City profile · Minnesota · Census ACS 2023

Monticello, MN

Monticello's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

14,607
Residents
$81,563
Median income
$298,400
Median home
$1,125
Median rent (state)
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State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Monticello.

Place dossier plate

Sheet MN-MONTICELLO-MN · Monticello, MN 14,607 pop · income 63rd pct

POP-TOWN · INC-HIGH · COL-PAR · SAFE-UNK · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-MID · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-TOWN 14,607
  • INC-HIGH $81,563
  • COL-PAR 98.6
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-UPPER 63rd
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Middleville
  • HOME-MID $298,400
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Middleville, NY (+ $0 income $)

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 Monticello

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Monticello on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

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.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Monticello 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: 14,607.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $81,563. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Monticello - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Monticello lands in the 63rd percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

63rd
percentile, household income
65th
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: Monticello, MN

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 14,607 residents in Monticello, a small town within Minnesota. Monticello households earn a median of $81,563 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.9%. Monticello's housing stock carries a median value of $298,400, and the median resident age is 33.7 years. Educational attainment runs 23.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 74.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 87 residential building permits were authorized in Monticello (Building Boom), up 53% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data.

Minnesota tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Minnesota at 98.6 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,125 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Minnesota's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). Commute times here average 25.6 minutes, with 74.5% driving alone and 10.3% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 42.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Monticello'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 comparison shortlist to work and mobility to housing and income to schools and households to population change; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Monticello, city-specific coverage includes annual population history, matched public-school count, local building permits, commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for FBI reported-crime rates, within-city Census tract profiles; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

Question 1

Which cities make useful reference points for Monticello?

Within Minnesota, the closest population matches are Hutchinson (14,629 residents, $71,730 income); Alexandria (14,579 residents, $61,558 income); Brainerd (14,474 residents, $53,705 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Naranja, FL (14,610 residents); Fraser, MI (14,604 residents); Swansea, IL (14,603 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.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

2. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in Monticello?

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 74.5%. The reported mean trip to work is 25.6 minutes.

Compare commute patterns →

Question 3

How far does income reach against housing in Monticello?

The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.7 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 5.9%, 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.

Compare the housing trade-off →

Question 4

What does the education layer cover for Monticello?

The NCES join finds 20 public schools within the city match. 23.5% 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.

See how the family ranking is built →

Other supported questions

Why these stay compact

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 Monticello growing, shrinking, or holding steady?

Recent estimates point upward. Growth can increase housing demand and service needs, but the permit record must move in the same direction before calling it a supply response; the two series measure different things.

Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +1,181 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +8.2% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 87 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
+8.2%
2025 estimate
15,670
2020 estimate
14,489

Census Population Estimates Program, 2020–2025; permit context uses Census BPS.

See the national growth ranking →

Population

14,607 residents

Small city (10k–49k)

Median Household Income

$81,563 /yr

Above median income · poverty 5.9% (Below-median poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.6 (US=100)

Above-average cost · BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average

City profile score · Monticello, MN

54/100

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.

Household income C+
$81,563

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Poverty rate C+
5.9%

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.

Bachelor's+ share D
23.5%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Monticello profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Household income, Poverty rate, Cost of living, Bachelor's+ share. Household incomePoverty rateCost of livingBachelor's+ share 54 C-
Monticello profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Household income: 61/100 (C+) · $81,563
  • Poverty rate: 60/100 (C+) · 5.9%
  • Cost of living: 46/100 (D) · 98.6 index
  • Bachelor's+ share: 44/100 (D) · 23.5%

How does Monticello compare to other US cities?

Here's how Monticello stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 63% higher than other cities
Home value 65% pricier than other cities
Median rent 36% 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 Monticello 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 Monticello near the bottom of Minnesota's cities

Among the 785 Minnesota cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Monticello ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Monticello only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#249 of 775
68th percentile in Minnesota
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 785
0th percentile in Minnesota
Median Home Value
#145 of 774
81st percentile in Minnesota
Poverty Rate
#357 of 785
54th percentile in Minnesota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#317 of 784
59th 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.

63rdIncome percentile
Gauge source note

63rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Monticello's home value compares nationally

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

$298,400 35th percentile more affordable than 35% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $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%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Monticello $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

Monticello's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.7×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#9,569 of 15,516
More affordable than 38% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#1,643 of 3,317
Small cities (10,000–49,999)

At 3.7×, Monticello sits in the moderate band: national rank #9,569 of 15,516 and #1,643 of 3,317small cities (10,000–49,999). 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

$81,563 Monticello, MN median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Monticello, MN Monticello, MN's median household income ($81,563) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Monticello, MN-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Monticello, MN median $81,563/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%
Monticello, 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 Monticello, MN.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 23.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 74.0%

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

Population
14,607
Median Income
$81,563
Median Home Value
$298,400
Median Age
33.7
Poverty Rate
5.9%
Labor force participation
74.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
23.5%

Schools

Total Schools
20
Public schools in this city

Population Change

PEP vintage

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
14,000 residents14,500 residents15,000 residents15,500 residents16,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 14,489 residents 15,670 residents ▲ +8.2%
Monticello's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.
Read the chart as text
Period Population
2020 14,489 residents
2021 14,627 residents
2022 14,845 residents
2023 14,880 residents
2024 15,476 residents
2025 15,670 residents

Housing Supply

BPS source

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
87
housing units authorized
Single-Family
59
detached homes
Multifamily
28
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 57
2020 62
2021 131
2022 29
2023 237
2024 87

Permit volume increased 53% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
25.6 minutes
Drive Alone
74.5%
Carpool
11.7%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
10.3%
Other
1.9%

Based on 8,101 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 Monticello. 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 Monticello 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 Monticello sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Monticello 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.

City Population Median Household Income
Monticello (this city) 14,607 $81,563
Hutchinson 14,629 $71,730
Alexandria 14,579 $61,558
Brainerd 14,474 $53,705
NCES CCD Census BPS 2024
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.

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

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

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.

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