City · Minnesota
Wells, Minnesota
Wells, city, in Faribault County, Minnesota. Wells had 2,395 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,410 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,296 (±213). GEOID 2769106.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,395
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,410 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,296 ±213
Median household income
$60,156
±$14,607 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062
Median home value
$103,900
±$13,857 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300
Median gross rent
$694
±$51 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280
Where is Wells and what county is it in?
Wells is a city in Faribault County, Minnesota. It covers 2.1 square miles of land, 1,155 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 Wells, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,395 people lived in Wells on July 1, 2025, down 0.6% since 2020, while Minnesota grew 2.2%. The 2020 Census counted 2,410 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,296 (±213).
| Measure | Wells | Faribault County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,296 ±213 | 13,914 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,121 ±99 | 6,079 | +124 |
| Average household size | 2.01 ±0.13 | 2.24 | −0.28 |
| Housing units | 1,200 ±107 | 6,897 | no clear change |
Wells's population since 2000
From 2,494 in 2000 to 2,395 in 2025: down 4.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Wells 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 Wells?
The median resident of Wells is 46.3 years old; 18.6% are under 18 and 28.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.6%.
| Measure | Wells | Faribault County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.3 ±4.7 | 44.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.6% ±3.3 pts | 22.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 28.3% ±3.2 pts | 23.7% | – |
| Male | 50.5% ±3.2 pts | 50.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.6% ±2.8 pts | 8.1% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 87.8% ±3.8 pts | 88.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±1.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±1.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.1% ±2.0 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.3% ±1.0 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.9% ±1.3 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 12.3% ±3.7 pts | 8.2% | – |
| With a disability | 20.4% ±4.0 pts | 15.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.3% ±2.5 pts | 5.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.1% ±3.8 pts | 92.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 20.9% ±4.8 pts | 21.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.6% ±2.1 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.6% ±5.2 pts | 90.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.9% ±2.6 pts | 1.5% | – |
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 Wells earn?
Half of Wells's 1,121 households earn less than $60,156 a year (±$14,607), against $66,815 in Faribault County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $56,864 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Wells | Faribault County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,156 ±$14,607 | $66,815 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $67,611 ±$5,530 | $86,181 | – |
| Per capita income | $33,190 ±$2,936 | $38,110 | +$4,100 |
| People below the poverty line | 8.7% ±3.6 pts | 10.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 5.6% ±5.2 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.7% ±5.1 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.9% ±3.3 pts | 92.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.7% ±4.9 pts | 84.8% | – |
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 Wells?
Owners occupy 76.1% of Wells's occupied homes and renters 23.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $103,900 by its owner (±$13,857). The median renter pays $694 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Wells | Faribault County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $103,900 ±$13,857 | $135,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $694 ±$51 | $799 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 18.2% ±13.6 pts | 23.9% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,019 ±$126 | $1,275 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 76.1% ±6.2 pts | 79.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 23.9% ±6.2 pts | 20.8% | – |
| Housing units | 1,200 ±107 | 6,897 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.0 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 84.3% ±5.0 pts | 87.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.7% ±0.6 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 36.7% ±5.8 pts | 37.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.3% ±3.6 pts | 4.9% | – |
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 Wells building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Wells 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 Wells work and get to work?
80.7% of Wells's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 17.6 minutes.
| Measure | Wells | Faribault County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.8% ±4.8 pts | 63.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% ±3.1 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.7% ±5.6 pts | 76.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.6% ±2.7 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 6.6% ±3.7 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.6% ±3.8 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.6 min ±3.6 | 20.2 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 Wells?
1 census tract lies mostly in Wells (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4606Faribault County | 2,560 | $61,109 |
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 Wells) · Census block assignment files
How does Wells compare with other places in Minnesota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Wells is the 7,048th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 244th-most populous of 855 in Minnesota.
Wells ranks 495th of 558 places in Minnesota with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 244th | 855 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 396th | 556 |
| Residents per square mile | 174th | 562 |
| Median household income | 495th | 558 |
| Per capita income | 480th | 562 |
| Median home value | 550th | 559 |
| Median gross rent | 433rd | 465 |
| Poverty rate | 203rd | 461 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 439th | 559 |
| Median age | 132nd | 561 |
| Owner-occupied share | 360th | 561 |
| Travel time to work | 487th | 562 |
Wells's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)
Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Wells 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 Wells?
19 of the 57 figures for Wells 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 Wells 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 Wells.