Plato, Minnesota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 242, Plato'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

Plato is a small community located in Minnesota, within McLeod County. The total population is 242. It ranks as the 654th most populous out of 914 Census-designated places in Minnesota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Plato is 40.1 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 38.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Plato is $91,250. This is 2% higher than the state median of $89,062. It is also 13% higher than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in Plato. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The survey records no unemployed residents in Plato, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $239,700. Housing costs are 27% lower than the state median of $329,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.6x, Plato is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 96.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 34% higher than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Plato has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.2%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 6.4%.

Education

18.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 54% 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 96.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Plato, 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.