City · Minnesota
Ely, Minnesota
Ely, city, in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Ely had 3,231 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 3,268 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,240 (±14). GEOID 2719142.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
3,231
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 3,268 · ACS 2020-2024: 3,240 ±14
Median household income
$43,901
±$8,045 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062
Median home value
$157,300
±$11,148 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300
Median gross rent
$627
±$167 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280
Where is Ely and what county is it in?
Ely is a city in St. Louis County, Minnesota. It covers 2.9 square miles of land, 1,118 residents per square mile in 2020.
Ely is in the Duluth, MN-WI metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Ely, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 3,231 people lived in Ely on July 1, 2025, down 1.1% since 2020, while Minnesota grew 2.2%. The 2020 Census counted 3,268 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 3,240 (±14).
| Measure | Ely | St. Louis County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,240 ±14 | 200,123 | −150 |
| Households | 1,780 ±139 | 87,115 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.66 ±0.13 | 2.20 | −0.28 |
| Housing units | 1,976 ±132 | 104,263 | no clear change |
Ely's population since 2000
From 3,724 in 2000 to 3,231 in 2025: down 13.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Ely 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 Ely?
The median resident of Ely is 52.1 years old; 7.9% are under 18 and 28.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.9%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 2.0%.
| Measure | Ely | St. Louis County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.1 ±9.0 | 41.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 7.9% ±3.2 pts | 18.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 28.1% ±5.8 pts | 21.4% | – |
| Male | 49.6% ±4.8 pts | 50.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.6% ±1.7 pts | 1.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 92.9% ±4.2 pts | 89.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±1.8 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.9% ±1.2 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±2.0 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.9% ±1.5 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.2% ±1.7 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.6% ±3.6 pts | 7.3% | – |
| With a disability | 17.4% ±4.1 pts | 15.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.2% ±5.4 pts | 4.1% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.0% ±6.5 pts | 95.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 31.6% ±6.2 pts | 33.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.6% ±2.9 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.8% ±5.5 pts | 86.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.4% ±2.1 pts | 2.4% | – |
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 Ely earn?
Half of Ely's 1,780 households earn less than $43,901 a year (±$8,045), against $70,069 in St. Louis County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $50,392 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 13.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Ely | St. Louis County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,901 ±$8,045 | $70,069 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $59,368 ±$7,829 | $93,368 | – |
| Per capita income | $32,996 ±$3,399 | $41,302 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 13.9% ±5.7 pts | 13.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 12.0% ±16.7 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.1% ±4.9 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.6% ±6.1 pts | 94.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 89.0% ±5.5 pts | 88.6% | – |
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 Ely?
Owners occupy 63.4% of Ely's occupied homes and renters 36.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $157,300 by its owner (±$11,148). The median renter pays $627 a month including utilities, and 43.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Ely | St. Louis County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $157,300 ±$11,148 | $221,400 | +$31,892 |
| Median gross rent | $627 ±$167 | $1,013 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 43.0% ±18.4 pts | 41.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,306 ±$134 | $1,558 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 63.4% ±8.2 pts | 71.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 36.6% ±8.2 pts | 28.8% | – |
| Housing units | 1,976 ±132 | 104,263 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.4 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 67.0% ±8.1 pts | 73.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.3% ±2.0 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.3% ±1.1 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.1% ±1.2 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 48.3% ±8.1 pts | 28.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 14.9% ±8.4 pts | 8.0% | – |
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 Ely building?
Builders took permits for 5 new housing units in Ely in 2025 (5 in single-family houses), 1.5 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 Ely work and get to work?
56.0% of Ely's workers drive alone and 6.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 14.3 minutes.
| Measure | Ely | St. Louis County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 55.3% ±7.3 pts | 61.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.5% ±2.0 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 56.0% ±7.3 pts | 74.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 13.5% ±5.1 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Walked | 20.4% ±6.5 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.3% ±3.5 pts | 11.2% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 14.3 min ±1.8 | 19.9 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 Ely?
1 census tract lies mostly in Ely, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 153St. Louis County | 3,228 | $43,912 |
| Tract 154.01St. Louis County | 1,857 | $80,652 |
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 Ely) · Census block assignment files
How does Ely compare with other places in Minnesota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Ely is the 6,101st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 207th-most populous of 855 in Minnesota.
Ely ranks 555th of 558 places in Minnesota with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 207th | 855 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 419th | 556 |
| Residents per square mile | 186th | 562 |
| Median household income | 555th | 558 |
| Per capita income | 485th | 562 |
| Median home value | 503rd | 559 |
| Median gross rent | 448th | 465 |
| Poverty rate | 84th | 461 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 244th | 559 |
| Median age | 44th | 561 |
| Owner-occupied share | 493rd | 561 |
| Work from home | 462nd | 525 |
| Travel time to work | 528th | 562 |
Ely's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)
Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Ely 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 Ely?
17 of the 57 figures for Ely 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 Ely 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 Ely.