Population 160,865 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Stearns County
Household size in Stearns County
| Period | Stearns County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.48 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.55 | 2.54 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.56 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Stearns County run a little small, averaging 2.53 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Minnesota as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.48, even as the national average fell.
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 Stearns County
| Period | Stearns County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.8 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.5 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.4 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.2 | 40.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.4 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Stearns County is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.2, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 35.8 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of Minnesota's 87 counties, only seven 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 Stearns County
| Period | Stearns County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.5% | 9.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.9% | 9.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in twelve households in Stearns County (8.9%), below the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across Minnesota.
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 Stearns County
Renters in Stearns County
| Period | Stearns County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.1% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.6% | 27.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.9% | 28.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.1% | 27.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly a third of households in Stearns County rent their homes (32.1%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in Minnesota as a whole (27.8%). Among homeowners, 41.6% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 5.1 points, 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 Stearns County
| Period | Stearns County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 8.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Stearns County is close to the national rate: 8.2% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Stearns County has a lower vacancy rate than most Minnesota counties.
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 Stearns County
| Period | Stearns County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1973 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1975 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Stearns County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1983, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in Minnesota as a whole, where the median home dates to 1978. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the southwest 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 Stearns County
| Period | Stearns County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $660 | $882 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $774 | $953 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $846 | $1,099 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,133 | $1,404 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$473 | +$522 | +$606 |
The median renter in Stearns County pays $1,133 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $473 a month since 2006–10, up 72%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.2% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the southwest.
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 Stearns County
Bachelor's degrees in Stearns County
| Period | Stearns County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.7% | 32.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.3% | 33.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.4% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.1% | 39.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
About three in ten adults 25 and older in Stearns County (29.1%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 4.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the northwest.
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 Stearns County
| Period | Stearns County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.5% | 91.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.7% | 92.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.5% | 93.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.0% | 93.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Stearns County have finished high school (92.0%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Still, the rate is lower than in Minnesota overall (93.7%). The share with a diploma is up 1.5 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 Stearns County
| Period | Stearns County | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Stearns County runs below the national rate: 4.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.0 points from 2006–10, as it has 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).
Stearns 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stearns County | 2.53 | 37.2 | 8.9% | 32.1% | 8.2% | 1983 | $1,133 | 29.1% | 92.0% | 4.3% |
| 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% |
| Pope County | 2.29 | 45.7 | 6.1% | 16.5% | 20.0% | 1970 | $1,007 | 24.3% | 95.6% | 1.2% |
| Isanti County | 2.62 | 40.8 | 10.4% | 16.3% | 6.3% | 1988 | $1,339 | 20.6% | 93.2% | 3.7% |
| Chisago County | 2.66 | 41.7 | 8.8% | 14.1% | 7.3% | 1990 | $1,252 | 24.8% | 96.0% | 4.3% |
| Stevens County | 2.40 | 34.3 | 5.7% | 36.6% | 7.8% | 1969 | $956 | 32.2% | 93.5% | 1.8% |
| Polk County | 2.32 | 46.4 | 8.5% | 19.0% | 17.0% | 1982 | $997 | 24.3% | 94.0% | 3.4% |
| Barron County | 2.36 | 45.8 | 8.8% | 22.6% | 14.4% | 1975 | $928 | 23.5% | 91.6% | 2.8% |
| Roberts County | 2.87 | 38.5 | 14.8% | 28.8% | 21.5% | 1971 | $681 | 18.0% | 91.5% | 6.1% |
| Rusk County | 2.26 | 47.8 | 8.8% | 22.1% | 22.4% | 1978 | $904 | 16.8% | 92.6% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Sandoval County, NM · Houston County, GA · Indian River County, FL · Jackson County, MI · Johnson County, IA · Johnson County, IN · Maui County, HI · Pueblo County, CO · Rankin County, MS · Rock County, 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 Stearns 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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