Population 164,498 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Olmsted County
Household size in Olmsted County
| Period | Olmsted County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.57 | 2.54 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.50 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.52 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Olmsted County run a little small, averaging 2.52 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. That is in line with the rest of Minnesota. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
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 Olmsted County
| Period | Olmsted County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.2 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.0 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.8 | 40.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
At 38.8, the median age in Olmsted County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.5, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the northwest and oldest in the northeast.
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 Olmsted County
| Period | Olmsted County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 9.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.0% | 9.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in twelve households in Olmsted County (9.0%), below the national share of 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Minnesota. The single-parent share is down 0.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Olmsted County
Renters in Olmsted County
| Period | Olmsted County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.4% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.1% | 27.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.3% | 28.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 29.4% | 27.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.0 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in Olmsted County rent their homes (29.4%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Nearly four in ten owners (38.3%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northeast. The renter share has risen 6.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 Olmsted County
| Period | Olmsted County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 8.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Olmsted County than nationally: 6.7%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Compared with other Minnesota counties, Olmsted County has a lower vacancy rate than most.
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 Olmsted County
| Period | Olmsted County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1973 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1975 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Olmsted County are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1987, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center 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 Olmsted County
| Period | Olmsted County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $909 | $882 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $936 | $953 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,083 | $1,099 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,440 | $1,404 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$531 | +$522 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Olmsted County costs $1,440 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $531 a month from 2006–10, a 58% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.3% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southeast; the highest are in the west.
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 Olmsted County
Bachelor's degrees in Olmsted County
| Period | Olmsted County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.8% | 32.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.7% | 33.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.8% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 49.1% | 39.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.4 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Olmsted County is highly educated: about half of adults 25 and older (49.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 9.4 points, as it has nationally. Only three of Minnesota's 87 counties have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Olmsted County
| Period | Olmsted County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.5% | 91.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.3% | 92.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.6% | 93.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.9% | 93.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Olmsted County: 94.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Minnesota as a whole looks much the same.
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 Olmsted County
| Period | Olmsted County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.4% | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Olmsted County runs below the national rate: 3.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 0.5 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Olmsted 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olmsted County | 2.52 | 38.8 | 9.0% | 29.4% | 6.7% | 1987 | $1,440 | 49.1% | 94.9% | 3.6% |
| Dodge County | 2.60 | 38.9 | 10.4% | 13.4% | 5.1% | 1980 | $1,127 | 30.6% | 95.5% | 3.3% |
| Steele County | 2.48 | 40.7 | 10.2% | 20.6% | 5.8% | 1974 | $1,181 | 27.4% | 93.4% | 3.7% |
| Winona County | 2.37 | 37.7 | 6.6% | 30.5% | 9.3% | 1968 | $912 | 33.7% | 94.3% | 2.5% |
| Waseca County | 2.42 | 40.7 | 11.3% | 19.3% | 6.0% | 1966 | $941 | 20.6% | 93.5% | 2.7% |
| Blue Earth County | 2.43 | 34.1 | 10.6% | 38.6% | 7.3% | 1979 | $1,229 | 34.3% | 94.9% | 5.0% |
| Monroe County | 2.55 | 39.9 | 10.4% | 27.2% | 8.8% | 1979 | $938 | 21.4% | 90.5% | 3.1% |
| Watonwan County | 2.66 | 40.2 | 11.5% | 22.2% | 14.3% | 1961 | $831 | 17.3% | 86.2% | 5.6% |
| Cottonwood County | 2.42 | 39.7 | 8.3% | 25.6% | 10.5% | 1961 | $822 | 23.5% | 94.1% | 2.7% |
| Adams County | 2.17 | 54.4 | 5.7% | 13.8% | 39.9% | 1983 | $1,073 | 17.5% | 89.6% | 5.2% |
| Waushara County | 2.31 | 50.0 | 7.1% | 15.8% | 24.7% | 1977 | $806 | 17.5% | 89.7% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Citrus County, FL · Rankin County, MS · Franklin County, PA · Cumberland County, NJ · Columbia County, GA · Charles County, MD · Centre County, PA · Catawba County, NC · Carolina Municipio, PR · Canadian County, OK
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 Olmsted 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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