United States › Minnesota › Thief River Falls CITY
Thief River Falls Minnesota · 8,799 residents (2025 est.) · 6.00 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
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
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
Section 01
Population & growth from 8,410 in 2000
8,799 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,470 / sq mi
+4%since 2009
from 1,412 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K 8K 8K 9K 9K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Thief River Falls Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $71,144
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,759 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,489 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 12.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.399 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Transportation & warehousing 21.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.4%
Education & health services 0.3%
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$175,400
+74%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $55,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$838
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $345 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 66.4% in 2000
36.3% rent
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.18 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 17.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 39.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.2 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 95.7%(8,047)
Hispanic / Latino 1.6%(137)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 85.1%(7,505)
Hispanic / Latino 6.5%(575)
from 18 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
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data from 15.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 79.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 73.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 71.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 82.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 12.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 8.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 68.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 41.1%(1,527)
Women 15+
Never married 27.6%(1,034)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 8.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 63.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 18.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 21.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 77.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 40.0% 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) 15.9%(56)
Gulf War (1990s) 18.7%(66)
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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Thief River Falls Head to head
Compare Thief River Falls to nearby cities THIEF RIVER FALLS VS
East Grand Forks
Income $77,549 +9%
Home value $255,600 +46%
Population 8,906 +1%
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THIEF RIVER FALLS VS
Grand Forks
Income $63,627 −11%
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Population 60,365 +586%
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THIEF RIVER FALLS VS
Bemidji
Income $55,405 −22%
Home value $198,300 +13%
Population 15,770 +79%
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THIEF RIVER FALLS VS
Moorhead
Income $72,761 +2%
Home value $249,000 +42%
Population 46,533 +429%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Thief River Falls, Minnesota? Thief River Falls, Minnesota has about 8,823 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Thief River Falls, Minnesota? The typical household in Thief River Falls, Minnesota earns about $71,144 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Thief River Falls, Minnesota expensive? In Thief River Falls, Minnesota, the median home is worth about $175,400, and the typical rent is about $838 a month.
How educated are people in Thief River Falls, Minnesota? About 21.2% of adults age 25 and over in Thief River Falls, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Thief River Falls, Minnesota? About 12.2% of people in Thief River Falls, Minnesota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Thief River Falls, Minnesota grown since 1990? Yes, Thief River Falls, Minnesota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 813 residents, a change of about 10 percent over that period.
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