Vernon Center, Minnesota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 329, Vernon Center'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

Vernon Center is a small community located in Minnesota, within Blue Earth County. The total population is 329. It ranks as the 594th most populous out of 914 Census-designated places in Minnesota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Vernon Center is 39.1 years. This is about the same as the state median of 38.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Vernon Center is $70,000. This is 21% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 13% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 4.3%. This is 54% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 1.1%. This is 73% lower than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $143,300. Housing costs are 56% lower than the state median of $329,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Vernon Center is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 84.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% higher than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Vernon Center has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 97.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.2%. The Black or African American population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 7.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 6.4%.

Education

20.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 49% 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 92.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Vernon Center, 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.