City profile · Minnesota · Census ACS 2023

Sauk Rapids, MN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Sauk Rapids - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

13,851
Residents
$67,004
Median income
$240,200
Median home
$1,206
Median rent (state)

Sauk Rapids - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Sauk Rapids places in the 46th percentile for household income and the 50th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

46th
percentile, household income
53rd
percentile, home value
37th
percentile, median rent
50th
percentile, safety
📝 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: Sauk Rapids, MN

Sauk Rapids is a small town in Minnesota, home to 13,851 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Sauk Rapids households earn a median of $67,004 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.0%. Sauk Rapids's housing stock carries a median value of $240,200, and the median resident age is 36.0 years. Educational attainment runs 28.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 71.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 23 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 86% from five years earlier. Sauk Rapids reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1376.0 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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 $1,206 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Minnesota's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). Workers in Sauk Rapids report an average commute of 18.7 minutes, with 81.5% driving alone and 7.4% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 51.3 out of 100 (Low).

Population

13,851 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Minnesota

Median Household Income

$67,004 /yr

Poverty 3.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average

How does Sauk Rapids compare to other US cities?

Sauk Rapids measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 46% higher than other cities
Home value 53% pricier than other cities
Median rent 37% pricier than other cities
Safety 50% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Minnesota, Sauk Rapids ranks #151 of 229 Minnesota cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Sauk Rapids's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Minnesota, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

46thIncome percentile
50thSafety percentile

46th percentile nationally for median household income · 50th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Sauk Rapids's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Sauk Rapids's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 50 Avg. percentile National median
Sauk Rapids's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Sauk Rapids's home value compares nationally

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

$240,200 47th percentile more affordable than 47% of 15,600 US cities

$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%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $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. Sauk Rapids $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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Sauk Rapids, MN Sauk Rapids, MN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sauk Rapids, MN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Sauk Rapids, MN median $67,004/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%
Sauk Rapids, MN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Sauk Rapids, MN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 28.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 71.6%

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

Population
13,851
Median Income
$67,004
Median Home Value
$240,200
Median Age
36.0
Poverty Rate
3.0%
Labor force participation
71.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1376.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
87.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1288.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
13,750 residents13,800 residents13,850 residents13,900 residents13,950 residents 202020212022202320242025 13,902 residents 13,768 residents ▼ -1.0%
Sauk Rapids's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
23
housing units authorized
Single-Family
19
detached homes
Multifamily
4
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 161
2020 18
2021 20
2022 14
2023 16
2024 23

Permit volume decreased 86% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
18.7 minutes
Drive Alone
81.5%
Carpool
6.9%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
7.4%
Other
2.4%

Based on 7,483 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Minnesota - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Minnesota state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Minnesota state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Sauk Rapids sits in

Cost of Living Index
98.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,206/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
51.3 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Minnesota

Marshall
13,880 people
Worthington
13,792 people
New Ulm
14,066 people
Fergus Falls
14,138 people
North Mankato
14,212 people
Rogers
13,405 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sauk Rapids's 13,851 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Beachwood, OH
13,850 people
Channahon, IL
13,854 people
Lyndhurst, OH
13,854 people
Coldwater, MI
13,847 people
Gonzalez, FL
13,861 people
Elk Plain, WA
13,863 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sauk Rapids's $67,004 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Stock Island, FL
$67,005 median income
Wayland, IA
$67,000 median income
Alexandria, PA
$67,000 median income
Cazenovia, WI
$67,000 median income
Bay Pines, FL
$67,012 median income
Rock Valley, IA
$67,012 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sauk Rapids, MN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Sauk Rapids, MN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 89.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.3% White 89.5% Black or African American 0.7% Asian 0.8% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.7% Two or more races 6.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Sauk Rapids compares to nearby Minnesota cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Sauk Rapids (this city) 13,851 $67,004
Marshall 13,880 $64,636
Worthington 13,792 $61,840
New Ulm 14,066 $63,984
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MN FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sauk Rapids, MN?

What is the population of Sauk Rapids, MN? +

Sauk Rapids, MN has a population of 13,851 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Sauk Rapids, MN? +

The median household income in Sauk Rapids is $67,004 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sauk Rapids? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Sauk Rapids; the closest available measure is the Minnesota state average, a cost of living index of 98.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Minnesota vary by metro area.

Is Sauk Rapids, MN safe? +

Sauk Rapids has a total crime rate of 1376.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Sauk Rapids, MN? +

Sauk Rapids's median home value sits at $240,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

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

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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.