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Park Rapids

Minnesotacity

Photograph of Park Rapids
Featured view

Park Rapids

Total population

4,270

Median home value

$227,500

22%

Bachelor's+

Median income

$44,747

Park Rapids$45k
National$74k

Founded

1890

Elevation439 m
Land area17.61 km²
Coordinates46.92°, -95.06°

Demographic figures from US Census Bureau · ACS 5-year estimates. Overview below cites Wikipedia and may reference a different year.

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City facts

Founded
1890
Elevation
439 m
Area
17.61 km²
Official website
ci.park-rapids.mn.us

Facts from Wikidata (CC0).

Overview

Park Rapids is a city in and the county seat of Hubbard County, Minnesota, United States. It is near Itasca State Park, the source of the Mississippi River, as well as the beginning of the Heartland State Trail. The city was founded in 1890 near the Fish Hook River rapids and is along U.S. Highway 71 and Minnesota State Highway 34. The population was 4,142 at the 2020 census.

Read more on Wikipedia

History & geography

History

The land that is now Park Rapids was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, including the Ojibwe (Chippewa) people, who still have a significant presence in the region. Park Rapids became a city in 1882, and was named by Frank C. Rice after the park groves and prairies beside the Fish Hook River rapids. These rapids have since been dammed.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water. The Fish Hook River flows through the city, which is surrounded by three lakes: Fish Hook, Long, and Potato.

Read full article on Wikipedia

Excerpted from the corresponding Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA).

Demographics & economy

Median age
45.8
Median home value
$227,500
Housing units
2,127
Poverty rate
21.2%
Unemployment
8%

Race & ethnicity

White
90.7%
Black
0.7%
Asian
0%
Hispanic
1.9%

Source: US Census Bureau — American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

Geography

Latitude
46.9164
Longitude
-95.0579
Water area
0.28 mi²
View on OpenStreetMap

Coordinates & boundaries from the US Census TIGER/Line shapefiles.

Climate

Air quality

Industrial & pollution facilities

Natural hazard risk

Health (adults)

High blood pressure
27.1%
Diabetes
10%
Adult obesity
36.6%
Binge drinking
19.6%
Adult smoking
16.2%
No leisure activity
24.1%

Age-adjusted prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES (latest release).

Walkability

Amenities nearby

Wildlife & biodiversity

Schools

Total
8
Elementary
1
Middle
3
High
3
Other
1

Largest nearby schools

  • PARK RAPIDS AREA CENTURY ELEMENTARY
    Elementary · PARK RAPIDS · 618 students · 12.1:1 ratio
  • PARK RAPIDS SENIOR HIGH
    High · PARK RAPIDS · 497 students · 15.1:1 ratio
  • PARK RAPIDS AREA CENTURY MIDDLE
    Middle · PARK RAPIDS · 497 students · 13.1:1 ratio
  • Frank White Education Center
    Other · PARK RAPIDS · 80 students
  • HEADWATERS EDUC LEARNING PROGRAM
    High · PARK RAPIDS · 59 students · 29.5:1 ratio
  • Park Rapids Virtual Academy Middle
    Middle · PARK RAPIDS · 10 students
  • Park Rapids Virtual Academy High
    High · PARK RAPIDS · 4 students
  • Century Middle School Within A Sch
    Middle · PARK RAPIDS

Public K–12 schools within ~10 mi from Urban Institute Education Data Portal (NCES Common Core of Data, 2022).

Earthquake history

Photos

Sights & places nearby

Notable people from here

People born within ~10 km, from Wikidata (CC0). Click any name for their Wikipedia article.

Nearby places in Minnesota

Browse all places in Minnesota →

Geography & sun

Avg solar (kWh/m²/day)
3.77
Annual solar (kWh/m²)
1,376

Elevation, sunrise/sunset and daylight from Open-Meteo. Solar climatology from NASA POWER.

Nearby airports

Public attention

Wikipedia views (last 30 days)
971
Avg daily Wikipedia views
33
Attention level
Quiet

Pageview totals from the Wikimedia Pageviews API.

Books about Park Rapids

Souvenir of Minnesota
T. W. Ingersoll · 1885
The Ponsfordian, 1880-1930
The Ponsfordian, 1880-1930
Benno Watrin · 1930
Railroad accident report
United States. National Transportation Safety Board. · 1975
Stella P. Flint, as general guardian of the property of Samuel N. Stone, Junior, a minor, appellant, vs. Stone Tracy Company, et al., appeal from the Circuit Court of the United States for the district of Vermont, Wyckoff Van Derhoeff, appellant, the Coney Island and Brooklyn Railroad Company, et al., Francis L. Hine, appellant, vs. Home Life Insurance Company, et al., appeals from the Circuit Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York, Fred W. Smith, appellant, vs. the Northern Trust Company, A.C. Bartlett, William A. Fuller, et al., William H. Miner, appellant, vs. the Corn Exchange National Bank of Chicago, Charles H. Wacker, Martin A. Ryerson, et al., appeals for the Circuit Court of the United States for the Northern District of Illinois, Cedar Street Company, appellant, vs. Park Realty Company, appeal from the Circuit Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York, Lewis W. Jared, appellant, vs.^ the American Multigraph Company, et al., appeal from the Circuit Court of the United States for the Northern District of Ohio, Joseph E. Gay, appellant, vs. the Baltic Mining Company, et al., appeal from the Circuit Court of the United States for the district of Massachusetts, Percy H. Brundage, appellant, vs. Broadway Realty Company, et al., Paul Lacroix, appellant, vs. Motor Taximeter Cab Company, et al., Arthur Lyman and Arthur T. Lyman, as trustees under the last will and testament of George Baty Blake, deceased, appellants, vs. Interborough Rapid Transit Company, et al., appeals from the Circuit Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York, George Wendell Phillips, appellant, vs. Fifty Associates, et al., appeal from the Circuit Court of the United States for the district of Massachusetts, Oscar Mitchell, appellant, vs. Clark Iron Company, appeal from the Circuit Court of the United States for the district of Minnesota, William H. Fluhrer, Albert W.^ Durand and Howard H. Williams, appellants, vs. New York Life Insurance Company, appeal from the Circuit Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York, Katherine Cary Cook, Harriet Huntington Cook and Ellenor Richardson Cook, by Anna H.R. Cook, their guardian and next friend, appellants, vs. Boston Wharf Company, et al., appeal from the Circuit Court of the United States for the district of Massachusetts
Stella P. Flint · 1910
1980 census of housing
United States. Bureau of the Census · 1983
Cool reflections
Cool reflections
McCarthy, Eugene J. · 1997
America's top-rated smaller cities
America's top-rated smaller cities
David Garoogian · 2010
A love for the beautiful
A love for the beautiful
Susan Jaques · 2012

Search results from Open Library.

Recent natural events nearby

Ground air-quality sensors

Recently spotted species

Nearest stream gauge

Site
STRAIGHT RIVER NEAR PARK RAPIDS, MN
Distance
2.9 mi
Streamflow
38.6 cfs
Gage height
1.09 ft

Live readings from USGS NWIS · measured 2026-10-10 18:30 UTC.

Events

Sources

  • • Wikipedia
  • • US Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates)
  • • Wikidata
  • • USGS NWIS (water data)
  • • NCES via Urban Institute Education Data Portal
  • • CDC PLACES
  • • Open-Meteo / sunrise-sunset.org
  • • Wikipedia Pageviews API
  • • Open Library