Jackson County, Minnesota Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Jackson County is located in Minnesota with a total population of 9,933. It is the 67th most populous county out of 87 in Minnesota. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Jackson County is 44.5 years. This is 15% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. 10.6% 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 Jackson County is $75,743. This is 15% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 6% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.6%. This is 8% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. The unemployment rate is 2.4%. This is 40% lower than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $157,100. Housing costs are 52% lower than the state median of $329,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.1x, Jackson County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 80.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% higher than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Jackson County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.8% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.9%. The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 7.0%. The Asian population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 5.1%.

Education

26.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 34% 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 94.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Jackson 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.