City · Minnesota

Clara City, Minnesota

Clara City, city, in Chippewa County, Minnesota. Clara City had 1,397 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,423 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,466 (±160). GEOID 2711548.

Residents, July 2025 estimate

1,397

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,423 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,466 ±160

Median household income

$63,636

±$6,392 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062

Median home value

$114,300

±$21,620 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300

Median gross rent

$1,068

±$56 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280

Where is Clara City and what county is it in?

Clara City is a city in Chippewa County, Minnesota. It covers 1.9 square miles of land, 757 residents per square mile in 2020.

Clara City (marked with a dot) in Chippewa County, Minnesota. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in Clara City, and is it growing?

The Census Bureau estimates that 1,397 people lived in Clara City on July 1, 2025, down 2.9% since 2020, while Minnesota grew 2.2%. The 2020 Census counted 1,423 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,466 (±160).

  • July 2020→2021 −29 (1,410)
  • 2021→2022 −12 (1,398)
  • 2022→2023 −6 (1,392)
  • 2023→2024 +7 (1,399)
  • 2024→2025 −2 (1,397)
ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
Measure Clara CityChippewa CountyMinnesota Change since 2015-2019
Total population 1,466 ±160 12,377 5,739,445 no clear change
Households 564 ±74 5,126 2,307,955 no clear change
Average household size 2.46 ±0.26 2.34 2.43 no clear change
Housing units 632 ±77 5,661 2,545,030 no clear change

Clara City's population since 2000

From 1,393 in 2000 to 1,397 in 2025: up 0.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Clara City 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.

  • 2000 Census 1,393
  • 2005 (estimate) 1,368
  • 2010 Census 1,360
  • 2015 (estimate) 1,309
  • 2020 Census 1,423
  • 2025 (estimate) 1,397

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 Clara City?

The median resident of Clara City is 36.9 years old; 27.9% are under 18 and 19.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 11.3%. 4.8% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure Clara CityChippewa CountyMinnesota Change since 2015-2019
Median age 36.9 ±5.2 41.7 38.8 no clear change
Under 18 years 27.9% ±4.0 pts 24.4% 22.9% –
65 years and over 19.4% ±4.0 pts 21.5% 17.3% –
Male 44.4% ±4.5 pts 50.2% 50.1% –
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.3% ±6.7 pts 10.6% 6.4% no clear change
White alone, not Hispanic 87.5% ±6.8 pts 82.1% 75.9% no clear change
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic 0.5% ±1.0 pts 0.5% 6.9% –
Asian alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±1.5 pts 1.4% 5.1% –
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±1.5 pts 1.4% 0.7% –
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±1.5 pts 2.5% 0.0% –
Two or more races, not Hispanic 0.6% ±0.8 pts 1.2% 4.5% –
Some other race alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±1.5 pts 0.3% 0.5% –
Born outside the United States 4.8% ±3.1 pts 6.7% 8.7% –
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) 9.0% ±5.6 pts 10.1% 12.4% –
Civilian veterans (age 18+) 7.8% ±4.3 pts 8.7% 5.9% –
With a disability 12.6% ±3.1 pts 13.3% 11.6% –
No health insurance coverage 6.8% ±3.7 pts 7.3% 4.7% –
High school graduate or higher (age 25+) 91.4% ±3.4 pts 91.7% 93.9% –
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) 16.5% ±6.1 pts 19.3% 39.4% no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) 6.4% ±2.7 pts 6.0% 13.8% –
Lived in the same house a year earlier 91.8% ±3.9 pts 91.5% 87.8% –
Moved from another state in the past year 3.1% ±2.6 pts 1.0% 1.8% –

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 Clara City earn?

Half of Clara City's 564 households earn less than $63,636 a year (±$6,392), against $71,458 in Chippewa County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $66,809 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 7.3% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
Measure Clara CityChippewa CountyMinnesota Change since 2015-2019
Median household income $63,636 ±$6,392 $71,458 $89,062 no clear change
Mean household income $77,562 ±$7,535 $86,160 $118,304 –
Per capita income $30,732 ±$3,138 $35,718 $48,237 no clear change
People below the poverty line 7.3% ±2.6 pts 14.5% 9.3% no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line 8.8% ±5.4 pts 21.1% 10.3% no clear change
Households receiving SNAP 5.5% ±3.5 pts 9.8% 7.9% –
Households with a computer 94.0% ±3.1 pts 93.5% 95.8% –
Households with a broadband subscription 91.0% ±3.5 pts 87.7% 91.6% –

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 Clara City?

Owners occupy 65.8% of Clara City's occupied homes and renters 34.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $114,300 by its owner (±$21,620). The median renter pays $1,068 a month including utilities, and 38.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
Measure Clara CityChippewa CountyMinnesota Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied) $114,300 ±$21,620 $156,100 $329,300 −$30,307
Median gross rent $1,068 ±$56 $869 $1,280 no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent 38.7% ±15.0 pts 38.6% 38.4% no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage $1,290 ±$178 $1,506 $1,947 –
Owner-occupied homes 65.8% ±7.0 pts 72.3% 72.2% no clear change
Renter-occupied homes 34.2% ±7.0 pts 27.7% 27.8% –
Housing units 632 ±77 5,661 2,545,030 no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate 0.0% ±5.9 pts 0.1% 0.6% –
Rental vacancy rate 6.9% ±9.4 pts 3.6% 5.3% –
Single-family detached homes 87.8% ±4.6 pts 78.7% 66.0% –
Mobile homes 0.0% ±3.5 pts 2.5% 2.9% –
Built 2020 or later 0.0% ±3.5 pts 0.2% 1.9% –
Built 2010 to 2019 0.6% ±0.7 pts 3.0% 8.5% –
Built 1939 or earlier 28.2% ±7.3 pts 30.9% 15.6% –
Households with no vehicle 2.0% ±1.2 pts 6.9% 6.7% –

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 Clara City building?

Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Clara City in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across Minnesota.

  • 2019 1 units
  • 2020 0 units
  • 2021 1 units
  • 2022 1 units
  • 2023 0 units
  • 2024 0 units
  • 2025 0 units

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 Clara City work and get to work?

75.2% of Clara City's workers drive alone and 3.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 14.8 minutes.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
Measure Clara CityChippewa CountyMinnesota Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+) 65.0% ±4.0 pts 63.1% 68.1% –
Unemployment rate 2.2% ±1.8 pts 4.4% 4.1% –
Drove alone to work 75.2% ±7.5 pts 77.7% 68.9% –
Carpooled 19.4% ±7.5 pts 11.7% 7.5% –
Public transportation 0.0% ±3.2 pts 0.1% 1.8% –
Walked 0.1% ±0.3 pts 1.5% 2.5% –
Worked from home 3.9% ±2.4 pts 8.5% 17.6% –
Mean travel time to work 14.8 min ±1.7 16.8 min 22.7 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 Clara City?

No census tract lies mostly in Clara City; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).

Census tracts in Clara City, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Clara City
Tract 9504Chippewa County2,303 $74,856 $193,80030%

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 Clara City) · Census block assignment files

How does Clara City compare with other places in Minnesota?

By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Clara City is the 8,998th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 304th-most populous of 855 in Minnesota.

Clara City ranks 472nd of 558 places in Minnesota with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

Clara City's rank in Minnesota (1 = highest): by population among the state's incorporated places with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population, July 2025 estimate304th855
Growth 2020-2025 (PEP)501st556
Residents per square mile267th562
Median household income472nd558
Per capita income517th562
Median home value542nd559
Median gross rent247th465
Poverty rate245th461
Bachelor's degree or higher526th559
Median age450th561
Owner-occupied share472nd561
Work from home513th525
Travel time to work525th562

Clara City's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)

Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Clara City 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 Clara City?

15 of the 57 figures for Clara City 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 Clara City 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 Clara City.