City · Minnesota
Fertile, Minnesota
Fertile, city, in Polk County, Minnesota. Fertile had 777 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 804 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 803 (±108). GEOID 2720978.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
777
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 804 · ACS 2020-2024: 803 ±108
Median household income
$67,125
±$9,178 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062
Median home value
$129,500
±$23,561 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300
Median gross rent
$823
±$81 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280
Where is Fertile and what county is it in?
Fertile is a city in Polk County, Minnesota. It covers 2.1 square miles of land, 387 residents per square mile in 2020.
Fertile is in the Grand Forks, ND-MN metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 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 Fertile, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 777 people lived in Fertile on July 1, 2025, down 2.9% since 2020, while Minnesota grew 2.2%. The 2020 Census counted 804 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 803 (±108).
| Measure | Fertile | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 803 ±108 | 30,705 | no clear change |
| Households | 349 ±45 | 12,360 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.13 ±0.19 | 2.38 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 374 ±43 | 14,697 | −120 |
Fertile's population since 2000
From 893 in 2000 to 777 in 2025: down 13.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Fertile 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 Fertile?
The median resident of Fertile is 44.9 years old; 21.3% are under 18 and 27.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 98.0%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 1.6%.
| Measure | Fertile | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.9 ±6.2 | 39.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.3% ±4.5 pts | 24.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 27.6% ±5.9 pts | 19.1% | – |
| Male | 42.7% ±3.5 pts | 51.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 6.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 98.0% ±1.8 pts | 84.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±1.7 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.6% ±0.6 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.0% ±0.9 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.7% ±2.5 pts | 6.2% | – |
| With a disability | 16.4% ±4.8 pts | 11.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.2% ±2.4 pts | 5.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.2% ±2.5 pts | 93.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 20.2% ±6.0 pts | 28.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.1% ±2.2 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.0% ±5.9 pts | 89.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.9% ±1.7 pts | 3.5% | – |
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 Fertile earn?
Half of Fertile's 349 households earn less than $67,125 a year (±$9,178), against $73,107 in Polk County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $63,073 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Fertile | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,125 ±$9,178 | $73,107 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $82,382 ±$8,484 | $90,262 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,156 ±$3,727 | $37,371 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 8.7% ±3.4 pts | 11.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 2.9% ±3.5 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.9% ±3.6 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 90.8% ±3.8 pts | 94.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.4% ±5.5 pts | 90.4% | – |
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 Fertile?
Owners occupy 71.9% of Fertile's occupied homes and renters 28.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $129,500 by its owner (±$23,561). The median renter pays $823 a month including utilities, and 25.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Fertile | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $129,500 ±$23,561 | $222,800 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $823 ±$81 | $855 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 25.5% ±11.5 pts | 47.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,302 ±$157 | $1,617 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 71.9% ±6.5 pts | 71.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 28.1% ±6.5 pts | 28.7% | – |
| Housing units | 374 ±43 | 14,697 | −120 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.6 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.5% ±10.9 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 76.2% ±5.4 pts | 72.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.2% ±2.1 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±5.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.9% ±1.4 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 31.6% ±7.7 pts | 22.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.9% ±3.6 pts | 7.4% | – |
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 Fertile building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Fertile 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 Fertile work and get to work?
75.9% of Fertile's workers drive alone and 9.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 23.9 minutes.
| Measure | Fertile | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.3% ±6.8 pts | 66.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% ±2.8 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 75.9% ±6.8 pts | 78.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.8% ±3.2 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.9 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Walked | 8.0% ±3.8 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.7% ±5.6 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.9 min ±5.4 | 18.6 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 Fertile?
No census tract lies mostly in Fertile; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 208Polk County | 2,112 | $89,792 |
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 Fertile) · Census block assignment files
How does Fertile compare with other places in Minnesota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Fertile is the 11,348th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 399th-most populous of 855 in Minnesota.
Fertile 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 | 399th | 855 |
Fertile's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)
Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Fertile 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 Fertile?
19 of the 57 figures for Fertile 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 Fertile 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 Fertile.