Blue Earth County, Minnesota Demographics 2026

Name: Blue Earth County, Minnesota Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Blue Earth County, Minnesota has a population of 69,871, the 13th most populous county in Minnesota. The median household income is $74,477 and the median home value is $266,700. The poverty rate is 15.7%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Blue Earth County Quick Facts

Population 69,871

Median Household Income $74,477

Median Home Value $266,700

Poverty Rate 15.7%

Unemployment Rate 4.9%

Median Age 31.6 years

Homeownership Rate 61.4%

Affordability Ratio 3.6x

Bachelor's Degree+ 34.2%

High School Graduation 94.7%

Cities/Places 14

Population 69,871 13th of 87

Median Income $74,477 16% lower than state

Poverty Rate 15.7%

Unemployment 4.9%

How Blue Earth County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	69,386	69,871	+0.7%
Median household income	$72,623	$74,477	+2.6%
Median home value	$252,800	$266,700	+5.5%

Median Household Income

Blue Earth

$74,477

$89,062

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Blue Earth

$266,700

$329,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 14.9%

$25K-$50K 18.1%

$50K-$100K 32.5%

$100K+ 34.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.3%

$10K-$15K

3.5%

$15K-$20K

2.5%

$20K-$25K

3.6%

$25K-$30K

4.3%

$30K-$35K

2.9%

$35K-$40K

3.7%

$40K-$45K

3.4%

$45K-$50K

3.8%

$50K-$60K

6.7%

$60K-$75K

10.8%

$75K-$100K

15.0%

$100K-$125K

11.0%

$125K-$150K

7.1%

$150K-$200K

9.6%

$200K+

6.8%

Employment

4.9% Unemployment Rate State: 4.1%|National: 5.2%

69.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 61.4%

Renter 38.6%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.6x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,123/mo 18.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.7%

18-34

34.4%

35-54

20.8%

55-74

18.6%

75+

6.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 41 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Blue Earth County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Mankato	45,473	$66,873	20.6%	$261,700
North Mankato	14,211	$80,791	4.5%	$262,100
Eagle Lake	3,281	$96,964	6.2%	$276,500
Lake Crystal	2,606	$83,317	7.8%	$204,400
Mapleton	1,728	$80,909	13.4%	$181,900
Madison Lake	1,322	$87,727	6.8%	$303,100
St. Clair	710	$106,136	4.9%	$218,000
Minnesota Lake	687	$68,750	7.0%	$158,100
Amboy	602	$69,844	13.8%	$134,400
Good Thunder	456	$81,667	7.9%	$178,700
Vernon Center	329	$70,000	4.3%	$143,300
Skyline	307	$71,875	8.8%	$291,500
Pemberton	223	$50,417	12.6%	$170,800
Garden City	194	$81,250	3.6%	$177,200

Explore Minnesota Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Blue Earth County is located in Minnesota with a total population of 69,871. It is the 13th most populous county out of 87 in Minnesota. The county encompasses 14 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Blue Earth County is 31.6 years. This is 19% lower than the state median of 38.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Blue Earth County is $74,477. This is 16% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 8% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.7%. This is 68% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. The unemployment rate is 4.9%. This is 20% higher than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $266,700. Housing costs are 19% lower than the state median of $329,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.6x. 61.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 15% lower than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Blue Earth County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.8%. The Asian population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 5.1%.

Education

34.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 13% lower than the state rate of 39.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Blue Earth County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Minnesota and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Blue Earth County, Minnesota?

Blue Earth County has a population of 69,871, making it the 13th most populous county in Minnesota.

What is the median income in Blue Earth County?

The median household income in Blue Earth County is $74,477 with a poverty rate of 15.7%.

How many cities are in Blue Earth County, Minnesota?

Blue Earth County contains 14 Census-designated places.