Population 5,635 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cook County
Household size in Cook County
| Period | Cook County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.01 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.96 | 2.54 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.98 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.05 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Cook County are small: just 2.05 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has crept up from 2.01 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Only one other Minnesota county has smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cook County
| Period | Cook County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.9 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 50.4 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 51.2 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 53.4 | 40.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.5 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 53.4, Cook County is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 48.9 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only one other Minnesota county is older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cook County
| Period | Cook County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 9.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 9.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.0% of households in Cook County, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged up 1.1 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Cook County has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Minnesota counties.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cook County
Renters in Cook County
| Period | Cook County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.7% | 27.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.1% | 28.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.3% | 27.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.3% of households in Cook County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About half of owners (49.6%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share is down 4.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cook County
| Period | Cook County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 50.2% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 52.1% | 8.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 49.9% | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Cook County: 49.9% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Cook County has the highest vacancy rate of any Minnesota county.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cook County
| Period | Cook County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1973 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1975 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Cook County is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1986, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1975 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the southeast has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cook County
| Period | Cook County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $651 | $882 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $651 | $953 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $619 | $1,099 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,018 | $1,404 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$367 | +$522 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Cook County costs $1,018 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $367 a month from 2006–10, a 56% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 23.3% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the center; the most affordable are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cook County
Bachelor's degrees in Cook County
| Period | Cook County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.9% | 32.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.7% | 33.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.4% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 46.3% | 39.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.4 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Cook County is highly educated: 46.3% of adults 25 and older hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 12.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Few Minnesota counties have a higher share of college graduates: only four of 87.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cook County
| Period | Cook County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.4% | 91.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.3% | 92.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.1% | 93.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.6% | 93.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Cook County: 96.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.2 points, as it has nationally. Only two of Minnesota's 87 counties have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cook County
| Period | Cook County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.7% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.5% | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.4% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.4% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Cook County has been strong: just 2.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cook County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook County | 2.05 | 53.4 | 7.0% | 22.3% | 49.9% | 1986 | $1,018 | 46.3% | 96.6% | 2.4% |
| Keweenaw County | 1.85 | 54.3 | 7.4% | 9.3% | 43.3% | 1954 | $770 | 38.2% | 95.5% | 2.4% |
| Itasca County | 2.40 | 47.9 | 8.0% | 17.0% | 22.8% | 1978 | $1,007 | 26.0% | 95.0% | 5.6% |
| Beltrami County | 2.53 | 37.1 | 14.6% | 29.9% | 15.3% | 1986 | $1,028 | 30.7% | 92.2% | 4.6% |
| Clearwater County | 2.58 | 42.3 | 8.5% | 19.9% | 22.8% | 1981 | $721 | 20.0% | 88.4% | 7.6% |
| Mahnomen County | 2.81 | 35.3 | 20.5% | 26.7% | 22.1% | 1974 | $691 | 16.1% | 88.3% | 9.6% |
| Red Lake County | 2.33 | 43.5 | 7.9% | 16.6% | 10.9% | 1969 | $543 | 18.7% | 95.2% | 1.1% |
| Pennington County | 2.22 | 41.6 | 7.6% | 27.8% | 9.6% | 1972 | $911 | 20.9% | 94.8% | 3.0% |
| Norman County | 2.33 | 44.0 | 10.5% | 20.6% | 15.7% | 1959 | $771 | 23.0% | 93.7% | 5.2% |
| Polk County | 2.41 | 39.9 | 8.0% | 28.7% | 14.0% | 1970 | $982 | 27.6% | 93.6% | 3.8% |
| Grand Forks County | 2.27 | 33.7 | 7.7% | 48.2% | 8.4% | 1982 | $1,085 | 39.3% | 96.0% | 2.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Tyler County, WV · Tunica County, MS · Conejos County, CO · Conecuh County, AL · Turner County, SD · Comanche County, TX · Comanche County, KS · Twiggs County, GA · Collingsworth County, TX · Colfax County, NM
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cook County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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