Nett Lake, Minnesota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 171, Nett Lake'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

Nett Lake is a small community located in Minnesota, within St. Louis County. The total population is 171. It ranks as the 717th most populous out of 914 Census-designated places in Minnesota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Nett Lake is 38.8 years. This is about the same as the state median of 38.8 years. 14.0% 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 Nett Lake is $38,750. This is 56% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 52% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.6%. This is 133% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 11.3%. This is 179% higher than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $80,000. Housing costs are 76% lower than the state median of $329,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.1x, Nett Lake is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 40.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 45% lower than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Nett Lake is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.2%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (2.9%) is well below the state average of 75.9%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 7.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 6.4%.

Education

5.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 86% 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 77.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Nett Lake, 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.