Population 16,670 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sauk Rapids
Household size in Sauk Rapids
| Period | Sauk Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.52 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.53 | 2.54 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.40 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.41 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.11 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Sauk Rapids run small, averaging 2.41 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has dropped from 2.52 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. 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 Sauk Rapids
| Period | Sauk Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.3 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.5 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.4 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.5 | 40.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.5, Sauk Rapids is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has climbed from 32.3 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only 14 of the 188 Minnesota cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
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 Sauk Rapids
| Period | Sauk Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 9.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 9.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Sauk Rapids (11.7%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Minnesota overall (9.6%).
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 Sauk Rapids
Renters in Sauk Rapids
| Period | Sauk Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.1% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.3% | 27.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.6% | 28.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.1% | 27.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Sauk Rapids is about as common as it is nationally: 37.1% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in Minnesota as a whole (27.8%). Among homeowners, 31.0% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 7.0 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 Sauk Rapids
| Period | Sauk Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.4% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 8.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Sauk Rapids: just 5.3% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has fallen 1.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Sauk Rapids
| Period | Sauk Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1973 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1988 | 1975 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Sauk Rapids are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1988, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1984 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the south.
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 Sauk Rapids
| Period | Sauk Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $747 | $882 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $774 | $953 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $891 | $1,099 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,171 | $1,404 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$425 | +$522 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Sauk Rapids costs $1,171 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $425 a month since 2006–10, up 57%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 26.2% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the south; the highest are in the east.
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 Sauk Rapids
Bachelor's degrees in Sauk Rapids
| Period | Sauk Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.3% | 32.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.5% | 33.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.8% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.2% | 39.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Sauk Rapids than nationally: 29.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast 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 Sauk Rapids
| Period | Sauk Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.4% | 91.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.0% | 92.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.3% | 93.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.9% | 93.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Sauk Rapids is above the national rate: 93.9% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Minnesota as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma is up 0.6 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than 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 Sauk Rapids
| Period | Sauk Rapids | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Sauk Rapids than nationally: unemployment was 4.3%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 1.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Sauk 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauk Rapids | 2.41 | 35.5 | 11.7% | 37.1% | 5.3% | 1988 | $1,171 | 29.2% | 93.9% | 4.3% |
| Sartell | 2.60 | 36.2 | 8.8% | 34.9% | 3.0% | 1998 | $1,372 | 40.8% | 94.8% | 2.3% |
| St. Cloud | 2.42 | 34.9 | 13.5% | 49.0% | 8.6% | 1979 | $1,138 | 30.0% | 90.5% | 6.0% |
| Waite Park | 2.48 | 39.4 | 3.4% | 49.7% | 5.1% | 1989 | $1,245 | 22.7% | 85.1% | 8.7% |
| Popple Creek | 2.85 | 39.3 | 8.4% | 11.3% | 1.3% | 1993 | $1,752 | 25.1% | 95.1% | 1.7% |
| St. Joseph | 2.36 | 32.0 | 9.4% | 30.6% | 5.3% | 1985 | $1,085 | 26.5% | 89.8% | 3.0% |
| St. Stephen | 2.75 | 43.1 | 6.7% | 8.6% | 3.7% | 1986 | $1,479 | 24.0% | 96.0% | 1.8% |
| Pleasant Lake | 2.63 | 42.7 | 6.2% | 8.0% | 10.5% | 1983 | $1,006 | 31.0% | 70.4% | 5.6% |
| Rice | 2.72 | 40.5 | 6.2% | 7.7% | 9.6% | 1994 | $1,067 | 28.2% | 96.1% | 2.1% |
| St. Augusta | 2.76 | 39.3 | 3.1% | 14.9% | 5.3% | 1996 | $1,264 | 40.2% | 95.1% | 3.2% |
| Gilman | 2.82 | 40.5 | 3.8% | 7.2% | 5.7% | 1984 | $1,205 | 20.8% | 93.7% | 1.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Live Oak, TX · Marco Island, FL · Manassas Park, VA · Makawao, HI · Macomb, IL · Luquillo, PR · Lugoff, SC · Ludington, MI · Lowell, IN · Louisburg, NC
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 Sauk 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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