Clearwater County, Minnesota Demographics 2026
Clearwater County, Minnesota has a population of 8,616, the 74th most populous county in Minnesota. The median household income is $64,475 and the median home value is $192,100. The poverty rate is 12.6%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Clearwater County Quick Facts
How Clearwater 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 | 8,579 | 8,616 | +0.4% |
| Median household income | $64,934 | $64,475 | -0.7% |
| Median home value | $177,100 | $192,100 | +8.5% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
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 Clearwater County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bagley | 1,248 | $44,896 | 17.7% | $138,600 |
| Clearbrook | 584 | $48,750 | 13.1% | $107,600 |
| Rice Lake | 244 | $41,136 | 47.9% | $18,800 |
| Gonvick | 221 | $33,750 | 16.7% | $102,100 |
| Shevlin | 148 | $62,361 | 8.8% | $87,000 |
| Ebro | 75 | N/A | 30.4% | $75,000 |
| Roy Lake | 61 | $99,688 | 0.0% | $321,400 |
| South End | 38 | $31,875 | 7.9% | N/A |
| Leonard | 12 | $53,750 | 0.0% | $125,000 |
Explore Minnesota Rankings
Population Overview
Clearwater County is located in Minnesota with a total population of 8,616. It is the 74th most populous county out of 87 in Minnesota. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Clearwater County is 41.6 years. This is 7% higher than the state median of 38.8 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Clearwater County is $64,475. This is 28% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 20% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.6%. This is 35% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. The unemployment rate is 7.7%. This is 89% higher than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $192,100. Housing costs are 42% lower than the state median of $329,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 80.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% higher than the state average of 72.2%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Clearwater County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.6% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.9%. The Black or African American population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 7.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 6.4%. The Asian population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 5.1%.
Education
19.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 50% 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 88.4%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Clearwater 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 Clearwater County, Minnesota?
Clearwater County has a population of 8,616, making it the 74th most populous county in Minnesota.
What is the median income in Clearwater County?
The median household income in Clearwater County is $64,475 with a poverty rate of 12.6%.
How many cities are in Clearwater County, Minnesota?
Clearwater County contains 9 Census-designated places.