County-level Census Bureau data covering income, housing, demographics, education, employment, and more. Counties are the primary administrative division in the U.S. and the most common unit for comparing local conditions across a state.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Stearns County
- What is the median household income in Stearns County?
- The median household income in Stearns County is $76,447 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Stearns County?
- The poverty rate in Stearns County is 7.0% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Stearns County?
- $256,500 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Stearns County?
- The median gross rent in Stearns County is $1,057 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Stearns County residents have a college degree?
- 28.6% of adults in Stearns County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
159,358
Median Income
$76,447
Median Home Value
$256,500
Poverty Rate
7.0%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
4.3%
Median Age
35.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$13,658 (+21.8%)
Home Value:
+$71,600 (+38.7%)
Poverty Rate:
-0.3 pp (-4.1%)
Bachelor's+:
+1.1 pp (+4%)
Unemployment:
-0.2 pp (-4.4%)
Demographics
Total Population
159,358
Median Age
35.0
Female
49.4%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 4.5%
White (non-Hisp.) 81.5%
Black 8.4%
Asian 1.9%
Two or More 4.7%
Other 1.9%
Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Indian
0.3%
Chinese
0.3%
Vietnamese
0.3%
Filipino
0.1%
Korean
0.1%
Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)
Mexican
2.6%
Puerto Rican
0.6%
Cuban
0.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$76,447
±$1,509
-$11,109 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$98,895
Median Family Income
$95,813
Poverty Rate
7.0%
+1.5 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
11.2%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
9.1%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
23.2%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
3.5%
$10–15k
3.8%
$15–25k
6.8%
$25–35k
6.9%
$35–50k
10.4%
$50–75k
17.4%
$75–100k
16.1%
$100–150k
18.2%
$150–200k
8.8%
$200k+
8.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
66,211
Owner-Occupied
67.8%
Renter-Occupied
32.2%
Vacancy Rate
8.0%
Median Home Value
$256,500
-$49,000 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$1,057
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
15.4%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
38.8%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
4.2%
$50–100k
2.9%
$100–200k
8.8%
$200–300k
32.6%
$300–500k
25.0%
$500k–$1M
10.0%
$1M+
1.9%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
9.2%
$500–1k
35.8%
$1–1.5k
36.1%
$1.5–2k
15.6%
$2–2.5k
1.7%
$2.5–3.5k
0.9%
$3.5k+
0.8%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
5.5%
1 vehicle
28.0%
2 vehicles
40.0%
3+
26.5%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
69.3%
Single-fam. att.
3.8%
2–4 units
1.2%
5–19 units
1.8%
20+ units
14.7%
Mobile home
2.0%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
11.4%
1940–1969
4.1%
1970–1999
14.5%
2000–2009
17.1%
2010+
9.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
92.8%
Bachelor's or Higher
28.6%
-10.2 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
9.9%
Some College / Associate
22.5%
Less Than High School
3.9%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
69.8%
Unemployment Rate
4.3%
+0.4 pp vs. state
Work from Home
9.3%
Self-Employed
5.2%
Government Workers
12.4%
Private For-Profit
82.3%
Industry
Edu/Health
29.0%
Manufacturing
12.7%
Retail
11.6%
Arts/Entmt.
7.8%
Construction
7.5%
Prof. Services
6.9%
Transportation
6.5%
Finance
5.0%
Agriculture
3.1%
Wholesale
2.6%
Public Admin
2.3%
Information
0.7%
Occupation
Management
36.7%
Sales
20.3%
Food Prep
17.3%
Production
16.4%
Construction
9.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
22.1 min
Drove Alone
75.7%
Carpool
7.5%
Public Transit
1.5%
Work from Home
9.3%
Walked
4.5%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
60,937
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
49.5%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
19.8%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
6.4%
5–9
6.1%
10–14
7.0%
15–19
8.2%
20–24
10.3%
25–34
11.9%
35–44
11.8%
45–54
10.4%
55–64
6.3%
65–74
5.8%
75–84
9.2%
85+
4.7%
Under 18: 23.6%
Working age (18–64): 76.4%
65 and over: 15.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
7.5%
Naturalized Citizen
54.3%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
4.1%
Foreign-Born Origin
Africa
58.0%
Asia
19.5%
Latin America
15.5%
Europe
5.5%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
6.6%
With a Disability
11.4%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
95.4%
Uninsured
4.6%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
89.2%
Has a Computer
94.6%
Same House 1 Year Ago
85.7%
Moved from Abroad
0.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Compare Stearns County
Compare to another county →Where People Move From (IRS Migration Data)
Top origins of people who moved to Stearns County in 2023, by number of tax returns filed (IRS SOI Migration Data).
| Origin | Tax Returns | People (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Benton County | 692 | 1,174 |
| Sherburne County | 445 | 728 |
| Other flows - Midwest | 409 | 709 |
| Hennepin County | 365 | 604 |
| Other flows - South | 284 | 508 |
| Other flows - West | 243 | 410 |
| Wright County | 223 | 357 |
| Anoka County | 121 | 176 |
| Morrison County | 117 | 195 |
| Meeker County | 110 | 184 |