Whalan, Minnesota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 45, Whalan'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

Whalan is a small community located in Minnesota, within Fillmore County. The total population is 45. It ranks as the 864th most populous out of 914 Census-designated places in Minnesota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Whalan is 51.3 years. This is 32% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. Only 13.3% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 13.3% 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 Whalan is $125,625. This is 41% higher than the state median of $89,062. It is also 56% higher than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in Whalan. 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 Whalan, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $168,800. Housing costs are 49% lower than the state median of $329,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.3x, Whalan is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 38% higher than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Whalan has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 88.9% of all residents.

Education

51.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Whalan in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 31% higher 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 85.7%. Notably, 22.9% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Whalan, 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.