Township · Minnesota

Great Bend Township, Minnesota

Great Bend Township, township, in Cottonwood County, Minnesota. Great Bend Township had 309 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 314 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 352 (±78). GEOID 2703325514.

Residents, July 2025 estimate

309

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 314 · ACS 2020-2024: 352 ±78

Median household income

$68,750

±$18,595 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062

Median home value

$325,000

±$41,239 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300

Median gross rent

$792

±$380 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280

Where is Great Bend Township and what county is it in?

Great Bend Township is a township in Cottonwood County, Minnesota. It covers 31.1 square miles of land, 10 residents per square mile in 2020.

Great Bend Township (marked with a dot) in Cottonwood County, Minnesota. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in Great Bend Township, and is it growing?

The Census Bureau estimates that 309 people lived in Great Bend Township on July 1, 2025, down 1.0% since 2020, while Minnesota grew 2.2%. The 2020 Census counted 314 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 352 (±78).

  • July 2020→2021 +2 (314)
  • 2021→2022 −4 (310)
  • 2022→2023 −3 (307)
  • 2023→2024 +0 (307)
  • 2024→2025 +2 (309)
ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
MeasureGreat Bend TownshipCottonwood CountyMinnesotaChange since 2015-2019
Total population352±7811,4585,739,445no clear change
Households142±354,6302,307,955no clear change
Average household size2.48±0.372.392.43no clear change
Housing units149±375,1682,545,030no clear change

Great Bend Township's population since 2000

From 326 in 2000 to 309 in 2025: down 5.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Great Bend Township 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.

  • 2000 Census 326
  • 2005 (estimate) 277
  • 2010 Census 287
  • 2015 (estimate) 300
  • 2020 Census 314
  • 2025 (estimate) 309

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 Great Bend Township?

The median resident of Great Bend Township is 38.7 years old; 27.6% are under 18 and 18.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 100.0%.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
MeasureGreat Bend TownshipCottonwood CountyMinnesotaChange since 2015-2019
Median age38.7±8.140.338.8no clear change
Under 18 years27.6%±8.4 pts25.2%22.9%–
65 years and over18.5%±8.2 pts22.7%17.3%–
Male54.8%±8.0 pts50.5%50.1%–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)0.0%±6.2 pts11.3%6.4%–
White alone, not Hispanic100.0%±6.2 pts80.0%75.9%no clear change
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic0.0%±6.2 pts1.7%6.9%–
Asian alone, not Hispanic0.0%±6.2 pts3.8%5.1%–
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic0.0%±6.2 pts0.3%0.7%–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic0.0%±6.2 pts0.7%0.0%–
Two or more races, not Hispanic0.0%±6.2 pts1.9%4.5%–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic0.0%±6.2 pts0.1%0.5%–
Born outside the United States0.0%±6.2 pts6.9%8.7%–
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)0.0%±6.7 pts10.3%12.4%–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)11.4%±6.9 pts5.1%5.9%–
With a disability12.8%±8.0 pts11.6%11.6%–
No health insurance coverage1.1%±1.6 pts5.9%4.7%–
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)97.8%±1.9 pts94.5%93.9%–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)22.4%±7.8 pts24.1%39.4%no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)7.9%±4.8 pts5.9%13.8%–
Lived in the same house a year earlier100.0%±6.3 pts89.9%87.8%–
Moved from another state in the past year0.0%±6.3 pts0.2%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 Great Bend Township earn?

Half of Great Bend Township's 142 households earn less than $68,750 a year (±$18,595), against $72,941 in Cottonwood County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $96,302 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
MeasureGreat Bend TownshipCottonwood CountyMinnesotaChange since 2015-2019
Median household income$68,750±$18,595$72,941$89,062no clear change
Mean household income$101,034±$33,463$89,108$118,304–
Per capita income$40,983±$11,422$36,506$48,237no clear change
People below the poverty line7.4%±8.0 pts15.0%9.3%–
Children under 18 below the poverty line5.2%±9.5 pts21.3%10.3%–
Households receiving SNAP7.7%±10.1 pts9.4%7.9%–
Households with a computer95.1%±4.5 pts92.7%95.8%–
Households with a broadband subscription87.3%±10.3 pts85.3%91.6%–

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 Great Bend Township?

Owners occupy 76.1% of Great Bend Township's occupied homes and renters 23.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $325,000 by its owner (±$41,239). The median renter pays $792 a month including utilities.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
MeasureGreat Bend TownshipCottonwood CountyMinnesotaChange since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)$325,000±$41,239$169,300$329,300+$137,811
Median gross rent$792±$380$817$1,280–
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent39.1%±47.1 pts21.0%38.4%–
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage$2,113±$273$1,323$1,947–
Owner-occupied homes76.1%±15.3 pts74.4%72.2%no clear change
Renter-occupied homes23.9%±15.3 pts25.6%27.8%–
Housing units149±375,1682,545,030no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate0.0%±18.7 pts3.6%0.6%–
Rental vacancy rate0.0%±42.3 pts5.1%5.3%–
Single-family detached homes98.7%±2.2 pts84.0%66.0%–
Mobile homes1.3%±2.2 pts0.7%2.9%–
Built 2020 or later1.3%±1.9 pts0.9%1.9%–
Built 2010 to 20194.7%±3.9 pts2.7%8.5%–
Built 1939 or earlier34.2%±13.4 pts25.3%15.6%–
Households with no vehicle1.4%±2.8 pts5.9%6.7%–

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 Great Bend Township work and get to work?

77.9% of Great Bend Township's workers drive alone and 12.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 15.8 minutes.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
MeasureGreat Bend TownshipCottonwood CountyMinnesotaChange since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)62.0%±11.2 pts64.3%68.1%–
Unemployment rate0.0%±12.9 pts2.8%4.1%–
Drove alone to work77.9%±7.8 pts71.7%68.9%–
Carpooled6.1%±5.5 pts10.4%7.5%–
Public transportation0.0%±12.9 pts0.1%1.8%–
Walked2.5%±3.6 pts4.3%2.5%–
Worked from home12.9%±7.3 pts10.7%17.6%–
Mean travel time to work15.8 min±3.115.3 min22.7 minno 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 Great Bend Township?

No census tract lies mostly in Great Bend Township; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).

Census tracts in Great Bend Township, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Great Bend Township
Tract 2703Cottonwood County3,505 $99,333 $207,20010%
Tract 2704Cottonwood County3,041 $61,902 $153,4003%

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 Great Bend Township) · Census block assignment files

How does Great Bend Township compare with other places in Minnesota?

By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Great Bend Township is the 11,363rd-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 821st-most populous of 1,772 in Minnesota.

Great Bend Township 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.

Great Bend Township's rank in Minnesota (1 = highest): by population among the state's towns and townships with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population, July 2025 estimate821st1,772

Great Bend Township's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)

Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Great Bend Township 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 Great Bend Township?

25 of the 57 figures for Great Bend Township 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 Great Bend Township 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.