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Place dossier plate
SheetMN-WILLMAR-MN · Willmar, MN 21,136 pop · income 40th pct · 12 tracts
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 Willmar
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Willmar on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Hickory · lowest
63,361
Hickory · lowest
63,361 median HH income
45.8% of the leader · rank #1
Diablock · near
63,367
Diablock · near
63,367 median HH income
45.8% of the leader · rank #2
Willmar · this city
63,368
Willmar · this city
63,368 median HH income
45.8% of the leader · rank #3
Benton · near
63,368
Benton · near
63,368 median HH income
45.8% of the leader · rank #4
Rochelle · near
63,373
Rochelle · near
63,373 median HH income
45.8% of the leader · rank #5
Montezuma · near
63,375
Montezuma · near
63,375 median HH income
45.8% of the leader · rank #6
Mineola · highest
138,385
Mineola · highest
138,385 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
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.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income, and FBI crime rate
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Willmar on ACS population and median household income
, plus FBI UCR reporting rate when the extract covers this place. 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: 21,136.
Agency-reported UCR totals per 100,000 population, not a neighborhood safety grade or a prediction of personal risk.
Willmar - the verdict
Nationally, Willmar sits in the 40th percentile for household income and the 39th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.
40th
percentile, household income
38th
percentile, home value
36th
percentile, median rent
39th
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: Willmar, MN
Census ACS 2023 estimates count 21,136 residents in Willmar, a small city within Minnesota. Households in Willmar report a median income of $63,368 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.9%. Willmar's housing stock carries a median value of $186,000, and the median resident age is 35.6 years. 24.5% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 63.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 129 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 50% from five years earlier. Willmar reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1730.7 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 42.9°F with 29.5 inches of precipitation per year.
Minnesota tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 98.6 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,125 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Minnesota run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 12.0 minutes, with 75.3% driving alone and 7.2% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 42.4 out of 100 (Low).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of Willmar'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 within-city variation to schools and households to climate and hazard context to work and mobility to housing and income to reported crime to comparison shortlist to population change; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For Willmar, city-specific coverage includes within-city Census tract profiles, commute-mode shares, annual population history, matched public-school count, local building permits, FBI reported-crime rates.
All six city-specific enrichment layers used by this profile are present.
1. Within-city variation
What can 12 Census tracts reveal inside Willmar?
That layer breaks the citywide income, rent, and home-value medians into smaller Census geographies, which can reveal differences that one municipal median necessarily hides. A tract is a statistical area, not a locally defined neighborhood or a promise about conditions on a particular block. Start with the city profile for the broad comparison, then use the tract layer to test whether the same housing and income pattern is consistent across the city. Large within-city spreads are a reason to avoid treating any citywide median as a universal resident experience.
PlainCities matches 12 Census tracts to this city.
The NCES join finds 13 public schools within the city match. 24.5% 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.
NOAA normals put the annual mean temperature at 42.9°F, with 29.5 inches of precipitation. FEMA's state-averaged National Risk Index score for Minnesota is 42.4 out of 100. Climate normals describe long-run weather; the FEMA score on PlainCities is a state average of county NRI inputs and combines hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and resilience.
The two sources should not be blended into one comfort or safety score. Use the climate values for baseline conditions and the risk index as a prompt to inspect specific hazards, insurance, and local emergency guidance for a particular address.
Which cities make useful reference points for Willmar?
Within Minnesota, the closest population matches are West St. Paul (21,076 residents, $70,738 income); Otsego (21,358 residents, $127,219 income); New Hope (21,402 residents, $73,698 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Bryant, AR (21,125 residents); Old Jamestown, MO (21,121 residents); Hanahan, SC (21,119 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. The nationwide peer panel below adds a fourth FBI UCR reporting-rate lens, not personal risk.
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.
Work and mobility
What does the journey to work look like in Willmar?
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 75.3%. The reported mean trip to work is 12.0 minutes.
Public transit
1.9%
Work from home
7.2%
Drive alone
75.3%
City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 10,097 workers age 16+.
How far does income reach against housing in Willmar?
The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 2.9 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 10.9%, 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.
Household income
$63,368
Home value
$186,000
Value / income
2.9×
City-level Census ACS 2023 medians. The ratio divides two separate medians and is descriptive only.
What can the FBI record say about safety in Willmar?
Treat this as a reporting-rate comparison, not a prediction of personal risk or a neighborhood-level safety grade. Tourism, daytime population, reporting practices, and variation inside the city are not adjusted away. The state rank and same-state peer table are the narrower comparisons available on this page.
The joined FBI UCR record reports 1730.7 violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents, below the 2280.5 national reference used here. The difference is 24% lower in arithmetic terms, but agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies.
Property rate
1292.2
Violent rate
438.5
Total reported rate
1730.7
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, incidents per 100,000. Voluntary agency reporting; not a danger score.
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 +952 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +4.5% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 129 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
+4.5%
2025 estimate
22,001
2020 estimate
21,049
Census Population Estimates Program, 2020–2025; permit context uses Census BPS.
Below median income · poverty 10.9% (Above-median poverty)
Cost of Living Index (state)
98.6 (US=100)
Above-average cost · BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average
F
City profile score · Willmar, MN
37/100
5 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.
Bachelor's+ share D
24.5%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
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.
Household income D
$63,368
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Poverty rate F
10.9%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Violent crime F
439 /100k
FBI UCR violent offenses per 100,000 residents; lower is stronger on this axis.
Willmar profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Bachelor's+ share: 47/100 (D) · 24.5%
Cost of living: 46/100 (D) · 98.6 index
Household income: 40/100 (D) · $63,368
Poverty rate: 36/100 (F) · 10.9%
Violent crime: 20/100 (F) · 439 /100k
Where Willmar sits on home value vs crime among peer cities
Willmar's median home value and FBI crime rate plotted with similar-size and
same-state peers (padded with large cities when the peer set is thin). The second
read: pricey does not always mean safer, check which quadrant this city lands in.
Census ACS median home value vs FBI UCR crime rate - Willmar highlighted among 9 peers.Read the chart values
Willmar, MN (this city): home $186,000, crime 1,731/100k
Bryant, AR : home $223,400, crime 2,233/100k
Hanahan, SC : home $339,800, crime 1,644/100k
Carrboro, NC : home $507,100, crime 2,110/100k
West St. Paul, MN : home $281,800, crime 4,465/100k
New Hope, MN : home $314,600, crime 2,131/100k
Forest Lake, MN : home $375,900, crime 1,596/100k
Northfield, MN : home $305,300, crime 1,502/100k
South St. Paul, MN : home $266,800, crime 1,671/100k
How does Willmar compare to other US cities?
Willmar measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.
Household income40% higher than other cities
Home value38% pricier than other cities
Median rent36% pricier than other cities
Safety39% safer than other cities
"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.
Zoom in to just Minnesota and the picture shifts: Willmar ranks #176 of 229 Minnesota cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.
How we calculate these percentiles & ranks
Each percentile compares Willmar 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 Willmar near the bottom of Minnesota's cities
Among the 785 Minnesota cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Willmar ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Willmar only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#464 of 775
40th percentile in Minnesota
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 785
0th percentile in Minnesota
Median Home Value
#347 of 774
55th percentile in Minnesota
Poverty Rate
#171 of 785
78th percentile in Minnesota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#301 of 784
61st 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.
Gauge source note
40th percentile nationally for median household income · 39th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
Willmar's profile vs. every US city
Income, affordability, and safety percentile
Willmar'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 Willmar's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$186,000Among the most affordablemore affordable than 62% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
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
Willmar's home-value-to-income ratio: 2.9×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#6,338 of 15,516
More affordable than 59% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#818 of 3,317
Small cities (10,000–49,999)
At 2.9×, Willmar sits in the affordable band:
national rank #6,338 of 15,516 and #818 of 3,317small cities (10,000–49,999).
The multiple is comparatively compact among tracked cities, but a low ratio can still coexist with slow demand or household-level hardship.
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
$63,368Willmar, MN median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Willmar, 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 Willmar, MN.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)24.5%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)10.9%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)63.9%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
21,136
Median Income
$63,368
Median Home Value
$186,000
Median Age
35.6
Poverty Rate
10.9%
Labor force participation
63.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.5%
Safety & Crime
Total Crime Rate
1730.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
438.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1292.2
per 100,000 residents
Crime reporting caveat
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.
Climate
Avg Temperature
42.9°F
Annual Precipitation
29.5"
Annual Snowfall
N/A
Schools
Total Schools
13
Public schools in this city
Population Change
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Willmar's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
21,049 residents
2021
21,101 residents
2022
21,378 residents
2023
21,617 residents
2024
21,933 residents
2025
22,001 residents
Housing Supply
BPS source
Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized
📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
129
housing units authorized
Single-Family
5
detached homes
Multifamily
124
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6.1
permits per 1,000 residents
5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)
Year
Total
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
86
14
72
$8.1M
2020
84
12
72
$7.5M
2021
225
6
219
$17.5M
2022
102
9
93
$15.1M
2023
155
9
146
$15.6M
2024
129
5
124
$28.1M
Permit volume increased 50% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Average Commute Time
12.0 minutes
Drive Alone
75.3%
Carpool
11.7%
Public Transit
1.9%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
7.2%
Other
2.4%
Based on 10,097 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 Willmar. 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 Willmar 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 Willmar sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How Willmar 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.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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.