Population 5,349 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Pelican Rapids
Household size in Pelican Rapids
| Period | Pelican Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.48 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.32 | 2.54 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.47 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
The average household in Pelican Rapids has 2.54 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has crept up from 2.48 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the south and smallest in the north.
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 Pelican Rapids
| Period | Pelican Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.2 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.9 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.7 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.7 | 40.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +8.5 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Pelican Rapids skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.7, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 40.2 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only six of the 188 Minnesota cities with 5,000+ people are 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 Pelican Rapids
| Period | Pelican Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.0% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 9.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 9.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.1 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.9% of households in Pelican Rapids, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 6.1 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 188 Minnesota cities with 5,000+ people, only seven have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Pelican Rapids
Renters in Pelican Rapids
| Period | Pelican Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.2% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.0% | 27.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.3% | 28.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.6% | 27.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 18.6% of households in Pelican Rapids rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 45.0% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the north. The renter share has fallen 2.6 points since 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 Pelican Rapids
| Period | Pelican Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.1% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.1% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 30.2% | 8.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.9% | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Pelican Rapids: 30.9% 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. Only one other Minnesota city with 5,000+ people has a higher vacancy rate.
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 Pelican Rapids
| Period | Pelican Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1973 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1975 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Pelican Rapids are the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1980. The median year built has moved up from 1970 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, 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 Pelican Rapids
| Period | Pelican Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $569 | $882 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $679 | $953 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $557 | $1,099 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $787 | $1,404 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$218 | +$522 | +$606 |
Rent in Pelican Rapids runs $787 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $218 a month since 2006–10, up 38%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 26.4% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the southeast and lowest in the center.
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 Pelican Rapids
Bachelor's degrees in Pelican Rapids
| Period | Pelican Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.1% | 32.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.1% | 33.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.1% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.6% | 39.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Pelican Rapids than nationally: 27.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 5.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the south.
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 Pelican Rapids
| Period | Pelican Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.3% | 91.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.7% | 92.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.2% | 93.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.1% | 93.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.8 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Pelican Rapids is close to the national rate: 88.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Minnesota as a whole (93.7%). The share with a diploma is up 7.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Pelican Rapids
| Period | Pelican Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.2% | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.2% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Pelican Rapids than nationally: unemployment was 4.5%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. 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).
Pelican Rapids 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelican Rapids | 2.54 | 48.7 | 4.9% | 18.6% | 30.9% | 1980 | $787 | 27.6% | 88.1% | 4.5% |
| Erhard | 2.49 | 46.8 | 3.9% | 9.8% | 25.6% | 1978 | $1,068 | 25.3% | 93.9% | 5.6% |
| Lake Eunice | 2.39 | 50.6 | 4.6% | 4.4% | 46.1% | 1992 | $975 | 33.4% | 95.8% | 2.2% |
| Vergas | 2.36 | 52.3 | 4.2% | 9.6% | 43.6% | 1992 | $1,083 | 34.3% | 96.5% | 3.2% |
| Rothsay | 2.38 | 47.4 | 4.5% | 8.0% | 10.9% | 1967 | $929 | 24.6% | 94.9% | 4.4% |
| Rollag | 2.64 | 44.3 | 4.3% | 5.0% | 20.4% | 1980 | $754 | 37.6% | 97.4% | 2.3% |
| Elizabeth | 2.86 | 40.3 | 5.7% | 9.9% | 19.2% | 1975 | $1,061 | 29.3% | 94.6% | 1.5% |
| Dent | 2.37 | 54.5 | 4.4% | 8.7% | 55.9% | 1987 | $947 | 36.6% | 97.6% | 3.3% |
| Shoreham | 2.45 | 48.4 | 3.4% | 9.8% | 20.9% | 1995 | $1,352 | 40.8% | 96.3% | 1.2% |
| Audubon | 2.36 | 49.1 | 5.6% | 10.9% | 37.9% | 1985 | $903 | 33.7% | 95.0% | 2.1% |
| Lake Park | 2.43 | 47.9 | 6.7% | 9.2% | 35.3% | 1977 | $889 | 36.8% | 95.5% | 1.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Hawaiian Beaches, HI · Freeland, PA · Freeland, WA · Fremont, IN · Galivants Ferry, SC · Gang Mills, NY · Garfield, AR · Garrison, NY · Guerneville, CA · Hammond, 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 Pelican Rapids. 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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