Population 448 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Knife River
Household size in Knife River
| Period | Knife River | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.19 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.33 | 2.54 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.37 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.39 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
At 2.58 people per household, Knife River sits close to the national average of 2.65. Household size has climbed from 2.19 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Knife River
| Period | Knife River | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.1 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 50.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.5 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.1 | 40.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −5.0 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Knife River skews older than the country: its median age is 43.1, against 40.1 nationally.
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 Knife River
| Period | Knife River | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.1% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 2.1% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 1.8% | 9.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 9.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 3.3% of households in Knife River, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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 Knife River
Renters in Knife River
| Period | Knife River | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 2.9% | 27.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 2.1% | 28.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.0% | 27.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 14.0% of households in Knife River rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. More than four in ten owners (44.5%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Knife River
| Period | Knife River | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.4% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.7% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 25.7% | 8.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.0% | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −11.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Knife River: 16.0% 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.
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 Knife River
| Period | Knife River | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1973 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1975 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Knife River are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1979, versus 1980 nationally.
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 Knife River
| Period | Knife River | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $824 | $882 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $949 | $953 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $726 | $1,099 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,154 | $1,404 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$330 | +$522 | +$606 |
The median renter in Knife River pays $1,154 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 20.9% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Knife River
Bachelor's degrees in Knife River
| Period | Knife River | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.6% | 32.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 38.4% | 33.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.8% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 38.2% | 39.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.6 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Knife River as nationally: 38.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
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 Knife River
| Period | Knife River | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.7% | 91.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.7% | 92.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.1% | 93.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.2% | 93.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Knife River: 99.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
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 Knife River
| Period | Knife River | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.0% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 1.7% | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.2% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Knife River runs below the national rate: 3.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. The picture is much the same across Minnesota. 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).
Knife River compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knife River | 2.58 | 43.1 | 3.3% | 14.0% | 16.0% | 1979 | $1,154 | 38.2% | 99.2% | 3.5% |
| Palmers | 2.81 | 40.8 | 3.9% | 10.0% | 12.9% | 1987 | $1,122 | 35.2% | 97.4% | 2.7% |
| Larsmont | 2.53 | 43.8 | 3.3% | 14.0% | 17.5% | 1977 | $1,189 | 38.9% | 99.3% | 3.9% |
| French River | 2.53 | 47.2 | 6.6% | 2.1% | 8.4% | 1985 | $1,321 | 49.1% | 97.4% | 2.1% |
| Two Harbors | 2.36 | 44.9 | 8.4% | 22.6% | 20.5% | 1960 | $1,143 | 23.7% | 93.4% | 1.5% |
| Waldo | 2.30 | 51.1 | 6.3% | 5.9% | 29.9% | 1978 | $1,192 | 24.2% | 92.8% | 4.1% |
| Highland | 2.22 | 54.1 | 6.4% | 2.5% | 31.0% | 1986 | $1,099 | 14.9% | 90.1% | 2.9% |
| Whyte | 2.12 | 54.4 | 3.1% | 5.6% | 38.7% | 1979 | $752 | 23.5% | 94.2% | 2.7% |
| Duluth | 2.27 | 37.9 | 8.1% | 36.6% | 7.7% | 1959 | $1,407 | 42.9% | 95.4% | 4.8% |
| Brimson | 2.13 | 55.1 | 4.7% | 3.8% | 60.7% | 1984 | $1,221 | 30.0% | 97.7% | 5.1% |
| Wales | 2.15 | 54.7 | 5.8% | 3.4% | 39.2% | 1985 | $970 | 17.5% | 91.8% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Rockport, WA · Milan Center, IN · Miller, OK · Miller Valley, AZ · River Junction, FL · Riverdale, ND · Robertsville, OH · Rochester, IA · Rock, KS · Middletown Heights, KY
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 Knife River. 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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