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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Thief River Falls

Minnesota · 8,410 residents · 6.00 sq mi
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The short version

Thief River Falls is home to 8,410 people in Minnesota. Households here earn about 35% less than in Minnesota as a whole. Median home value sits at $55,300. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Renters pay $345 a month at the median. The average commute runs 10 minutes.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 37.9
US median: 35.2
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
8,410
+5%since 1990
from 8,010 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
37.9
+7%since 1990
from 35.3 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
6.00 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
8K8K8K9K9K19902000201020202024Thief River Falls
20249K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.1%(516)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 95.6%(471)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.4%(537)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 198.4%(710)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 247.6%(637)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.4%(1,046)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4413.7%(1,152)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5412.4%(1,041)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 648.5%(716)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 747.6%(643)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 847.2%(607)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over4%(334)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$30,759
+21%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $19,268 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$17,489
+73%since 1990
from $10,131 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
12.4%
−6.6 ptssince 1990
from 18.9% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$55,300
+6%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $39,500 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$345
+8%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $242 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
66.4%
+0.4 ptssince 1990
from 66.0% in 1990
33.6% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic97.4%(7,805)
Black0%(3)
Hispanic / Latino2.2%(175)
Asian0.3%(28)
2000
White, non-Hispanic95.7%(8,047)
Black0.3%(22)
Hispanic / Latino1.6%(137)
Asian0.7%(56)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.7%(238)
Nicaraguan1.7%(153)
Guatemalan0.5%(41)
Puerto Rican0.2%(19)
Asian origin
Filipino1.1%(101)
Vietnamese0.5%(45)
Chinese0.1%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.3%(24)
Ancestry
Norwegian31.7%(2,796)
German20.2%(1,781)
Swedish8.4%(738)
Irish6.8%(598)
French4.4%(384)
Polish3.5%(312)
English3.1%(272)
American1.9%(165)
Danish1.1%(93)
Finnish0.9%(83)
Dutch0.9%(79)
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data
Italian0.6%(50)
Czech0.5%(46)
Scottish0.5%(46)
Arab0.5%(40)
Iraqi0.5%(40)
Nigerian0.4%(34)
Welsh0.4%(31)
Iranian0.3%(23)
Slovak0.3%(23)
Scotch-Irish0.2%(22)
British0.1%(13)
Russian0.1%(12)
Hungarian0.1%(11)
Lithuanian0.1%(10)
Portuguese0.1%(9)
Greek0.1%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
15.7%
+0.5 ptssince 1990
from 15.1% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
79.1%
+7.5 ptssince 1990
from 71.6% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
4.7%
+0.7 ptssince 1990
from 4.0% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
10.3 min
−18%since 1990
from 12.6 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married33.7%(1,062)
Married55.4%(1,747)
Widowed2.9%(91)
Divorced8%(253)
Women 15+
Never married22.7%(846)
Married49.5%(1,843)
Widowed16.3%(606)
Divorced11.5%(428)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.0%
−3.5 ptssince 2013
from 8.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
64.4%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 63.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.5%
−4.2 ptssince 2020
from 18.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
21.0%
−2.3 ptssince 2020
from 23.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
15.4%
−6.4 ptssince 2020
from 21.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.4%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 4.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
76.9%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 77.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
33.2%
−6.8 ptssince 2020
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)
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
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Thief River Falls to nearby cities

THIEF RIVER FALLS VS
East Grand Forks
Income$77,549+152%
Home value$255,600+362%
Population8,906+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
THIEF RIVER FALLS VS
Grand Forks
Income$63,627+107%
Home value$249,900+352%
Population60,365+586%
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THIEF RIVER FALLS VS
Bemidji
Income$55,405+80%
Home value$198,300+259%
Population15,770+79%
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THIEF RIVER FALLS VS
Moorhead
Income$72,761+137%
Home value$249,000+350%
Population46,533+429%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Thief River Falls, Minnesota?

Thief River Falls, Minnesota has about 8,410 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Thief River Falls, Minnesota?

The typical household in Thief River Falls, Minnesota earns about $30,759 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 $55,300, and the typical rent is about $345 a month.

How educated are people in Thief River Falls, Minnesota?

About 15.7% 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 12.4% 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 400 residents, a change of about 5 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 →