Traverse County, Minnesota Demographics 2026

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

Traverse County, Minnesota has a population of 3,243, the 87th most populous county in Minnesota. The median household income is $62,989 and the median home value is $114,100. The poverty rate is 11.3%.

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

Traverse County Quick Facts

Population 3,243

Median Household Income $62,989

Median Home Value $114,100

Poverty Rate 11.3%

Unemployment Rate 4.5%

Median Age 46.1 years

Homeownership Rate 81.8%

Affordability Ratio 1.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 16.6%

High School Graduation 94.3%

Cities/Places 4

Population 3,243 87th of 87

Median Income $62,989 29% lower than state

Poverty Rate 11.3%

Unemployment 4.5%

How Traverse 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	3,279	3,243	-1.1%
Median household income	$65,931	$62,989	-4.5%
Median home value	$110,100	$114,100	+3.6%

Median Household Income

Traverse

$62,989

$89,062

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Traverse

$114,100

$329,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.8%

$25K-$50K 18.1%

$50K-$100K 29.7%

$100K+ 29.4%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.2%

$10K-$15K

4.7%

$15K-$20K

8.4%

$20K-$25K

5.5%

$25K-$30K

5.2%

$30K-$35K

2.4%

$35K-$40K

2.7%

$40K-$45K

3.0%

$45K-$50K

4.8%

$50K-$60K

7.9%

$60K-$75K

9.3%

$75K-$100K

12.5%

$100K-$125K

9.3%

$125K-$150K

4.9%

$150K-$200K

7.3%

$200K+

7.9%

Employment

4.5% Unemployment Rate State: 4.1%|National: 5.2%

59.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 81.8%

Renter 18.1%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $615/mo 11.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.6%

18-34

17.7%

35-54

20.9%

55-74

27.3%

75+

12.5%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

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 Traverse County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Wheaton	1,389	$45,781	15.4%	$87,500
Browns Valley	382	$49,250	19.3%	$73,800
Dumont	140	$132,708	0.0%	$146,600
Tintah	43	$36,607	11.6%	N/A

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

Traverse County is located in Minnesota with a total population of 3,243. It is the 87th most populous county out of 87 in Minnesota. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Traverse County is 46.1 years. This is 19% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. 12.5% 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 Traverse County is $62,989. This is 29% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 22% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.3%. This is 22% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. The unemployment rate is 4.5%. This is 12% higher than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $114,100. Housing costs are 65% lower than the state median of $329,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Traverse County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 81.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% higher than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Traverse County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.2% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 6.1%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 7.0%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 5.1%.

Education

16.6% 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 58% 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 94.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Traverse 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 Traverse County, Minnesota?

Traverse County has a population of 3,243, making it the 87th most populous county in Minnesota.

What is the median income in Traverse County?

The median household income in Traverse County is $62,989 with a poverty rate of 11.3%.

How many cities are in Traverse County, Minnesota?

Traverse County contains 4 Census-designated places.