Cost Of Living
Everyday cost of living expenses like goods and services, housing, groceries, transportation, health care and utilities are far below the national average.
Housing
Impressive scores in the housing category characterize this area, potentially attributed to the availability of affordable housing, strong appreciation rates and high home values.
Amenities
The majority of amenities will be difficult to reach within a short walk, often requiring residents to use a vehicle or public transportation for access.
Commute
Low commute scores could be due to limited access to public transit in this area, as well as longer-than-average work commute times for residents.
Health & Safety
Subpar air quality and the limited availability of certain health-related facilities such as hospitals, police stations, doctors and pharmacies may have contributed to the low score in this category.
Schools
The low schools score might be a result of factors like lower than average education levels, lackluster reading and math scores and the inaccessibility of local elementary and high schools.
| Statistic | Wadena | Iowa | National |
| Average one way commute | 27min | 19min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 71.4% | 80.7% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 14.3% | 8.6% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 0.0% | 1.1% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.0% | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 8.8% | 3.5% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 0.0% | 4.5% | 4.6% |
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