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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Blue Earth County

Minnesota · 69,112 residents · 748 sq mi
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The short version

Blue Earth County is home to 69,112 people in Minnesota. This skews young, with a median age of 32.3. Getting to work takes 18 minutes on average. Growth has run 24% since 2000, or 13,171 more people. People stay put here: 78% were in the same home a year ago. 5% of people here were born outside the United States.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 32.3
US median: 38.8
Average education
35% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 36%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
69,112
+24%since 2000
from 55,941 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
32.3
+8%since 2000
from 29.9 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
748 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
52K57K62K67K71K19902000201020202024Blue Earth County
202470K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.4%(3,761)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.8%(3,999)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.8%(4,038)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 199.1%(6,266)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2413.9%(9,625)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.3%(9,225)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.6%(8,033)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 549.3%(6,402)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6410.6%(7,308)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 748.6%(5,964)
US avg: 10%
75 to 844.3%(2,975)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.2%(1,516)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$61,058
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,940 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$29,965
+60%since 2000
from $18,712 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
40.5%
+15.2 ptssince 2009
from 25.3% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
16.4%
+3.5 ptssince 2000
from 12.9% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade13.6%
US avg: 10%
Information11.8%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade5.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services4%
US avg: 6.6%
Finance & insurance3.9%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical3.2%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food2.8%
US avg: 2%
Transportation & warehousing2.7%
US avg: 2.5%
Public administration2.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.3%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction2.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$194,800
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $95,400 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$913
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $487 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
61.5%
−4.9 ptssince 2000
from 66.4% in 2000
38.5% rent
Persons per household
2.41 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.41 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
3.2
−9%since 2009
from 3.5 in 2009
2009 – 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-Hispanic94.1%(52,620)
Black1.2%(658)
Hispanic / Latino1.8%(988)
Asian1.8%(988)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic82.8%(57,222)
Black5.6%(3,873)
Hispanic / Latino4.7%(3,221)
Asian2.7%(1,834)
Other2.4%(1,669)
Segregation Score
28
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3%(2,007)
Honduran0.2%(163)
Salvadoran0.2%(122)
Colombian0.1%(56)
Puerto Rican0.1%(52)
Spaniard0.1%(39)
Argentine0%(12)
Peruvian0%(12)
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data
Cuban0%(4)
Asian origin
Nepalese0.4%(276)
Vietnamese0.4%(246)
Bangladeshi0.3%(188)
Chinese0.2%(166)
Hmong0.2%(156)
Filipino0.2%(115)
Korean0.2%(106)
Asian Indian0.2%(105)
Japanese0.1%(48)
Pakistani0.1%(36)
Cambodian0%(26)
Laotian0%(8)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Thai0%(8)
Pacific Islander origin
Tongan0%(31)
Samoan0%(6)
Ancestry
German42.7%(28,757)
Norwegian14.2%(9,538)
Irish8.4%(5,664)
Swedish5.6%(3,739)
English5%(3,339)
French2.9%(1,955)
American2.8%(1,862)
Polish2.6%(1,726)
Dutch1.7%(1,122)
Danish1.6%(1,065)
Czech1.3%(890)
+ 37 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh1.2%(825)
Somali1%(680)
Scottish0.9%(636)
Italian0.8%(560)
Russian0.7%(438)
Belgian0.6%(387)
Finnish0.6%(384)
Scotch-Irish0.3%(214)
Swiss0.3%(212)
Austrian0.3%(194)
Nigerian0.2%(145)
British0.2%(121)
Hungarian0.2%(120)
Ghanaian0.1%(82)
Portuguese0.1%(77)
Lebanese0.1%(72)
Lithuanian0.1%(59)
Romanian0.1%(51)
Ukrainian0.1%(46)
Greek0.1%(42)
Iranian0.1%(42)
West Indian0.1%(37)
Brazilian0.1%(34)
Serbian0%(33)
Ethiopian0%(33)
Slovene0%(20)
Arab0%(19)
Syrian0%(19)
Croatian0%(17)
Armenian0%(16)
Canadian0%(11)
Slovak0%(11)
Kenyan0%(9)
Haitian0%(6)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
34.6%
+7.9 ptssince 2000
from 26.6% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
94.6%
+6.9 ptssince 2000
from 87.7% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
11.6%
+3.1 ptssince 2000
from 8.5% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
18.2 min
+56%since 2000
from 11.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
79.6%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 78.2% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
6.3%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.9%
−2.5 ptssince 2011
from 6.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
71.2%
−2.6 ptssince 2011
from 73.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
83.2%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
34.7%
+6.3 ptssince 2009
from 28.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.0%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
Female
50.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.3% in 2009
Foreign born
5.4%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
4.0%
−3.8 ptssince 2013
from 7.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
93.8%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
77.7%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married49.5%(14,617)
Married41.5%(12,260)
Widowed1.8%(527)
Divorced7.1%(2,106)
Women 15+
Never married42%(12,171)
Married43.2%(12,524)
Widowed5.9%(1,714)
Divorced8.9%(2,586)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
4.0%
−3.8 ptssince 2013
from 7.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
62.0%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
17.6%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
14.9%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
17.4%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.3%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
78.1%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
30.9%
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)19.1%(626)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)14.6%(480)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era42.2%(1,382)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War6.9%(227)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II3.8%(123)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 3,277 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 Blue Earth County to nearby counties

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BLUE EARTH COUNTY VS
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BLUE EARTH COUNTY VS
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BLUE EARTH COUNTY VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Blue Earth County, Minnesota?

Blue Earth County, Minnesota has about 69,112 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Blue Earth County, Minnesota?

The typical household in Blue Earth County, Minnesota earns about $61,058 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Blue Earth County, Minnesota expensive?

In Blue Earth County, Minnesota, the median home is worth about $194,800, and the typical rent is about $913 a month.

How educated are people in Blue Earth County, Minnesota?

About 34.6% of adults age 25 and over in Blue Earth County, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Blue Earth County, Minnesota?

About 16.4% of people in Blue Earth County, Minnesota live below the federal poverty line.

Has Blue Earth County, Minnesota grown since 1990?

Yes, Blue Earth County, Minnesota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 15,068 residents, a change of about 28 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 →