Swift County, Minnesota Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Swift County is located in Minnesota with a total population of 9,748. It is the 68th most populous county out of 87 in Minnesota. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Swift County is 41.8 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. 11.4% 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 Swift County is $60,412. This is 32% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 25% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.0%. This is 29% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. The unemployment rate is 4.4%. This is 9% higher than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $161,400. Housing costs are 51% lower than the state median of $329,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Swift County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

Swift County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 86.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 7.2%. The Black or African American population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 7.0%.

Education

24.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 38% 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 93.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Swift 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.