United States › Minnesota › Steele County COUNTY
Steele County Minnesota · 37,464 residents (2025 est.) · 430 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
Steele County is home to 37,439 people in Minnesota. Few US counties rank higher on income. Owners hold 79% of the housing stock. 4% of people here were born outside the United States. About 28% of adults have finished a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $245,400, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 30%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 33,680 in 2000
37,464 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 84 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
30K 32K 34K 36K 38K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Steele County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $84,196
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $46,106 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $20,328 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 30.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 6.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.389 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 8.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.6%
Transportation & warehousing 1.4%
Education & health services 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$245,400
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $103,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,061
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $471 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 80.1% in 2000
20.6% rent
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.62 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 40.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.8 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 93.3%(31,414)
Hispanic / Latino 3.8%(1,266)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 83.5%(31,246)
Hispanic / Latino 8.9%(3,326)
from 24 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 29 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 33 more ancestry groups with data from 20.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 86.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 81.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 72.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 80.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 27.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 10.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 6.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 79.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 90.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 92.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 5.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 31.2%(4,705)
Women 15+
Never married 23.9%(3,604)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 6.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 61.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 18.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 74.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 36.2% 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) 21.5%(452)
Gulf War (1990s) 19.3%(406)
Share of the 2,104 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 Steele County Head to head
Compare Steele County to nearby counties STEELE COUNTY VS
Dodge County
Income $95,739 +14%
Home value $287,700 +17%
Population 21,376 −43%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
STEELE COUNTY VS
Waseca County
Income $76,261 −9%
Home value $220,800 −10%
Population 18,688 −50%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
STEELE COUNTY VS
Rice County
Income $83,181 −1%
Home value $320,200 +30%
Population 69,939 +87%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
STEELE COUNTY VS
Freeborn County
Income $71,023 −16%
Home value $171,100 −30%
Population 30,440 −19%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Steele County, Minnesota? Steele County, Minnesota has about 37,439 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Steele County, Minnesota? The typical household in Steele County, Minnesota earns about $84,196 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Steele County, Minnesota expensive? In Steele County, Minnesota, the median home is worth about $245,400, and the typical rent is about $1,061 a month.
How educated are people in Steele County, Minnesota? About 28.0% of adults age 25 and over in Steele County, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Steele County, Minnesota? About 8.3% of people in Steele County, Minnesota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Steele County, Minnesota grown since 1990? Yes, Steele County, Minnesota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,710 residents, a change of about 22 percent over that period.
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