City profile · Minnesota · Census ACS 2023

Fosston, MN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Fosston - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,283
Residents
$50,694
Median income
$126,500
Median home
$973
Median rent (state)

Fosston - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Fosston lands in the 20th percentile for household income and the 17th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

20th
percentile, household income
20th
percentile, home value
12th
percentile, median rent
17th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Fosston, MN

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,283 residents in Fosston, a small town within Minnesota. Median household income here is $50,694 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 15.2%. Home values in Fosston run a median of $126,500, and the median resident age is 45.7 years. 22.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 47.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 1 residential building permits were authorized in Fosston (Construction Slowdown), down 50% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Fosston's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2924.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Fosston's yearly average temperature at 38.8°F with 26.6 inches of precipitation per year.

Minnesota tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Minnesota scores 98.6 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $973 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Minnesota, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 7.1 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

1,283 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Minnesota

Median Household Income

$50,694 /yr

Poverty 15.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average

How does Fosston compare to other US cities?

Fosston measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 20% higher than other cities
Home value 20% pricier than other cities
Median rent 12% pricier than other cities
Safety 17% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Minnesota alone, Fosston ranks #214 of 229 Minnesota cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Fosston against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Minnesota only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Minnesota-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Fosston near the bottom of Minnesota's cities

Among the 785 Minnesota cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Fosston ranks #531 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Fosston only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#662 of 775
15th percentile in Minnesota
Median Gross Rent
#531 of 785
0th percentile in Minnesota
Median Home Value
#541 of 774
30th percentile in Minnesota
Poverty Rate
#80 of 785
90th percentile in Minnesota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#344 of 784
56th percentile in Minnesota

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Minnesota only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

20thIncome percentile
17thSafety percentile

20th percentile nationally for median household income · 17th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Fosston's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Fosston's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 40 Avg. percentile National median
Fosston's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Fosston's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$126,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 80% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Fosston $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Fosston, MN Fosston, MN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Fosston, MN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Fosston, MN median $50,694/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Fosston, MN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Fosston, MN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 47.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,283
Median Income
$50,694
Median Home Value
$126,500
Median Age
45.7
Poverty Rate
15.2%
Labor force participation
47.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2924.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
365.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2558.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
38.8°F
Annual Precipitation
26.6"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,360 residents1,380 residents1,400 residents1,420 residents1,440 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,434 residents 1,383 residents ▼ -3.6%
Fosston's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2
2020 0
2021 0
2022 1
2023 1
2024 1

Permit volume decreased 50% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.7%
Carpool
6.2%
Public Transit
0.6%
Walk
7.5%
Work from Home
7.7%
Other
6.3%

Based on 466 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Minnesota - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Minnesota state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Minnesota state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Fosston sits in

Cost of Living Index
98.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$973/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
7.1 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Minnesota

Glyndon
1,286 people
Adrian
1,288 people
Winthrop
1,275 people
Menahga
1,292 people
Red Lake Falls
1,267 people
Goodhue
1,261 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Fosston's 1,283 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Sunman, IN
1,283 people
Onsted, MI
1,283 people
Caledonia, MS
1,283 people
Delevan, NY
1,283 people
Booker, TX
1,283 people
Woodstock, AL
1,282 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Fosston's $50,694 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ghent, KY
$50,694 median income
Higginsport, OH
$50,694 median income
Addy, WA
$50,694 median income
Highspire, PA
$50,689 median income
Slovan, PA
$50,688 median income
Tell City, IN
$50,702 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Fosston, MN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Fosston, MN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.6% White 93.1% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.2% American Indian 1.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 5.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Fosston compares to nearby Minnesota cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Fosston (this city) 1,283 $50,694
Glyndon 1,286 $93,571
Adrian 1,288 $74,100
Winthrop 1,275 $67,375
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MN FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Fosston, MN?

What is the population of Fosston, MN? +

Fosston, MN counts 1,283 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Fosston, MN? +

The median household income in Fosston is $50,694 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Fosston? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Fosston; the closest available measure is the Minnesota state average, a cost of living index of 98.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Minnesota vary by metro area.

Is Fosston, MN safe? +

Fosston has a total crime rate of 2924.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Fosston, MN? +

Fosston's median home value sits at $126,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Fosston? +

The average annual temperature in Fosston runs 38.8°F, 26.6 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.