Parkers Prairie, Minnesota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 980, Parkers Prairie'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

Parkers Prairie is a small community located in Minnesota, within Otter Tail County. The total population is 980. It ranks as the 366th most populous out of 914 Census-designated places in Minnesota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Parkers Prairie is 46.2 years. This is 19% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. 16.0% 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 Parkers Prairie is $57,578. This is 35% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 29% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.8%. This is 16% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. The unemployment rate is 2.7%. This is 33% lower than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $168,500. Housing costs are 49% lower than the state median of $329,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Parkers Prairie is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Parkers Prairie has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.6% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.6%. The Black or African American population (2.8%) is well below the state average of 7.0%.

Education

10.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 75% 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 91.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Parkers Prairie, 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.