City · Minnesota
Stephen, Minnesota
Stephen, city, in Marshall County, Minnesota. Stephen had 581 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 592 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 526 (±87). GEOID 2762698.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
581
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 592 · ACS 2020-2024: 526 ±87
Median household income
$71,250
±$23,141 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062
Median home value
$87,500
±$27,292 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300
Median gross rent
$1,063
±$577 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280
Where is Stephen and what county is it in?
Stephen is a city in Marshall County, Minnesota. It covers 0.8 square miles of land, 752 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 Stephen, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 581 people lived in Stephen on July 1, 2025, down 1.9% since 2020, while Minnesota grew 2.2%. The 2020 Census counted 592 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 526 (±87).
| Measure | Stephen | Marshall County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 526 ±87 | 8,909 | −155 |
| Households | 229 ±36 | 3,781 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.14 ±0.22 | 2.32 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 288 ±47 | 4,396 | no clear change |
Stephen's population since 2000
From 708 in 2000 to 581 in 2025: down 17.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Stephen 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 Stephen?
The median resident of Stephen is 51.6 years old; 17.3% are under 18 and 24.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 81.9%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 12.9%.
| Measure | Stephen | Marshall County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.6 ±8.4 | 43.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.3% ±4.8 pts | 23.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.1% ±4.7 pts | 23.0% | – |
| Male | 46.0% ±3.2 pts | 51.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 12.9% ±8.7 pts | 4.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 81.9% ±8.3 pts | 91.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.6% ±3.0 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.9% ±4.6 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 16.0% ±8.9 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.0% ±1.6 pts | 7.3% | – |
| With a disability | 6.6% ±2.6 pts | 13.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.2% ±4.3 pts | 4.6% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.3% ±7.0 pts | 93.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 20.7% ±4.9 pts | 18.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.1% ±2.4 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.9% ±4.9 pts | 92.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.9% ±1.7 pts | 1.4% | – |
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 Stephen earn?
Half of Stephen's 229 households earn less than $71,250 a year (±$23,141), against $72,543 in Marshall County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $72,111 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Stephen | Marshall County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,250 ±$23,141 | $72,543 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $80,709 ±$8,776 | $86,673 | – |
| Per capita income | $37,134 ±$4,261 | $37,984 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.9% ±4.9 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 19.8% ±16.1 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 7.0% ±4.3 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.5% ±2.4 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.9% ±7.3 pts | 87.4% | – |
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 Stephen?
Owners occupy 88.6% of Stephen's occupied homes and renters 11.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $87,500 by its owner (±$27,292). The median renter pays $1,063 a month including utilities, and 53.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Stephen | Marshall County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $87,500 ±$27,292 | $164,500 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,063 ±$577 | $690 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 53.3% ±25.1 pts | 20.9% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,167 ±$265 | $1,369 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 88.6% ±6.8 pts | 83.0% | +13.3 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 11.4% ±6.8 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Housing units | 288 ±47 | 4,396 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.9% ±4.2 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 38.9% ±20.7 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 82.3% ±7.7 pts | 79.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.7% ±0.9 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±7.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.4% ±1.6 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 22.2% ±8.2 pts | 21.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.2% ±1.9 pts | 4.6% | – |
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 Stephen building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Stephen in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 3.4 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 Stephen work and get to work?
81.5% of Stephen's workers drive alone and 2.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 21.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.7%.
| Measure | Stephen | Marshall County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.6% ±5.5 pts | 62.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% ±1.7 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.5% ±7.3 pts | 76.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.2% ±6.0 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±8.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 5.5% ±3.0 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 2.8% ±1.8 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.4 min ±4.1 | 23.1 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 Stephen?
No census tract lies mostly in Stephen; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 803Marshall County | 1,895 | $78,958 |
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 Stephen) · Census block assignment files
How does Stephen compare with other places in Minnesota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Stephen is the 12,597th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 459th-most populous of 855 in Minnesota.
Stephen 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 | 459th | 855 |
Stephen's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)
Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Stephen 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 Stephen?
15 of the 57 figures for Stephen 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 Stephen 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 Stephen.