Population 550 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Ottawa
Household size in Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.33 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.54 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.30 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.20 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Ottawa run a little small, averaging 2.54 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Minnesota as a whole looks much the same. Household size has climbed from 2.33 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.9 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.5 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 49.3 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.3 | 40.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −5.5 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Ottawa skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.3, 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 Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 9.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 9.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Ottawa: 6.9% of households, against 11.6% 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 Ottawa
Renters in Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.7% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.2% | 27.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.4% | 28.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.0% | 27.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Ottawa own their homes; 25.0% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. That is in line with the rest of Minnesota. About a third of owners (33.3%) have paid off their mortgages, below 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 Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.2% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 8.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Ottawa is close to the national rate: 10.9% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in Minnesota overall (8.3%).
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 Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1997 | 1973 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1995 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1994 | 1975 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1999 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Ottawa is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1999, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole.
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 Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $806 | $882 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $863 | $953 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $897 | $1,099 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,205 | $1,404 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$399 | +$522 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Ottawa costs $1,205 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 36.7% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Ottawa
Bachelor's degrees in Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.2% | 32.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.1% | 33.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.4% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.5% | 39.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Ottawa than nationally: 30.5% 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 Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.8% | 91.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.9% | 92.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.5% | 93.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.7% | 93.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Ottawa: 95.7% 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 Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.1% | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.5% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.9% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Ottawa has been low: just 0.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. 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).
Ottawa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa | 2.54 | 42.3 | 6.9% | 25.0% | 10.9% | 1999 | $1,205 | 30.5% | 95.7% | 0.9% |
| Traverse | 2.54 | 40.5 | 8.5% | 29.0% | 8.8% | 1997 | $1,173 | 30.4% | 95.3% | 1.5% |
| St. Peter | 2.32 | 38.0 | 7.5% | 30.3% | 7.1% | 1983 | $1,018 | 35.8% | 93.0% | 2.0% |
| Le Sueur | 2.35 | 42.3 | 6.7% | 24.4% | 5.6% | 1968 | $942 | 26.8% | 92.6% | 3.1% |
| Kasota | 2.53 | 44.8 | 6.3% | 13.5% | 14.1% | 1980 | $959 | 35.0% | 96.9% | 7.1% |
| Rush River | 2.79 | 45.3 | 4.2% | 16.5% | 7.0% | 1977 | $1,361 | 26.2% | 96.1% | 1.8% |
| Oshawa | 2.70 | 41.4 | 3.1% | 10.0% | 3.2% | 1986 | $1,468 | 32.9% | 93.1% | 2.3% |
| Cleveland | 2.48 | 43.1 | 5.8% | 16.2% | 19.4% | 1971 | $1,025 | 29.0% | 96.8% | 4.0% |
| Henderson | 2.66 | 43.3 | 8.2% | 18.0% | 5.7% | 1966 | $1,250 | 26.0% | 96.4% | 2.6% |
| Marysburg | 2.65 | 44.3 | 6.1% | 9.0% | 28.4% | 1985 | $1,013 | 41.3% | 98.4% | 5.0% |
| Le Center | 2.65 | 39.8 | 6.1% | 23.3% | 9.9% | 1969 | $1,047 | 20.1% | 88.0% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Huntly, VA · Junction City, WA · Jonesport, ME · Joffre, PA · Java Center, NY · Yarboro, TX · Jacumba, CA · Ivy Ridge, NC · Ivanhoe North, TX · Isaar, WI
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 Ottawa. 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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