City · Minnesota
Bowlus, Minnesota
Bowlus, city, in Morrison County, Minnesota. Bowlus had 269 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 279 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 278 (±59). GEOID 2707066.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
269
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 279 · ACS 2020-2024: 278 ±59
Median household income
$77,708
±$19,691 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062
Median home value
$158,500
±$7,579 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300
Median gross rent
$742
±$395 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280
Where is Bowlus and what county is it in?
Bowlus is a city in Morrison County, Minnesota. It covers 1.3 square miles of land, 218 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Bowlus, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 269 people lived in Bowlus on July 1, 2025, down 2.5% since 2020, while Minnesota grew 2.2%. The 2020 Census counted 279 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 278 (±59).
| Measure | Bowlus | Morrison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 278 ±59 | 34,249 | no clear change |
| Households | 129 ±25 | 14,084 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.16 ±0.36 | 2.39 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 137 ±30 | 16,256 | no clear change |
Bowlus's population since 2000
From 260 in 2000 to 269 in 2025: up 3.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Bowlus as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Bowlus?
The median resident of Bowlus is 37.0 years old; 17.3% are under 18 and 15.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 99.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 0.7%.
| Measure | Bowlus | Morrison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.0 ±10.5 | 42.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.3% ±6.8 pts | 23.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.8% ±6.4 pts | 21.3% | – |
| Male | 54.3% ±6.4 pts | 50.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0% ±7.8 pts | 1.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 99.3% ±1.9 pts | 94.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±1.9 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.8 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±7.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.7% ±3.2 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.9% ±5.9 pts | 8.7% | – |
| With a disability | 14.4% ±5.4 pts | 14.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.6% ±4.8 pts | 3.9% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.4% ±7.9 pts | 92.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 8.0% ±4.4 pts | 18.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.1% ±1.9 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.5% ±10.6 pts | 92.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.8% ±1.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Bowlus earn?
Half of Bowlus's 129 households earn less than $77,708 a year (±$19,691), against $69,446 in Morrison County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $62,219 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 7.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Bowlus | Morrison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $77,708 ±$19,691 | $69,446 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $83,729 ±$12,387 | $88,368 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,178 ±$4,976 | $37,269 | +$10,436 |
| People below the poverty line | 7.9% ±5.0 pts | 11.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.3% ±9.7 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.2% ±5.5 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 88.4% ±8.5 pts | 91.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 79.8% ±10.0 pts | 86.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Bowlus?
Owners occupy 78.3% of Bowlus's occupied homes and renters 21.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $158,500 by its owner (±$7,579). The median renter pays $742 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Bowlus | Morrison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $158,500 ±$7,579 | $248,500 | +$14,632 |
| Median gross rent | $742 ±$395 | $788 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 5.9% ±9.5 pts | 28.4% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,283 ±$125 | $1,581 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 78.3% ±9.7 pts | 80.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 21.7% ±9.7 pts | 19.4% | – |
| Housing units | 137 ±30 | 16,256 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±46.6 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 88.3% ±6.9 pts | 82.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.8% ±7.4 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±15.1 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.5% ±2.2 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 55.5% ±13.1 pts | 19.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.4% ±5.0 pts | 4.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Bowlus building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Bowlus in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across Minnesota.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Bowlus work and get to work?
86.7% of Bowlus's workers drive alone and 6.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 31.3 minutes.
| Measure | Bowlus | Morrison County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 79.1% ±6.6 pts | 62.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.1% ±1.3 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 86.7% ±5.6 pts | 79.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.6% ±3.2 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±12.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 3.6% ±2.5 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.0% ±3.7 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 31.3 min ±9.8 | 28.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Bowlus?
No census tract lies mostly in Bowlus; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 7808Morrison County | 4,350 | $78,548 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Bowlus) · Census block assignment files
How does Bowlus compare with other places in Minnesota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Bowlus is the 15,523rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 606th-most populous of 855 in Minnesota.
Bowlus is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 606th | 855 |
Bowlus's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)
Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Bowlus with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Bowlus?
24 of the 57 figures for Bowlus on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Bowlus are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Bowlus.