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CITY · 2020 ACS

Detroit Lakes

Minnesota · 9,869 residents · 11.8 sq mi
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The short version

With 9,869 people, Detroit Lakes is a city in Minnesota. Getting to work takes 13 minutes on average. Growth has run 34% since 2000, or 2,521 more people. 1% of people here were born outside the United States. Households here earn about 30% less than in Minnesota as a whole. Renters pay $760 a month at the median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 41.4
US median: 38.8
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 58%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

9,869
+34%since 2000
from 7,348 in 2000
1990 – 2025
41.4
Unchangedsince 2000
from 41.5 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
11.8 sq mi
Population, 19902024
6K7K8K9K10K19902000201020202024Detroit Lakes
202410K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.9%(582)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(606)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.5%(645)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.7%(563)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.3%(527)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.6%(1,239)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.4%(1,130)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 549.3%(919)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6412.9%(1,270)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7411.7%(1,155)
US avg: 10%
75 to 848.1%(800)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over4.4%(433)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$51,185
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,264 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$38,164
+106%since 2000
from $18,509 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
32.8%
+11.2 ptssince 2009
from 21.6% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
11.8%
−3.2 ptssince 2000
from 15.0% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade14.1%
US avg: 10%
Information8.1%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade6.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance4.8%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical4.8%
US avg: 4.7%
Other services3.9%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration2.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 2%
Transportation & warehousing1.2%
US avg: 2.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.6%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
Education & health services0%
US avg: 0.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$188,500
+58%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $79,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$760
+48%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $341 in 2000
US average: $1,124
58.2%
−6.2 ptssince 2000
from 64.4% in 2000
41.8% rent
2.28 people
+12%since 2009
from 2.03 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
3.7
+2%since 2009
from 3.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic91.5%(6,723)
Black0.4%(29)
Hispanic / Latino1.2%(88)
Asian0.5%(39)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic84.4%(8,331)
Black1.3%(124)
Hispanic / Latino2.4%(239)
Asian1%(98)
Other7.1%(698)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1%(90)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.6%(52)
Chinese0.3%(28)
Japanese0.1%(7)
Hmong0%(4)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German40.3%(3,721)
Norwegian28.5%(2,630)
Irish8.3%(764)
Swedish6.1%(562)
Finnish4.3%(393)
Polish3.7%(337)
English3.5%(323)
Italian3.2%(296)
American2.2%(201)
Dutch2%(186)
French1.7%(158)
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data
Czech1.1%(104)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(82)
Danish0.7%(69)
Scottish0.7%(65)
Russian0.5%(47)
Hungarian0.3%(29)
Welsh0.2%(20)
Ukrainian0.2%(16)
Swiss0.2%(14)
British0.1%(9)
Croatian0.1%(9)
Lebanese0.1%(8)
Lithuanian0.1%(8)
Haitian0.1%(8)
Greek0.1%(6)
Section 05

Education

30.5%
+6.4 ptssince 2000
from 24.1% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
90.9%
+7.1 ptssince 2000
from 83.7% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
10.3%
+4.5 ptssince 2000
from 5.7% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

13.4 min
+2%since 2000
from 13.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
76.5%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 78.2% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
7.1%
−5.0 ptssince 2009
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

3.0%
−0.9 ptssince 2011
from 3.9% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
66.4%
+3.9 ptssince 2011
from 62.5% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
83.0%
US average: 73.3%
36.3%
+7.4 ptssince 2009
from 28.9% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

44.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 44.7% in 2009
55.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 55.3% in 2009
0.8%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
5.1%
−3.6 ptssince 2013
from 8.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
91.9%
US average: 91.9%
88.1%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married36.3%(1,412)
Married49%(1,906)
Widowed2.8%(109)
Divorced11.8%(460)
Women 15+
Never married26.8%(1,151)
Married47.1%(2,023)
Widowed12.4%(535)
Divorced13.7%(589)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

5.1%
−3.6 ptssince 2013
from 8.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
48.9%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
16.9%
US average: 13.7%
23.2%
US average: 17.6%
27.4%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.5%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
65.3%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
46.2%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)7%(39)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)4.7%(26)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era41.3%(229)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War12.6%(70)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II5.1%(28)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 554 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota?

Detroit Lakes, Minnesota has about 9,869 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota?

The typical household in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota earns about $51,185 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Detroit Lakes, Minnesota expensive?

In Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, the median home is worth about $188,500, and the typical rent is about $760 a month.

How educated are people in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota?

About 30.5% of adults age 25 and over in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota?

About 11.8% of people in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota live below the federal poverty line.

Has Detroit Lakes, Minnesota grown since 1990?

Yes, Detroit Lakes, Minnesota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,234 residents, a change of about 49 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →