota
Waubun, Minnesota
Waubun, city, in Mahnomen County, Minnesota. Waubun had 389 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 5.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 409 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 419 (±74). GEOID 2768674.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
389
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 409 · ACS 2020-2024: 419 ±74
Median household income
$58,036
±$17,332 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062
Median home value
$77,900
±$14,278 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300
Median gross rent
$650
±$278 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280
Where is Waubun and what county is it in?
Waubun is a city in Mahnomen County, Minnesota. It covers 0.5 square miles of land, 796 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Waubun, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 389 people lived in Waubun on July 1, 2025, down 5.1% since 2020, while Minnesota grew 2.2%. The 2020 Census counted 409 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 419 (±74).
| Measure | Waubun | Mahnomen County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 419 ±74 | 5,358 | no clear change |
| Households | 157 ±29 | 1,885 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.67 ±0.41 | 2.80 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 170 ±28 | 2,547 | no clear change |
Waubun's population since 2000
From 403 in 2000 to 389 in 2025: down 3.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Waubun as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Waubun?
The median resident of Waubun is 31.3 years old; 34.1% are under 18 and 16.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 40.1%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 32.0%.
| Measure | Waubun | Mahnomen County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.3 ±4.3 | 35.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 34.1% ±5.9 pts | 31.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.7% ±4.6 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Male | 49.9% ±5.3 pts | 51.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.0% ±0.9 pts | 4.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 32.0% ±6.9 pts | 44.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±2.7 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 40.1% ±7.9 pts | 33.6% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 24.8% ±5.9 pts | 16.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±5.2 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.8% ±3.6 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.2% ±4.3 pts | 5.8% | – |
| With a disability | 17.7% ±4.0 pts | 16.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.6% ±3.6 pts | 11.9% | −9.5 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.3% ±4.5 pts | 88.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.1% ±4.5 pts | 16.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.0% ±2.7 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.3% ±4.5 pts | 92.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Waubun earn?
Half of Waubun's 157 households earn less than $58,036 a year (±$17,332), against $59,441 in Mahnomen County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $64,304 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 18.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Waubun | Mahnomen County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,036 ±$17,332 | $59,441 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $71,451 ±$11,681 | $74,650 | – |
| Per capita income | $26,390 ±$4,411 | $27,297 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 18.0% ±5.5 pts | 18.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 19.3% ±12.1 pts | 22.9% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 24.8% ±7.6 pts | 21.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.2% ±5.7 pts | 90.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.4% ±7.3 pts | 85.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Waubun?
Owners occupy 73.2% of Waubun's occupied homes and renters 26.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $77,900 by its owner (±$14,278). The median renter pays $650 a month including utilities, and 38.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Waubun | Mahnomen County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $77,900 ±$14,278 | $161,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $650 ±$278 | $696 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 38.5% ±17.1 pts | 28.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,078 ±$127 | $1,335 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 73.2% ±7.4 pts | 73.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 26.8% ±7.4 pts | 26.7% | – |
| Housing units | 170 ±28 | 2,547 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.5% ±3.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.7% ±6.8 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 71.8% ±7.4 pts | 80.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 8.8% ±6.0 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±12.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 27.6% ±8.0 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.0% ±3.6 pts | 9.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Waubun building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Waubun in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across Minnesota.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Waubun work and get to work?
72.8% of Waubun's workers drive alone and 10.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 13.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 16.3%.
| Measure | Waubun | Mahnomen County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 71.1% ±6.1 pts | 58.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 16.3% ±6.6 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 72.8% ±9.1 pts | 73.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.6% ±6.3 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.9% ±2.3 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Walked | 1.2% ±1.6 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.5% ±6.9 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 13.4 min ±1.6 | 20.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Waubun?
No census tract lies mostly in Waubun; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9401Mahnomen County | 2,847 | $57,831 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Waubun) · Census block assignment files
How does Waubun compare with other places in Minnesota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Waubun is the 14,233rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 542nd-most populous of 855 in Minnesota.
Waubun is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 542nd | 855 |
Waubun's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)
Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Waubun with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Waubun?
16 of the 57 figures for Waubun on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Waubun are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Waubun.