Otter Tail County, Minnesota Demographics 2026

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

Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a population of 60,475, the 17th most populous county in Minnesota. The median household income is $72,255 and the median home value is $273,000. The poverty rate is 8.7%.

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

Otter Tail County Quick Facts

Population 60,475

Median Household Income $72,255

Median Home Value $273,000

Poverty Rate 8.7%

Unemployment Rate 4.8%

Median Age 46.2 years

Homeownership Rate 79.5%

Affordability Ratio 3.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 28.3%

High School Graduation 94.4%

Cities/Places 21

Population 60,475 17th of 87

Median Income $72,255 19% lower than state

Poverty Rate 8.7%

Unemployment 4.8%

How Otter Tail 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	60,281	60,475	+0.3%
Median household income	$70,912	$72,255	+1.9%
Median home value	$252,500	$273,000	+8.1%

Median Household Income

Otter Tail

$72,255

$89,062

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Otter Tail

$273,000

$329,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 14.3%

$25K-$50K 19.5%

$50K-$100K 31.1%

$100K+ 35.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.1%

$10K-$15K

2.8%

$15K-$20K

4.1%

$20K-$25K

3.3%

$25K-$30K

4.2%

$30K-$35K

3.9%

$35K-$40K

4.6%

$40K-$45K

3.0%

$45K-$50K

3.8%

$50K-$60K

7.5%

$60K-$75K

10.7%

$75K-$100K

13.0%

$100K-$125K

12.8%

$125K-$150K

7.0%

$150K-$200K

8.0%

$200K+

7.3%

Employment

4.8% Unemployment Rate State: 4.1%|National: 5.2%

60.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 79.5%

Renter 20.5%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $868/mo 14.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.7%

18-34

16.0%

35-54

21.6%

55-74

30.1%

75+

10.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very 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 Otter Tail County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Fergus Falls	14,181	$56,162	9.1%	$194,000
Perham	3,627	$49,716	19.1%	$199,000
Pelican Rapids	2,586	$63,917	16.6%	$174,100
New York Mills	1,371	$56,875	15.8%	$166,300
Parkers Prairie	980	$57,578	10.8%	$168,500
Henning	860	$45,500	13.8%	$135,700
Battle Lake	786	$59,375	6.5%	$257,600
Ottertail	490	$80,500	8.6%	$332,900
Underwood	461	$75,000	9.5%	$187,500
Rothsay	454	$86,250	7.3%	$153,400
Deer Creek	330	$52,273	8.8%	$120,800
Bluffton	263	$100,417	2.3%	$182,300
Vergas	258	$72,917	6.6%	$175,000
Dent	230	$52,500	36.5%	$106,300
Dalton	223	$68,659	6.7%	$106,800
Erhard	154	$63,125	5.2%	$95,000
Elizabeth	122	$63,333	5.7%	$117,500
Clitherall	111	$57,750	0.0%	$78,100
Vining	86	N/A	7.0%	$125,000
Richville	44	$56,250	38.6%	$156,300
Urbank	40	$71,250	5.0%	$93,000

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

Otter Tail County is located in Minnesota with a total population of 60,475. It is the 17th most populous county out of 87 in Minnesota. The county encompasses 21 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Otter Tail County is 46.2 years. This is 19% 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 Otter Tail County is $72,255. This is 19% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 11% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.7%. This is 6% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. The unemployment rate is 4.8%. This is 18% higher than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $273,000. Housing costs are 17% lower than the state median of $329,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.8x. 79.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Otter Tail County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.0%. The Black or African American population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 7.0%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 5.1%.

Education

28.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 28% 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 94.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail County, Minnesota?

Otter Tail County has a population of 60,475, making it the 17th most populous county in Minnesota.

What is the median income in Otter Tail County?

The median household income in Otter Tail County is $72,255 with a poverty rate of 8.7%.

How many cities are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota?

Otter Tail County contains 21 Census-designated places.