City · Minnesota
Karlstad, Minnesota
Karlstad, city, in Kittson County, Minnesota. Karlstad had 679 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 710 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 622 (±101). GEOID 2732444.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
679
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 710 · ACS 2020-2024: 622 ±101
Median household income
$64,000
±$14,374 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062
Median home value
$126,300
±$21,153 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300
Median gross rent
$619
±$209 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280
Where is Karlstad and what county is it in?
Karlstad is a city in Kittson County, Minnesota. It covers 1.5 square miles of land, 472 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Karlstad, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 679 people lived in Karlstad on July 1, 2025, down 4.4% since 2020, while Minnesota grew 2.2%. The 2020 Census counted 710 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 622 (±101).
| Measure | Karlstad | Kittson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 622 ±101 | 4,084 | −173 |
| Households | 266 ±46 | 1,774 | −75 |
| Average household size | 2.11 ±0.21 | 2.19 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 321 ±49 | 2,228 | −142 |
Karlstad's population since 2000
From 794 in 2000 to 679 in 2025: down 14.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Karlstad 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 Karlstad?
The median resident of Karlstad is 50.2 years old; 22.0% are under 18 and 28.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 97.4%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 2.3%.
| Measure | Karlstad | Kittson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.2 ±8.2 | 47.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.0% ±5.1 pts | 21.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 28.0% ±6.0 pts | 26.2% | – |
| Male | 44.5% ±4.6 pts | 50.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 2.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 97.4% ±1.9 pts | 93.0% | +7.1 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.3% ±1.6 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.2% ±0.7 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.0% ±3.8 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.4% ±2.3 pts | 7.5% | – |
| With a disability | 11.7% ±4.8 pts | 10.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.8% ±5.2 pts | 2.5% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 99.3% ±0.8 pts | 95.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 39.5% ±10.9 pts | 29.1% | +13.3 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.0% ±2.0 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.0% ±6.0 pts | 90.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 1.3% | – |
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 Karlstad earn?
Half of Karlstad's 266 households earn less than $64,000 a year (±$14,374), against $76,100 in Kittson County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $58,971 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Karlstad | Kittson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,000 ±$14,374 | $76,100 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $80,330 ±$11,492 | $93,998 | – |
| Per capita income | $34,509 ±$5,470 | $40,409 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 11.9% ±4.8 pts | 9.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 19.7% ±10.0 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.2% ±7.3 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 86.8% ±6.3 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.5% ±8.4 pts | 89.1% | – |
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 Karlstad?
Owners occupy 74.4% of Karlstad's occupied homes and renters 25.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $126,300 by its owner (±$21,153). The median renter pays $619 a month including utilities, and 37.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Karlstad | Kittson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $126,300 ±$21,153 | $134,800 | +$26,245 |
| Median gross rent | $619 ±$209 | $757 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 37.9% ±20.1 pts | 23.8% | +22.5 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,173 ±$71 | $1,318 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 74.4% ±9.8 pts | 82.9% | +15.2 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 25.6% ±9.8 pts | 17.1% | – |
| Housing units | 321 ±49 | 2,228 | −142 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±10.7 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 20.0% ±15.5 pts | 17.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 70.7% ±8.5 pts | 81.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.5% ±2.1 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±6.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.0% ±3.8 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 25.2% ±10.4 pts | 25.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.4% ±4.2 pts | 3.3% | – |
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 Karlstad building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Karlstad 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 Karlstad work and get to work?
65.2% of Karlstad's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 24.6 minutes.
| Measure | Karlstad | Kittson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.3% ±5.5 pts | 60.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.7% ±1.6 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 65.2% ±7.8 pts | 75.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 16.7% ±7.0 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±7.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 14.7% ±8.5 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.4% ±2.3 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.6 min ±4.2 | 19.1 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 Karlstad?
No census tract lies mostly in Karlstad; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 901Kittson County | 2,255 | $70,875 |
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 Karlstad) · Census block assignment files
How does Karlstad compare with other places in Minnesota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Karlstad is the 11,965th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 430th-most populous of 855 in Minnesota.
Karlstad 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 | 430th | 855 |
Karlstad's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)
Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Karlstad 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 Karlstad?
20 of the 57 figures for Karlstad 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 Karlstad 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 Karlstad.