Cook County, Minnesota Demographics 2026

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

Cook County, Minnesota has a population of 5,635, the 80th most populous county in Minnesota. The median household income is $72,638 and the median home value is $336,200. The poverty rate is 10.2%.

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

Cook County Quick Facts

Population 5,635

Median Household Income $72,638

Median Home Value $336,200

Poverty Rate 10.2%

Unemployment Rate 2.2%

Median Age 53.0 years

Homeownership Rate 77.7%

Affordability Ratio 4.6x

Bachelor's Degree+ 46.7%

High School Graduation 96.6%

Cities/Places 2

Population 5,635 80th of 87

Median Income $72,638 18% lower than state

Poverty Rate 10.2%

Unemployment 2.2%

How Cook 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	5,633	5,635	+0.0%
Median household income	$71,643	$72,638	+1.4%
Median home value	$294,000	$336,200	+14.4%

Median Household Income

Cook

$72,638

$89,062

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Cook

$336,200

$329,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 10.1%

$25K-$50K 16.5%

$50K-$100K 41.6%

$100K+ 31.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.6%

$10K-$15K

1.8%

$15K-$20K

2.2%

$20K-$25K

2.4%

$25K-$30K

1.8%

$30K-$35K

3.0%

$35K-$40K

4.2%

$40K-$45K

2.9%

$45K-$50K

4.5%

$50K-$60K

12.0%

$60K-$75K

15.2%

$75K-$100K

14.4%

$100K-$125K

7.2%

$125K-$150K

7.3%

$150K-$200K

9.3%

$200K+

8.1%

Employment

2.2% Unemployment Rate State: 4.1%|National: 5.2%

61.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 77.7%

Renter 22.3%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.6x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $886/mo 14.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

14.5%

18-34

16.4%

35-54

21.7%

55-74

35.9%

75+

11.6%

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 Cook County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Grand Marais	1,796	$70,583	10.1%	$310,500
Lutsen	222	$76,944	7.7%	$376,700

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

Cook County is located in Minnesota with a total population of 5,635. It is the 80th most populous county out of 87 in Minnesota. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cook County is 53.0 years. This is 37% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. Only 14.5% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 11.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cook County is $72,638. This is 18% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 10% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.2%. This is 9% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. The unemployment rate is 2.2%. This is 45% lower than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $336,200. Housing costs are 2% higher than the state median of $329,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.6x. 77.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% higher than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cook County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.6% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.1%. The Black or African American population (1.4%) is well below the state average of 7.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.1%) is well below the state average of 6.4%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 5.1%.

Education

46.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Cook County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 18% higher 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 96.6%. Notably, 20.0% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Cook 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 Cook County, Minnesota?

Cook County has a population of 5,635, making it the 80th most populous county in Minnesota.

What is the median income in Cook County?

The median household income in Cook County is $72,638 with a poverty rate of 10.2%.

How many cities are in Cook County, Minnesota?

Cook County contains 2 Census-designated places.