Census-designated place · Minnesota
Elbow Lake, Becker County, Minnesota
Elbow Lake, Becker County, census-designated place, in Becker County, Minnesota. Elbow Lake, Becker County had 118 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 76 (±22). GEOID 2718440.
Residents, 2020 Census
118
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 76 ±22
Median household income
$29,583
±$14,854 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062
Median home value
not published
Minnesota: $329,300
Median gross rent
$483
±$148 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280
Where is Elbow Lake, Becker County and what county is it in?
Elbow Lake, Becker County is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Becker County, Minnesota. It covers 1.3 square miles of land, 88 residents per square mile in 2020.
Elbow Lake, Becker County is in the Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Elbow Lake, Becker County lies mostly within Round Lake Township (Becker County) and reaches into Eagle View Township and La Prairie Township, towns or townships with their own local government (2020 census blocks).
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Becker County | 118 | 100.0% |
| Clearwater County | land only, no residents | – |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Elbow Lake, Becker County, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 118 residents in Elbow Lake, Becker County, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 76 (±22).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Elbow Lake, Becker County is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Elbow Lake, Becker County | Becker County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 76±22 | 35,343 | no clear change |
| Households | 29±9 | 14,410 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.62±0.65 | 2.42 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 64±12 | 20,005 | no clear change |
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 Elbow Lake, Becker County?
The median resident of Elbow Lake, Becker County is 46.1 years old; 27.6% are under 18 and 32.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 46.1%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 35.5%.
| Measure | Elbow Lake, Becker County | Becker County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.1±7.5 | 43.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 27.6%±11.6 pts | 23.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 32.9%±15.1 pts | 22.8% | – |
| Male | 53.9%±8.6 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0%±25.2 pts | 2.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 18.4%±11.5 pts | 84.9% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±25.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±25.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 46.1%±17.0 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±25.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 35.5%±15.4 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±25.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0%±25.2 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.8%±7.7 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.1%±10.0 pts | 8.7% | – |
| With a disability | 18.4%±10.9 pts | 14.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 23.7%±17.2 pts | 5.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 61.1%±12.1 pts | 93.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 5.6%±6.9 pts | 28.0% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 0.0%±32.7 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 100.0%±25.2 pts | 89.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0%±25.2 pts | 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 Elbow Lake, Becker County earn?
Half of Elbow Lake, Becker County's 29 households earn less than $29,583 a year (±$14,854), against $71,388 in Becker County and $89,062 in Minnesota. 43.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Elbow Lake, Becker County | Becker County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $29,583±$14,854 | $71,388 | – |
| Mean household income | $44,262±$15,412 | $100,022 | – |
| Per capita income | $17,743±$5,508 | $41,842 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 43.4%±16.3 pts | 12.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 61.9%±31.2 pts | 19.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 34.5%±17.5 pts | 11.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 82.8%±14.4 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 82.8%±13.0 pts | 88.8% | – |
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 Elbow Lake, Becker County?
Owners occupy 65.5% of Elbow Lake, Becker County's occupied homes and renters 34.5%. The median renter pays $483 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Elbow Lake, Becker County | Becker County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $483±$148 | $920 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 20.0%±23.0 pts | 35.0% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,375±$882 | $1,691 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.5%±19.2 pts | 77.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 34.5%±19.2 pts | 22.8% | – |
| Housing units | 64±12 | 20,005 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±56.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±78.0 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 98.4%±5.1 pts | 79.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0%±28.9 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.6%±5.5 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.8%±9.0 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 9.4%±7.9 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 20.7%±22.6 pts | 5.8% | – |
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 do people in Elbow Lake, Becker County work and get to work?
81.3% of Elbow Lake, Becker County's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 31.3 minutes.
| Measure | Elbow Lake, Becker County | Becker County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 30.5%±12.6 pts | 60.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 11.1%±14.7 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.3%±24.9 pts | 75.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 18.8%±24.9 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±61.7 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 0.0%±61.7 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 0.0%±61.7 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 31.3 min±3.7 | 21.7 min | – |
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 Elbow Lake, Becker County?
No census tract lies mostly in Elbow Lake, Becker County; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9400Becker County | 3,821 | $56,225 |
| Tract 2Clearwater County | 2,829 | $65,972 |
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 Elbow Lake, Becker County) · Census block assignment files
How does Elbow Lake, Becker County compare with other places in Minnesota?
Elbow Lake, Becker County 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.
Elbow Lake, Becker County's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)
Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Elbow Lake, Becker County 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 Elbow Lake, Becker County?
25 of the 56 figures for Elbow Lake, Becker County 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 Elbow Lake, Becker County 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' school search.