Thief River Falls is home to 8,823 people in Minnesota. The average commute runs 10 minutes. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $175,400. The foreign-born share is 4%. Median rent is $838 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $71,144, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 37.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 74%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Thief River Falls
What changed most since 1990
Adults with a bachelor's degree15.1% → 21.2%(+6.0 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Median household income (2024 dollars)$46,245 → $71,144(+54%)US over the same years: +14%
White share96.6% → 85.1%(−11.6 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Its weight in Pennington County
Thief River Falls's population equals 64% of Pennington County's. Its number of households without a car equals 90% of the county's.
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)15.9%(56)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.7%(66)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era44.8%(158)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.8%(17)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 353 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
Over time
Thief River Falls, decade by decade
Thief River Falls population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
8,010
$46,245
$94,803
15.1%
8.2
2000
8,410
$56,032
$100,738
15.7%
10.5
2010
8,573
$52,102
$120,265
15.9%
22.4
2020
8,749
$63,230
$174,412
20.0%
33.8
2024
8,823
$71,144
$175,400
21.2%
33.6
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
