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MICROPOLITAN AREA · 2020 ACS

Albert Lea Micro

Albert Lea, MN · 1 counties · 30,895 residents · 707 sq mi
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The short version

With 30,895 people, Albert Lea is a metro area. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. At a median age of 43.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Owners hold 75% of the housing stock. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $121,600. 6% of people across the metro were born outside the United States.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 43.7
US median: 38.8
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
30,895
−5%since 2000
from 32,584 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
44 / sq mi
−5%since 2000
from 46 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
43.7
+8%since 2000
from 40.4 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
707 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
30K31K32K33K33K19902000201020202024Albert Lea
202431K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.3%(1,639)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.4%(1,977)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.4%(1,981)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.4%(1,962)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.4%(1,365)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411%(3,394)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.4%(3,523)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5410.9%(3,371)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414.9%(4,618)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7412.4%(3,825)
US avg: 10%
75 to 847.1%(2,195)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over3.4%(1,045)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$54,628
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,964 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$30,760
+68%since 2000
from $18,325 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
34.0%
+12.7 ptssince 2009
from 21.3% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
9.8%
+1.4 ptssince 2000
from 8.4% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade20.6%
US avg: 10%
Information13.1%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade7.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.7%
US avg: 1.7%
Finance & insurance4.6%
US avg: 5.5%
Construction4.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Professional, scientific, technical3.8%
US avg: 4.7%
Other services3.5%
US avg: 6.6%
Transportation & warehousing2.9%
US avg: 2.5%
Public administration2.8%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.8%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$121,600
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $76,000 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$723
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $368 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
75.1%
−3.5 ptssince 2000
from 78.7% in 2000
24.9% rent
Persons per household
2.30 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.30 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
2.2
−12%since 2009
from 2.5 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-Hispanic92.3%(30,061)
Black0.2%(65)
Hispanic / Latino6.3%(2,049)
Asian0.5%(171)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic81.1%(25,071)
Black1.5%(460)
Hispanic / Latino10.3%(3,183)
Asian3.7%(1,135)
Other1.9%(582)
Segregation Score
31
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
Mexican8.1%(2,463)
Nicaraguan0.3%(103)
Colombian0.3%(88)
Spaniard0.2%(54)
Puerto Rican0.2%(53)
Cuban0.1%(34)
Venezuelan0.1%(29)
Honduran0.1%(25)
Salvadoran0.1%(25)
Guatemalan0.1%(16)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Asian origin
Burmese1%(301)
Thai0.8%(236)
Korean0.2%(65)
Asian Indian0.2%(50)
Japanese0.1%(45)
Vietnamese0.1%(22)
Laotian0.1%(21)
Chinese0%(2)
Hmong0%(2)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(2)
Ancestry
German32.5%(9,892)
Norwegian30.5%(9,301)
Irish8.4%(2,564)
Danish5.8%(1,769)
English4.5%(1,378)
American3.5%(1,061)
Polish3.1%(930)
Swedish3%(928)
Dutch3%(925)
Czech2.4%(720)
French1.9%(577)
Scottish0.8%(243)
+ 28 more ancestry groups with data
Italian0.6%(171)
Russian0.5%(165)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(151)
Welsh0.4%(107)
Somali0.3%(90)
British0.2%(74)
Belgian0.2%(71)
Finnish0.2%(65)
Austrian0.2%(62)
Slovene0.1%(41)
Jordanian0.1%(30)
Hungarian0.1%(27)
Macedonian0.1%(27)
Turkish0.1%(24)
Swiss0.1%(23)
Croatian0%(14)
Egyptian0%(10)
Lebanese0%(10)
Canadian0%(10)
Latvian0%(8)
Greek0%(3)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
17.0%
+4.2 ptssince 2000
from 12.8% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
88.2%
+7.0 ptssince 2000
from 81.2% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
5.2%
+1.6 ptssince 2000
from 3.6% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.6 min
+56%since 2000
from 12.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
81.3%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 80.4% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
6.3%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.9%
−1.2 ptssince 2011
from 5.0% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
63.2%
−2.4 ptssince 2011
from 65.5% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
80.5%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
28.6%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 26.1% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 49.6% in 2009
Female
50.2%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 50.4% in 2009
Foreign born
5.6%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
5.2%
−4.1 ptssince 2013
from 9.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
87.1%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
88.8%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married33.3%(4,189)
Married51.6%(6,493)
Widowed3.7%(464)
Divorced11.3%(1,426)
Women 15+
Never married25.7%(3,237)
Married49.5%(6,238)
Widowed12.4%(1,565)
Divorced12.5%(1,574)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.2%
−4.1 ptssince 2013
from 9.3% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
51.3%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
18.8%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
22.9%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
23.7%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
4.3%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
69.3%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
45.4%
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)9.4%(206)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)15.2%(333)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era38.3%(842)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War11.4%(251)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II3.1%(68)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 2,197 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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In this metro

Largest cities

Albert LeaCENTRAL18,217Clarks Grove682Alden575Glenville560Geneva503Emmons363Hartland314Hollandale306Freeborn259Hayward255Conger152Twin Lakes132Manchester53Myrtle49
What's inside

1 component county

Freeborn CountyCENTRAL30,440
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Albert Lea

Big Spring
Pop 30,504
Fort Morgan
Pop 30,306
Cody
Pop 31,171
Dixon
Pop 32,914
Places similar to Albert Lea
Head to head

Compare Albert Lea side by side

ALBERT LEA VS
Big Spring
Income$69,649+27%
Home value$155,600+28%
Population30,504same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ALBERT LEA VS
Fort Morgan
Income$73,278+34%
Home value$338,600+178%
Population30,306same
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ALBERT LEA VS
Cody
Income$73,035+34%
Home value$400,500+229%
Population31,171+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ALBERT LEA VS
Dixon
Income$70,292+29%
Home value$154,600+27%
Population32,914+8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Albert Lea, MN?

Albert Lea, MN has about 30,895 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Albert Lea, MN?

The typical household in Albert Lea, MN earns about $54,628 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Albert Lea, MN expensive?

In Albert Lea, MN, the median home is worth about $121,600, and the typical rent is about $723 a month.

How educated are people in Albert Lea, MN?

About 17.0% of adults age 25 and over in Albert Lea, MN hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Albert Lea, MN?

About 9.8% of people in Albert Lea, MN live below the federal poverty line.

Has Albert Lea, MN grown since 1990?

Yes, Albert Lea, MN has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,165 residents, a change of about -7 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →