City · Minnesota
Hawley, Minnesota
Hawley, city, in Clay County, Minnesota. Hawley had 2,285 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,219 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,178 (±303). GEOID 2727746.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,285
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,219 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,178 ±303
Median household income
$99,188
±$18,297 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062
Median home value
$280,400
±$24,034 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300
Median gross rent
$733
±$109 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280
Where is Hawley and what county is it in?
Hawley is a city in Clay County, Minnesota. It covers 2.6 square miles of land, 847 residents per square mile in 2020.
Hawley is in the Fargo, 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 Hawley, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,285 people lived in Hawley on July 1, 2025, up 2.1% since 2020, in line with Minnesota (+2.2%). The 2020 Census counted 2,219 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,178 (±303).
| Measure | Hawley | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,178 ±303 | 66,059 | no clear change |
| Households | 861 ±120 | 26,442 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.53 ±0.20 | 2.38 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 881 ±122 | 27,559 | no clear change |
Hawley's population since 2000
From 1,882 in 2000 to 2,285 in 2025: up 21.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Hawley 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 Hawley?
The median resident of Hawley is 41.1 years old; 30.3% are under 18 and 15.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 7.4%.
| Measure | Hawley | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 ±2.3 | 33.7 | +9.8 |
| Under 18 years | 30.3% ±5.3 pts | 24.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.3% ±4.6 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Male | 41.6% ±3.9 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.4% ±4.5 pts | 5.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 92.0% ±4.5 pts | 83.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 1.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.2% ±2.4 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.9% ±3.4 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.8% ±2.5 pts | 5.5% | – |
| With a disability | 10.9% ±3.8 pts | 12.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.1% ±1.9 pts | 4.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.4% ±3.9 pts | 95.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 36.2% ±7.0 pts | 39.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.0% ±3.1 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.0% ±3.3 pts | 84.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.6% ±0.6 pts | 4.6% | – |
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 Hawley earn?
Half of Hawley's 861 households earn less than $99,188 a year (±$18,297), against $81,172 in Clay County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $92,627 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Hawley | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $99,188 ±$18,297 | $81,172 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $108,456 ±$13,645 | $99,798 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,767 ±$5,490 | $39,936 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 4.6% ±4.2 pts | 13.3% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 9.5% ±9.2 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.6% ±3.5 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.8% ±4.3 pts | 95.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.2% ±5.0 pts | 89.8% | – |
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 Hawley?
Owners occupy 70.2% of Hawley's occupied homes and renters 29.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $280,400 by its owner (±$24,034). The median renter pays $733 a month including utilities, and 21.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Hawley | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $280,400 ±$24,034 | $265,500 | +$75,243 |
| Median gross rent | $733 ±$109 | $1,019 | −$312 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 21.8% ±13.8 pts | 44.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,688 ±$240 | $1,827 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 70.2% ±8.3 pts | 65.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 29.8% ±8.3 pts | 34.1% | – |
| Housing units | 881 ±122 | 27,559 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.7 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.2% ±10.4 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 67.5% ±8.7 pts | 59.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.1% ±4.1 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.8% ±0.9 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.0% ±2.8 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 16.9% ±5.2 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.2% ±4.1 pts | 9.1% | – |
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 Hawley building?
Builders took permits for 33 new housing units in Hawley in 2025 (3 in single-family houses), 14.4 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 Hawley work and get to work?
74.9% of Hawley's workers drive alone and 15.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 2.1%.
| Measure | Hawley | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 70.5% ±5.8 pts | 70.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1% ±1.2 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 74.9% ±6.8 pts | 74.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.9% ±4.2 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Walked | 0.6% ±0.8 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 15.2% ±5.7 pts | 11.8% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.5 min ±2.3 | 19.7 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 Hawley?
No census tract lies mostly in Hawley; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 302.01Clay County | 6,177 | $99,451 |
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 Hawley) · Census block assignment files
How does Hawley compare with other places in Minnesota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Hawley is the 7,205th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 253rd-most populous of 855 in Minnesota.
Hawley ranks 213th 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 | 253rd | 855 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 248th | 556 |
| Residents per square mile | 246th | 562 |
| Median household income | 213th | 558 |
| Per capita income | 283rd | 562 |
| Median home value | 337th | 559 |
| Median gross rent | 419th | 465 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 183rd | 559 |
| Median age | 287th | 561 |
| Owner-occupied share | 419th | 561 |
| Work from home | 189th | 525 |
| Travel time to work | 253rd | 562 |
Hawley's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)
Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Hawley 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 Hawley?
19 of the 57 figures for Hawley 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 Hawley 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 Hawley.