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Place dossier plate
SheetMN-GRAND-MARAIS-MN · Grand Marais, MN 1,700 pop · income 55th pct · 4 tracts
Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.
Income neighbourhood around Grand Marais
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Grand Marais on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Cairo · lowest
35,493
Cairo · lowest
35,493 median HH income
35.7% of the leader · rank #1
Conrad · near
73,844
Conrad · near
73,844 median HH income
74.2% of the leader · rank #2
Grand Marais · this city
73,846
Grand Marais · this city
73,846 median HH income
74.2% of the leader · rank #3
Coventry Lake · near
73,846
Coventry Lake · near
73,846 median HH income
74.2% of the leader · rank #4
North Fairfie… · near
73,846
North Fairfie… · near
73,846 median HH income
74.2% of the leader · rank #5
Georgetown CD… · near
73,846
Georgetown CD… · near
73,846 median HH income
74.2% of the leader · rank #6
Rock Creek · highest
99,500
Rock Creek · highest
99,500 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Grand Marais on ACS population and median household income
. Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.
Similar population
Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 1,700.
Grand Marais ranks in the 55th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.
55th
percentile, household income
62nd
percentile, home value
36th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Grand Marais, MN
Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,700 residents in Grand Marais, a small town within Minnesota. Grand Marais households earn a median of $73,846 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.7%. Home values in Grand Marais run a median of $283,700, and the median resident age is 45.3 years. About 43.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 55.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 5 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 29% from five years earlier. NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 39.5°F with 25.9 inches of precipitation per year.
Minnesota tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 98.6 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,125 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Minnesota's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 42.4 out of 100 (Low).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of Grand Marais's data
How this reading path is ordered
This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from schools and households to housing and income to comparison shortlist to population change to within-city variation to climate and hazard context to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For Grand Marais, city-specific coverage includes local building permits, commute-mode shares, matched public-school count, within-city Census tract profiles, annual population history.
No matched row is reported here for FBI reported-crime rates; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.
Question 1
What does the education layer cover for Grand Marais?
The NCES join finds 4 public schools within the city match. 43.5% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.
The city has a broader matched school footprint, but count alone does not describe performance, capacity, program availability, or attendance boundaries. This profile deliberately avoids converting it into an unsupported family-friendliness score.
How far does income reach against housing in Grand Marais?
The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.8 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 7.7%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.
Which cities make useful reference points for Grand Marais?
Within Minnesota, the closest population matches are Gilbert (1,693 residents, $62,625 income); Long Lake (1,710 residents, $95,972 income); Rock Creek (1,711 residents, $99,500 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Congress, AZ (1,700 residents); Forest City, PA (1,700 residents); London, CA (1,701 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.
Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.
What can 4 Census tracts reveal inside Grand Marais?
That layer breaks the citywide income, rent, and home-value medians into smaller Census geographies, which can reveal differences that one municipal median necessarily hides. A tract is a statistical area, not a locally defined neighborhood or a promise about conditions on a particular block. Start with the city profile for the broad comparison, then use the tract layer to test whether the same housing and income pattern is consistent across the city. Large within-city spreads are a reason to avoid treating any citywide median as a universal resident experience.
These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.
Population change
Is Grand Marais growing, shrinking, or holding steady?
Recent estimates point downward. A falling count can reflect migration, household size, annexation boundaries, or estimation noise, so it is a prompt to inspect the full series rather than a claim about local economic health.
Census PEP estimates show the population declined by -50 residents from 2020 to 2025, a -3.7% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 5 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
Period change
-3.7%
2025 estimate
1,290
2020 estimate
1,340
Census Population Estimates Program, 2020–2025; permit context uses Census BPS.
What physical conditions frame life in Grand Marais?
NOAA normals put the annual mean temperature at 39.5°F, with 25.9 inches of precipitation. FEMA's state-averaged National Risk Index score for Minnesota is 42.4 out of 100. Climate normals describe long-run weather; the FEMA score on PlainCities is a state average of county NRI inputs and combines hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and resilience.
The two sources should not be blended into one comfort or safety score. Use the climate values for baseline conditions and the risk index as a prompt to inspect specific hazards, insurance, and local emergency guidance for a particular address.
Mean temperature
39.5°F
Annual precipitation
25.9 in
FEMA risk index (state avg)
42.4
NOAA Climate Normals and FEMA National Risk Index (state-averaged on PlainCities). Hazard context is not address-level.
What does the journey to work look like in Grand Marais?
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 51.9%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.
Public transit
0.0%
Work from home
14.8%
Drive alone
51.9%
City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 748 workers age 16+.
Above median income · poverty 7.7% (Above-median poverty)
Cost of Living Index (state)
98.6 (US=100)
Above-average cost · BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average
C
City profile score · Grand Marais, MN
55/100
4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023
Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians
(income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when
published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability
rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out
and redistribute weight.
How it is calculated.
Bachelor's+ share B+
43.5%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
Household income C-
$73,846
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Poverty rate D
7.7%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Cost of living D
98.6 index
BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.
Violent crime N/A
N/A
No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).
Grand Marais profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Bachelor's+ share: 78/100 (B+) · 43.5%
Household income: 53/100 (C-) · $73,846
Poverty rate: 49/100 (D) · 7.7%
Cost of living: 46/100 (D) · 98.6 index
How does Grand Marais compare to other US cities?
Grand Marais measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.
Household income55% higher than other cities
Home value62% pricier than other cities
Median rent36% pricier than other cities
"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.
How we calculate these percentiles & ranks
Each percentile compares Grand Marais 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 Grand Marais near the bottom of Minnesota's cities
Among the 785 Minnesota cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Grand Marais ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Grand Marais only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#313 of 775
60th percentile in Minnesota
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 785
0th percentile in Minnesota
Median Home Value
#166 of 774
79th percentile in Minnesota
Poverty Rate
#271 of 785
65th percentile in Minnesota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#84 of 784
89th percentile in Minnesota
How in-state ranks are ordered
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.
Gauge source note
55th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
How Grand Marais's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$283,70038th percentilemore affordable than 38% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
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
Grand Marais's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.8×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#10,209 of 15,516
More affordable than 34% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#8,052 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)
At 3.8×, Grand Marais sits in the moderate band:
national rank #10,209 of 15,516 and #8,052 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000).
Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.
How this ratio is calculated
Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000.
Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0).
This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.
Income distribution context
$73,846Grand Marais, MN median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Grand Marais, MN median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Grand Marais, MN.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)43.5%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)7.7%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)55.0%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
1,700
Median Income
$73,846
Median Home Value
$283,700
Median Age
45.3
Poverty Rate
7.7%
Labor force participation
55.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
43.5%
Climate
Avg Temperature
39.5°F
Annual Precipitation
25.9"
Annual Snowfall
N/A
Schools
Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city
Population Change
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Grand Marais's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
1,340 residents
2021
1,339 residents
2022
1,351 residents
2023
1,318 residents
2024
1,299 residents
2025
1,290 residents
Housing Supply
BPS source
Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized
📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
5
housing units authorized
Single-Family
5
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.9
permits per 1,000 residents
5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)
Year
Total
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
7
5
2
$0.8M
2020
3
3
0
$0.5M
2021
5
5
0
$0.8M
2022
2
2
0
$0.6M
2023
8
8
0
$2.7M
2024
5
5
0
$1.7M
Permit volume decreased 29% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Drive Alone
51.9%
Carpool
12.2%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
16.4%
Work from Home
14.8%
Other
4.7%
Based on 748 workers 16 and over.
Monthly Utility Costs
Minnesota statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $225
EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Minnesota at $225 (electricity about $95 , water and sewer about $45 ).
These are Minnesota statewide averages, not a meter reading for Grand Marais. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.
Living Costs & Risk
Minnesota's BEA cost-of-living index is 98.6 (Near Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Grand Marais is $1,125/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Minnesota statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 42.4 / 100 (Low).
Cost/risk geography note
Cost of living is a Minnesota statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Grand Marais sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How Grand Marais compares to similar-size Minnesota cities
Same-state peer method
Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.