City · Minnesota
Ulen, Minnesota
Ulen, city, in Clay County, Minnesota. Ulen had 473 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 476 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 413 (±116). GEOID 2766136.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
473
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 476 · ACS 2020-2024: 413 ±116
Median household income
$60,556
±$17,830 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062
Median home value
$174,300
±$89,506 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300
Median gross rent
$903
±$393 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280
Where is Ulen and what county is it in?
Ulen is a city in Clay County, Minnesota. It covers 1.1 square miles of land, 446 residents per square mile in 2020.
Ulen 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 Ulen, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 473 people lived in Ulen on July 1, 2025, down 1.3% since 2020, while Minnesota grew 2.2%. The 2020 Census counted 476 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 413 (±116).
| Measure | Ulen | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 413 ±116 | 66,059 | no clear change |
| Households | 194 ±54 | 26,442 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.01 ±0.36 | 2.38 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 224 ±57 | 27,559 | no clear change |
Ulen's population since 2000
From 532 in 2000 to 473 in 2025: down 11.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Ulen 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 Ulen?
The median resident of Ulen is 56.2 years old; 20.1% are under 18 and 36.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 98.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 1.7%.
| Measure | Ulen | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.2 ±12.6 | 33.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.1% ±10.5 pts | 24.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 36.8% ±13.1 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Male | 50.1% ±8.0 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 5.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 98.3% ±2.6 pts | 83.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 1.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.7% ±2.6 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.7% ±3.1 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.1% ±5.3 pts | 5.5% | – |
| With a disability | 21.5% ±10.6 pts | 12.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.8% ±3.5 pts | 4.0% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.8% ±8.8 pts | 95.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 17.7% ±9.9 pts | 39.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.4% ±4.0 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.6% ±7.1 pts | 84.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.7% ±2.6 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 Ulen earn?
Half of Ulen's 194 households earn less than $60,556 a year (±$17,830), against $81,172 in Clay County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $61,073 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 24.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Ulen | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,556 ±$17,830 | $81,172 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $68,810 ±$16,800 | $99,798 | – |
| Per capita income | $34,744 ±$8,198 | $39,936 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 24.4% ±14.6 pts | 13.3% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 25.3% ±29.7 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 20.1% ±14.5 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 81.4% ±12.0 pts | 95.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 71.6% ±13.2 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 Ulen?
Owners occupy 59.3% of Ulen's occupied homes and renters 40.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $174,300 by its owner (±$89,506). The median renter pays $903 a month including utilities, and 55.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Ulen | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $174,300 ±$89,506 | $265,500 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $903 ±$393 | $1,019 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 55.7% ±25.0 pts | 44.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,167 ±$155 | $1,827 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 59.3% ±14.6 pts | 65.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 40.7% ±14.6 pts | 34.1% | – |
| Housing units | 224 ±57 | 27,559 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±15.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±24.4 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 58.0% ±14.3 pts | 59.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±9.5 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±9.5 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.1% ±5.3 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 9.4% ±8.4 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 15.5% ±9.7 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 Ulen building?
Builders took permits for 12 new housing units in Ulen in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 25.4 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 Ulen work and get to work?
76.5% of Ulen's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 14.5 minutes.
| Measure | Ulen | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 45.6% ±12.1 pts | 70.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.3% ±2.2 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.5% ±12.8 pts | 74.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.6% ±9.6 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±15.6 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Walked | 12.9% ±11.5 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 0.0% ±15.6 pts | 11.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 14.5 min ±5.3 | 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 Ulen?
No census tract lies mostly in Ulen; 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 Ulen) · Census block assignment files
How does Ulen compare with other places in Minnesota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Ulen is the 13,419th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 510th-most populous of 855 in Minnesota.
Ulen 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 | 510th | 855 |
Ulen's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)
Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Ulen 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 Ulen?
25 of the 57 figures for Ulen 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 Ulen 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 Ulen.