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COUNTY

Washington County

Minnesota · 286,895 residents (2025 est.) · 385 sq mi
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Part of the Minneapolis metro area
The short version

Washington County is a county of 276,238 people in Minnesota. That puts it in the top 1% of US counties for household income. 81% of homes are owner-occupied. This is an unusually credentialed place: 49% of adults have a four-year degree. The population is up 37% since 2000. That is roughly 30% ahead of the Minnesota median.

At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $115,345, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.8
US median: 38.9
More educated
49% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 48%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Washington County

What changed most since 1990

  • Population145,896 → 276,238 (+89%)US over the same years: +35%
  • Adults with a bachelor's degree26.2% → 49.1% (+22.8 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
  • Hispanic share1.4% → 5.3% (+3.9 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts

Among the 87 counties in Minnesota

  • 3rd in household income$115,345
  • 4th in share with a bachelor's degree49.1%
  • 2nd in home value$422,000
  • 13th in diversity score48.9
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
276,238
+37%since 2000
from 201,130 in 2000
286,895 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
718 / sq mi
+37%since 2000
from 523 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
39.8
+13%since 2000
from 35.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
385 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
133K172K211K250K289K19902000201020202024Washington County
2024276K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.6%(15,480)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.8%(18,785)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.1%(19,564)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.7%(18,416)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.5%(15,309)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.4%(31,412)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4414.2%(39,125)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.6%(34,788)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.5%(37,386)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.9%(27,300)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.9%(13,572)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(5,101)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$115,345
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $66,305 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$56,954
+102%since 2000
from $28,148 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
70.7%
+18.1 ptssince 2009
from 52.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
5.1%
+2.2 ptssince 2000
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.426
+5%since 2010
from 0.404 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade13.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Information9.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services8.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration6.8%
US avg: 4.8%
Wholesale trade6.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$422,000
+48%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $156,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,710
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $699 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
81.3%
−4.4 ptssince 2000
from 85.7% in 2000
18.7% rent
Vacancy rate
3.4%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.58 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.64 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
19.2%
−9.8 ptssince 2009
from 29.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
48.2%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 47.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.7
+7%since 2009
from 3.4 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
49
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic92.5%(186,133)
Black1.8%(3,612)
Hispanic / Latino1.9%(3,892)
Asian2.1%(4,279)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic77.2%(213,144)
Black5.5%(15,141)
Hispanic / Latino5.3%(14,552)
Asian7.7%(21,270)
Other4.4%(12,131)
Diversity Score
49
+71%since 2009
from 29 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
29
−4%since 2020
from 30 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

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.5%(9,598)
South American0.5%(1,333)
Central American0.4%(1,104)
Puerto Rican0.3%(917)
Spaniard0.2%(538)
Salvadoran0.2%(433)
Guatemalan0.1%(306)
Colombian0.1%(301)
Ecuadorian0.1%(296)
Dominican0.1%(279)
Cuban0.1%(264)
Nicaraguan0.1%(228)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Peruvian0.1%(175)
Venezuelan0.1%(171)
Chilean0.1%(149)
Honduran0%(123)
Argentine0%(108)
Bolivian0%(56)
Uruguayan0%(55)
Asian origin
Hmong3.7%(10,163)
Asian Indian1%(2,890)
Chinese0.7%(1,965)
Vietnamese0.5%(1,423)
Pakistani0.4%(1,137)
Korean0.4%(1,026)
Filipino0.3%(691)
Burmese0.2%(530)
Cambodian0.2%(419)
Taiwanese0.1%(177)
Japanese0%(117)
Laotian0%(87)
+ 6 more asian origin groups with data
Thai0%(78)
Nepalese0%(76)
Mien0%(25)
Kazakh0%(9)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(44)
Tongan0%(16)
Chamorro0%(13)
Fijian0%(7)
Ancestry
German30.4%(83,927)
Irish12.3%(33,890)
Norwegian10.2%(28,046)
Swedish7.7%(21,230)
English7.2%(19,965)
Polish4.2%(11,512)
Italian3.7%(10,129)
French3.5%(9,632)
American2.9%(7,984)
Czech1.3%(3,712)
Scottish1.1%(3,047)
+ 44 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch1.1%(2,941)
Danish0.9%(2,576)
Ethiopian0.9%(2,557)
French Canadian0.9%(2,439)
Finnish0.8%(2,292)
Russian0.5%(1,467)
Somali0.5%(1,465)
Nigerian0.5%(1,287)
Swiss0.4%(1,223)
West Indian0.4%(1,190)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(1,129)
Ukrainian0.4%(1,009)
Austrian0.4%(994)
Welsh0.3%(946)
Haitian0.3%(882)
Belgian0.3%(769)
Hungarian0.3%(698)
Arab0.3%(696)
British0.2%(651)
Greek0.2%(583)
Lebanese0.2%(466)
Slovene0.2%(461)
Romanian0.1%(402)
Portuguese0.1%(332)
Lithuanian0.1%(328)
Slovak0.1%(270)
Croatian0.1%(242)
Iranian0.1%(212)
Jamaican0.1%(206)
Serbian0.1%(172)
Latvian0.1%(155)
Canadian0.1%(152)
Kenyan0%(128)
Moroccan0%(113)
Turkish0%(102)
Bulgarian0%(88)
Ghanaian0%(52)
Brazilian0%(44)
Armenian0%(33)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
49.1%
+15.2 ptssince 2000
from 33.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
96.1%
+2.0 ptssince 2000
from 94.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
17.4%
+6.9 ptssince 2000
from 10.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.0 min
+52%since 2000
from 15.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
66.3%
−16.8 ptssince 2009
from 83.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.5%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.6%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
23.6%
+19.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.9%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.8%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.4%
−2.4 ptssince 2011
from 5.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
68.3%
−4.6 ptssince 2011
from 72.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
83.1%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 81.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
13.4%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 12.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
51.6%
+8.8 ptssince 2009
from 42.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 50.0% in 2009
Female
50.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 50.0% in 2009
Foreign born
8.5%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.4%
−4.1 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
9.9%
+2.3 ptssince 2012
from 7.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
3.5%
−2.2 ptssince 2013
from 5.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
94.9%
+5.8 ptssince 2017
from 89.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
97.6%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 95.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
88.9%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 88.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
87.5%
−3.6 ptssince 2016
from 91.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
3.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2016
from 2.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married31.9%(35,137)
Married57.8%(63,573)
Widowed2.4%(2,595)
Divorced7.9%(8,730)
Women 15+
Never married26.6%(29,913)
Married55.3%(62,161)
Widowed6.9%(7,750)
Divorced11.2%(12,550)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
3.5%
−2.2 ptssince 2013
from 5.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
69.0%
−2.0 ptssince 2020
from 71.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 16.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
17.2%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 15.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
11.5%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 10.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.7%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
82.5%
−2.0 ptssince 2020
from 84.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
27.8%
+2.6 ptssince 2020
from 25.2% 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)24.5%(2,804)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19%(2,168)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era32.4%(3,704)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War6.3%(726)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.2%(136)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 11,439 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

Washington County, decade by decade

Washington County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
1990145,896$105,896$225,84626.2%10.1
2000201,130$120,785$284,54333.9%17.8
2010238,136$113,804$380,93440.0%32.5
2020267,568$118,276$364,82445.6%47.9
2024276,238$115,345$422,00049.1%48.9

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.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Washington County

Harford County
Pop 266,446
Cherokee County
Pop 299,273
Frederick County
Pop 302,883
Rockingham County
Pop 324,077
Places similar to Washington County
Head to head

Compare Washington County to nearby counties

WASHINGTON COUNTY VS
Ramsey County
Income$81,568−29%
Home value$326,600−23%
Population541,623+89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WASHINGTON COUNTY VS
St. Croix County
Income$103,046−11%
Home value$377,700−10%
Population98,276−66%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WASHINGTON COUNTY VS
Anoka County
Income$101,869−12%
Home value$346,500−18%
Population381,605+33%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WASHINGTON COUNTY VS
Dakota County
Income$106,318−8%
Home value$381,000−10%
Population457,710+60%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Washington County, Minnesota?

Washington County, Minnesota has about 276,238 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Washington County, Minnesota?

The typical household in Washington County, Minnesota earns about $115,345 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Washington County, Minnesota expensive?

In Washington County, Minnesota, the median home is worth about $422,000, and the typical rent is about $1,710 a month.

How educated are people in Washington County, Minnesota?

About 49.1% of adults age 25 and over in Washington County, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Washington County, Minnesota?

About 5.1% of people in Washington County, Minnesota live below the federal poverty line.

Has Washington County, Minnesota grown since 1990?

Yes, Washington County, Minnesota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 130,342 residents, a change of about 89 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 →