Living in Waite Park, MN

Explore Waite Park and see how it fits the life you want to build.

8,399 Population Stearns County County City Place Type Minnesota State
Overall Match6.6 / 10

Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.

Waite Park at a Glance

Key facts and current data

Population8,399
Median Household Income$59,285
Median Home Value$219,400
Median Gross Rent$1,117
Median Age38.1
Average Household Size2.3
Unemployment7.5%
Work From Home5.8%
Homeownership51.3%
Housing Vacancy3.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.

Waite Park is a smaller community, so land use, housing supply and its relationship with surrounding communities can be especially important to movers. Unemployment is elevated enough that job location and industry-specific opportunities deserve closer review.

Experience the Area

Experience Life in Waite Park Before You Move

Explore Short-Term Stays in Waite Park →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate

NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Waite Park and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.

NarrowTheList Ratings

Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.

Housing Value3.4 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Employment3.0 / 5Lower unemployment produces a stronger rating.
Housing Stability3.3 / 5Combines homeownership and housing vacancy.
Remote Work Friendly2.9 / 5Based on the share of residents working from home.
Income Strength3.8 / 5Household income compared on a national scale.

These are location-wide baseline ratings, not your personal match score. Your own priorities can change which factors matter most.

Housing & Cost of Living in Waite Park

Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau

Median Home Value$219,400
Median Gross Rent$1,117
Homeownership51.3%
Housing Vacancy3.5%
Housing Value6.8/10
Housing Stability6.6/10

Home values are moderately high relative to local household income, making neighborhood-level price differences important for buyers. Renters make up a substantial share of the local housing market.

Jobs, Income & Remote Work

Employment and household-income context for Waite Park, MN

Median Household Income$59,285
Unemployment7.5%
Work From Home5.8%
Employment6.0/10
Remote Work Friendly5.8/10
Income Strength7.6/10

The reported unemployment rate is elevated enough to warrant a closer look at current local employment conditions.

Population & Household Profile

Who lives in Waite Park and how households are structured

Population8,399
Median Age38.1
Average Household Size2.3

Waite Park is a smaller community, so its relationship with nearby towns, employment centers and services can be especially important.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.

Climate & Weather in Waite Park

Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context

NOAA climate normals for Waite Park point to warm summers, cold winters, a wetter annual rainfall pattern and substantial annual snowfall.

Average Summer High80.9°F
Average Winter Low3.8°F
Annual Rainfall30.3 in.
Annual Snowfall57.4 in.

Seasonal Life in Waite Park

What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.

Spring

Spring is a useful time to evaluate how quickly outdoor conditions become comfortable and how seasonal rain affects everyday routines.

Summer

Summer is warm enough that shade and cooling still matter, but the typical high is below the extreme-heat range seen in many hotter U.S. markets.

Fall

Fall marks a substantial seasonal transition here. It is a useful time to judge how quickly temperatures change and whether that seasonal swing fits the lifestyle you want.

Winter

Freezing winter lows and meaningful snowfall make snow removal, winter driving, heating costs and cold-weather routines important parts of evaluating the area.

Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.

Waite Park is located in Stearns County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. Stearns County.

County Intelligence

Waite Park & Stearns County

Data Pending Foreclosure Activity

Waite Park is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.

NarrowTheList uses county-level information alongside local community data because many factors that matter when choosing a place to live are measured beyond city boundaries. Housing, property taxes, employment, healthcare access and other regional characteristics can add useful context to the picture of life in Waite Park.

Current NarrowTheList data for Waite Park shows a population of about 8,399. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.

Foreclosure Activity: Data Pending. A county-specific foreclosure signal is not available yet.

For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.

County relationship Stearns County
How NarrowTheList uses it

County information is used as a supporting geographic layer, not as a substitute for local data. As more county datasets are added, NarrowTheList can use them to improve comparisons, ratings and relocation insights for Waite Park.

For someone considering a move to Waite Park, the available data currently points to employment conditions that make job-specific research important. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.

Nearby Cities & Communities

Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.