Bluffton, Minnesota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 263, Bluffton's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Bluffton is a small community located in Minnesota, within Otter Tail County. The total population is 263. It ranks as the 634th most populous out of 914 Census-designated places in Minnesota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bluffton is 24.8 years. This is 36% lower than the state median of 38.8 years. With 33.5% of the population under 18, Bluffton has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Bluffton is $100,417. This is 13% higher than the state median of $89,062. It is also 24% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 2.3%. This is 75% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Bluffton, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $182,300. Housing costs are 45% lower than the state median of $329,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Bluffton is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 83.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 15% higher than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Bluffton is White (non-Hispanic), making up 81.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 13.7%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (13.7% vs 6.4%). The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 5.1%.

Education

18.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 53% 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 86.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Bluffton, Minnesota is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Minnesota state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 914 Census-designated places in Minnesota. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.