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CITY · 2020 ACS

Ely

Minnesota · 3,268 residents · 2.92 sq mi
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The short version

Ely is a city of 3,268 people in Minnesota. At a median age of 47.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. That trails the Minnesota median by roughly 49%. Getting to work takes 13 minutes on average. 0% of people here were born outside the United States. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $119,400.

At a glance
Lower income
median household income $37,317, below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 47.2
US median: 38.8
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 39%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

3,268
−12%since 2000
from 3,724 in 2000
1990 – 2025
1,118 / sq mi
−12%since 2000
from 1,274 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 280
47.2
+16%since 2000
from 40.8 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
2.92 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
3K3K4K4K4K19902000201020202024Ely
20243K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 53.2%(103)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.1%(134)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145%(162)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 197.5%(245)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.9%(259)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3410.2%(333)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4410.6%(347)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 549.6%(315)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6415.6%(511)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7414.7%(479)
US avg: 10%
75 to 848%(260)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over3.7%(120)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$37,317
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,615 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$28,607
+70%since 2000
from $16,855 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
24.9%
+15.8 ptssince 2009
from 9.1% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
15.8%
+1.4 ptssince 2000
from 14.5% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information17.2%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade11.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade7.3%
US avg: 10%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.4%
US avg: 1.7%
Other services2.6%
US avg: 6.6%
Construction2%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration2%
US avg: 4.7%
Finance & insurance1.7%
US avg: 5.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.5%
US avg: 2%
Manufacturing1.4%
US avg: 0.5%
Professional, scientific, technical1.3%
US avg: 4.7%
Education & health services0.3%
US avg: 0.8%
Transportation & warehousing0%
US avg: 2.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$119,400
+39%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $57,300 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$490
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $375 in 2000
US average: $1,124
64.4%
−7.0 ptssince 2000
from 71.4% in 2000
35.6% rent
1.73 people
−8%since 2009
from 1.88 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
3.2
−1%since 2009
from 3.2 in 2009
1990 – 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-Hispanic96.6%(3,597)
Black0.9%(32)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(25)
Asian0.2%(7)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic88.8%(2,903)
Black3.9%(128)
Hispanic / Latino2%(65)
Asian0.6%(18)
Other1.3%(41)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.6%(20)
Ancestry
German29%(967)
Norwegian14.3%(478)
Finnish12.7%(424)
Slovene12.2%(408)
Irish11.9%(396)
English6.9%(229)
Polish5.9%(196)
Swedish5.2%(173)
French4.6%(152)
American3.2%(107)
Italian3.1%(104)
Czech3%(101)
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish2.1%(70)
Croatian1.7%(58)
Lithuanian1.7%(58)
Dutch1.6%(55)
Scottish1.4%(46)
Hungarian0.8%(28)
Russian0.7%(22)
Welsh0.6%(20)
Austrian0.5%(17)
Danish0.5%(16)
Slovak0.3%(11)
Ukrainian0.3%(11)
Australian0.3%(9)
Section 05

Education

27.6%
+5.5 ptssince 2000
from 22.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
88.7%
+2.6 ptssince 2000
from 86.0% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
6.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2000
from 7.1% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

13.3 min
−23%since 2000
from 17.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
68.9%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 69.6% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
16.2%
+6.5 ptssince 2009
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

4.0%
−0.9 ptssince 2011
from 4.9% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
61.2%
+4.7 ptssince 2011
from 56.5% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
84.2%
US average: 73.3%
29.0%
+6.7 ptssince 2009
from 22.3% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

56.5%
+5.9 ptssince 2009
from 50.6% in 2009
43.5%
−5.9 ptssince 2009
from 49.4% in 2009
0.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
10.1%
+1.4 ptssince 2013
from 8.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
92.0%
US average: 91.9%
85.6%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married50.2%(770)
Married29.8%(457)
Widowed1.2%(19)
Divorced18.7%(287)
Women 15+
Never married34.1%(513)
Married32%(482)
Widowed12.4%(186)
Divorced21.6%(325)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

10.1%
+1.4 ptssince 2013
from 8.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
48.5%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
24.1%
US average: 13.7%
23.1%
US average: 17.6%
17.8%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.6%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
70.7%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
38.8%
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)34.9%(83)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)4.6%(11)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era31.9%(76)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War12.2%(29)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 238 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 Ely, Minnesota?

Ely, Minnesota has about 3,268 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Ely, Minnesota?

The typical household in Ely, Minnesota earns about $37,317 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Ely, Minnesota expensive?

In Ely, Minnesota, the median home is worth about $119,400, and the typical rent is about $490 a month.

How educated are people in Ely, Minnesota?

About 27.6% of adults age 25 and over in Ely, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Ely, Minnesota?

About 15.8% of people in Ely, Minnesota live below the federal poverty line.

Has Ely, Minnesota grown since 1990?

Yes, Ely, Minnesota has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 700 residents, a change of about -18 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 →