United States › Minnesota › Albert Lea CITY
Albert Lea Minnesota · 18,217 residents (2025 est.) · 13.3 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 18,330 people, Albert Lea is a city in Minnesota. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. At a median age of 44.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $157,500. Households here earn about 27% less than in Minnesota as a whole. 74% of homes are owner-occupied.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth 18,330
Unchangedsince 2000
from 18,356 in 2000
18,217 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,380 / sq mi
+5%since 2009
from 1,318 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 41.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
17K 18K 18K 18K 19K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Albert Lea Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $64,603
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,841 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,979 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 10.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.433 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.1%
Public administration 3.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.9%
Transportation & warehousing 1.6%
Education & health services 1%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.9%
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$157,500
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $69,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$857
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $366 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 72.9% in 2000
25.9% rent
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.18 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 23.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.7 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 88.5%(16,237)
Hispanic / Latino 9.5%(1,740)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 76.1%(13,940)
Hispanic / Latino 14.7%(2,694)
from 31 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data Ancestry
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data from 13.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 78.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 62.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 80.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 22.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 10.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 71.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 84.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 88.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 8.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 36.3%(2,740)
Women 15+
Never married 29.1%(2,218)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 10.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 48.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 18.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 24.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 27.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 66.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 49.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 18.9%(203)
Gulf War (1990s) 9.3%(100)
Share of the 1,076 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Albert Lea, Minnesota? Albert Lea, Minnesota has about 18,330 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Albert Lea, Minnesota? The typical household in Albert Lea, Minnesota earns about $64,603 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Albert Lea, Minnesota expensive? In Albert Lea, Minnesota, the median home is worth about $157,500, and the typical rent is about $857 a month.
How educated are people in Albert Lea, Minnesota? About 17.4% of adults age 25 and over in Albert Lea, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Albert Lea, Minnesota? About 12.8% of people in Albert Lea, Minnesota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Albert Lea, Minnesota grown since 1990? Yes, Albert Lea, Minnesota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 20 residents, a change of about 0 percent over that period.
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