Population 23,468 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Meeker County
Household size in Meeker County
| Period | Meeker County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.48 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.48 | 2.54 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.49 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.51 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Meeker County run a little small, averaging 2.51 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has crept up from 2.48 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the east.
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 Meeker County
| Period | Meeker County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.4 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.3 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.6 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.8 | 40.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Meeker County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.8, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.4, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the northeast and oldest in the center.
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 Meeker County
| Period | Meeker County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.4% | 9.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 9.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Meeker County: 8.3% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 0.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Meeker County
Renters in Meeker County
| Period | Meeker County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.4% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.1% | 27.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.6% | 28.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.7% | 27.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 20.7% of households in Meeker County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 42.5% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the east. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.4 points, as it has nationally.
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 Meeker County
| Period | Meeker County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.9% | 8.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.7% | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Meeker County than nationally: 12.7%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 1.1 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 Meeker County
| Period | Meeker County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1973 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1975 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Meeker County run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1975 against 1980. The median year built has moved up from 1970 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Meeker County
| Period | Meeker County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $677 | $882 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $771 | $953 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $797 | $1,099 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $959 | $1,404 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$282 | +$522 | +$606 |
The median renter in Meeker County pays $959 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $282 a month since 2006–10, up 42%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 27.2% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the northwest; 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 Meeker County
Bachelor's degrees in Meeker County
| Period | Meeker County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 32.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.1% | 33.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.5% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.9% | 39.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Meeker County: 19.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 3.9 points, in line with the national trend. Meeker County has a lower share of college graduates than the great majority of Minnesota counties.
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 Meeker County
| Period | Meeker County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.1% | 91.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.2% | 92.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.6% | 93.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.8% | 93.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Meeker County is above the national rate: 93.8% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Minnesota as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma has risen 4.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Meeker County
| Period | Meeker County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.0% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.2% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Meeker County has been low: just 3.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 4.3 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).
Meeker 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meeker County | 2.51 | 42.8 | 8.3% | 20.7% | 12.7% | 1975 | $959 | 19.9% | 93.8% | 3.2% |
| McLeod County | 2.40 | 42.5 | 9.2% | 22.6% | 5.5% | 1978 | $947 | 20.1% | 93.6% | 3.4% |
| Kandiyohi County | 2.49 | 39.8 | 9.2% | 27.5% | 11.8% | 1976 | $959 | 27.6% | 90.9% | 3.7% |
| Stearns County | 2.53 | 37.2 | 8.9% | 32.1% | 8.2% | 1983 | $1,133 | 29.1% | 92.0% | 4.3% |
| Wright County | 2.77 | 38.3 | 8.6% | 15.9% | 5.9% | 1993 | $1,456 | 35.0% | 94.8% | 2.7% |
| Renville County | 2.35 | 43.8 | 9.4% | 19.8% | 12.3% | 1959 | $799 | 18.2% | 91.7% | 2.5% |
| Benton County | 2.49 | 37.0 | 12.2% | 33.3% | 5.9% | 1987 | $1,176 | 26.8% | 92.8% | 4.0% |
| Sherburne County | 2.85 | 37.8 | 10.5% | 16.8% | 6.3% | 1995 | $1,370 | 30.5% | 94.7% | 3.0% |
| Carver County | 2.72 | 39.9 | 9.4% | 18.5% | 3.5% | 1996 | $1,620 | 50.9% | 96.9% | 3.0% |
| Hennepin County | 2.43 | 39.3 | 9.4% | 37.3% | 6.7% | 1972 | $1,684 | 53.6% | 93.7% | 4.6% |
| Chippewa County | 2.36 | 41.1 | 11.1% | 27.7% | 10.3% | 1958 | $882 | 19.4% | 91.6% | 4.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Lee County, SC · Lamoille County, VT · Langlade County, WI · Lares Municipio, PR · Larue County, KY · Las Animas County, CO · Lauderdale County, TN · Lavaca County, TX · Lawrence County, AR · Lawrence County, IL
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 Meeker 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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