United States › Minnesota › Ottertail CITY
Ottertail Minnesota · 734 residents (2025 est.) · 4.28 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Ottertail is a city of 490 people in Minnesota. At a median age of 55.8, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 90% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 2%. 31% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The poverty rate is 8.6%, under the national 12.5%.
At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 55.8
US median: 38.9
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 117%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 451 in 2000
734 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 119 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 43.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
327 409 492 574 657 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Ottertail Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $80,500
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,188 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,612 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 12.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.354 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Transportation & warehousing 10.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.3%
Public administration 2.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.8%
Education & health services 0.9%
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$332,900
+117%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $84,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,150
+49%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $425 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 84.7% in 2000
10.3% rent
from 30.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.21 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 44.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 22.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.9 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 99.6%(449)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 92.2%(452)
Hispanic / Latino 5.3%(26)
from 17 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 4 more ancestry groups with data from 11.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 86.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 1.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 86.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 3.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 70.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 76.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 11.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 73.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 96.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 57.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 22.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 70.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 40.7% 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) 13.3%(4)
Share of the 30 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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Frequently asked
How many people live in Ottertail, Minnesota? Ottertail, Minnesota has about 490 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Ottertail, Minnesota? The typical household in Ottertail, Minnesota earns about $80,500 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Ottertail, Minnesota expensive? In Ottertail, Minnesota, the median home is worth about $332,900, and the typical rent is about $1,150 a month.
How educated are people in Ottertail, Minnesota? About 31.4% of adults age 25 and over in Ottertail, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Ottertail, Minnesota? About 8.6% of people in Ottertail, Minnesota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Ottertail, Minnesota grown since 1990? Yes, Ottertail, Minnesota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 136 residents, a change of about 38 percent over that period.
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