County · Minnesota

Jackson County, Minnesota

Jackson County, Minnesota. Jackson County had 9,857 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.3% since 2020, while Minnesota grew 2.2%. It holds 27 places (6 cities, villages and boroughs, 20 towns and townships and 1 census-designated) and 4 census tracts. GEOID 27063.

Residents, July 2025 estimate

9,857

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 9,989 · ACS 2020-2024: 9,933

Median household income

$75,743

±$3,304 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062

Median home value

$157,100

±$7,318 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300

Median gross rent

$787

±$114 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280

How many people live in Jackson County, and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 9,989 residents in Jackson County. The Census Bureau estimates 9,857 for July 1, 2025, down 1.3% since 2020, while Minnesota grew 2.2%. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 9,933 over 703 square miles of land.

July 2020→2021 +15 (10,005)
2021→2022 −105 (9,900)
2022→2023 −2 (9,898)
2023→2024 −25 (9,873)
2024→2025 −16 (9,857)

Jackson County in Minnesota. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Counts, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, with the change from 2015-2019
Measure	Jackson County	Minnesota	Change since 2015-2019
Total population	9,933	5,739,445	−21
Households	4,387±101	2,307,955	no clear change
Average household size	2.23±0.05	2.43	no clear change
Housing units	4,905±33	2,545,030	−172

Jackson County's population since 2000

From 11,268 in 2000 to 9,857 in 2025: down 12.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. 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.

2000 Census 11,268
2005 (estimate) 10,595
2010 Census 10,266
2015 (estimate) 10,098
2020 Census 9,989
2025 (estimate) 9,857

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); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov

What cities and towns are in Jackson County?

Jackson County holds 27 places: 6 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places), 20 towns and townships (county subdivisions with their own government) and 1 census-designated place. The largest is Jackson with 3,305 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.

Places in Jackson County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Ring: estimate with a coefficient of variation over 40%.

Jackson	city	3,323	3,287±15	$70,223	$128,500	11.8%	100%
Lakefield	city	1,735	1,507±108	$71,648	$133,800	10.5%	100%
Heron Lake	city	602	593±97	$68,000	$88,600	9.2%	100%
Heron Lake Township	township	305	361±67	$94,107	$209,700	12.2%	100%
Christiania Township	township	266	293±49	$81,250	$287,500	6.5%	100%
Des Moines Township	township	236	234±56	$89,167	$256,300	9.4%	100%
Minneota TownshipGEOID 2706343108	township	223	325±156	$84,402	$191,100	0.9%	100%
Delafield TownshipGEOID 2706315436	township	223	213±54	$112,917	$216,700	4.8%	100%
Petersburg TownshipGEOID 2706350578	township	220	186±34	$79,583	$203,300	3.8%	100%
Belmont Township	township	217	206±43	$86,563	$321,100	1.5%	100%
Middletown Township	township	215	313±91	$54,048	$292,500	0.6%	100%
Ewington TownshipGEOID 2706320042	township	213	171±43	$64,250	$214,700	1.8%	100%
Wisconsin Township	township	213	170±36	$58,750	$211,100	9.4%	100%
Hunter TownshipGEOID 2706330482	township	211	220±55	$79,375	$236,900	15.9%	100%
Rost Township	township	206	205±52	$85,938	$237,500	2.0%	100%
OkabenaGEOID 2748184	city	203	210±51	$86,719	$108,300	10.0%	100%
Sioux Valley TownshipGEOID 2706360574	township	198	201±52	$80,750	$158,700	5.5%	100%
Enterprise TownshipGEOID 2706319484	township	181	195±71	$104,107	$218,200	3.1%	100%
Alba TownshipGEOID 2706300604	township	166	210±75	$115,368	$196,000	2.9%	100%
Weimer TownshipGEOID 2706369016	township	153	175±48	not published	$265,900	2.9%	100%
La Crosse TownshipGEOID 2706333902	township	147	128±34	$94,375	$262,500	1.6%	100%
Round Lake Township, Jackson CountyGEOID 2706356068	township	144	123±40	$98,750	$237,500	0.0%	100%
West Heron Lake TownshipGEOID 2706369484	township	130	184±62	$125,000	$120,800	9.8%	100%
Kimball TownshipGEOID 2706333146	township	100	77±29	$78,750	$215,800	11.7%	100%
AlphaGEOID 2701162	city	97	114±33	$145,362	$67,100	5.3%	100%
Fish LakeGEOID 2721196	CDP	75	93±24	$96,250	$359,400	0.0%	100%
WilderGEOID 2770258	city	62	32±15	$44,000	$90,000	10.0%	100%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Jackson County?

The median resident of Jackson County is 44.5 years old; 21.8% are under 18 and 23.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 4.9%. 3.1% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin and education, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure	Jackson County	Minnesota	Change since 2015-2019
Median age	44.5±0.7	38.8	no clear change
Under 18 years	21.8%±0.3 pts	22.9%	–
65 years and over	23.4%±0.2 pts	17.3%	–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	4.9%	6.4%	+1.3 pts
White alone, not Hispanic	89.8%±0.2 pts	75.9%	−2.6 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic	0.5%±0.4 pts	6.9%	–
Asian alone, not Hispanic	1.3%±0.3 pts	5.1%	−0.8 pts
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.2 pts	0.7%	–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.2 pts	0.0%	–
Two or more races, not Hispanic	3.3%±0.6 pts	4.5%	–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic	0.2%±0.2 pts	0.5%	–
Born outside the United States	3.1%±0.6 pts	8.7%	no clear change
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)	4.9%±1.0 pts	12.4%	–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)	7.6%±1.1 pts	5.9%	–
With a disability	13.3%±1.4 pts	11.6%	–
No health insurance coverage	3.0%±1.0 pts	4.7%	no clear change
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)	94.9%±0.8 pts	93.9%	–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)	26.1%±1.9 pts	39.4%	+3.5 pts
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)	7.9%±1.5 pts	13.8%	–
Moved from another state in the past year	1.2%±0.5 pts	1.8%	–

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 Jackson County earn?

Half of Jackson County's 4,387 households earn less than $75,743 a year (±$3,304), against $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $72,275 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.6% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Jackson County	Minnesota	Change since 2015-2019
Median household income	$75,743±$3,304	$89,062	no clear change
Mean household income	$95,928±$4,465	$118,304	–
Per capita income	$43,301±$1,891	$48,237	no clear change
People below the poverty line	8.6%±1.7 pts	9.3%	no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line	8.3%±3.2 pts	10.3%	no clear change
Households receiving SNAP	5.2%±1.5 pts	7.9%	–
Households with a broadband subscription	89.1%±1.7 pts	91.6%	–

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 Jackson County?

Owners occupy 80.1% of Jackson County's occupied homes and renters 19.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $157,100 by its owner (±$7,318). The median renter pays $787 a month including utilities, and 31.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Jackson County	Minnesota	Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)	$157,100±$7,318	$329,300	no clear change
Median gross rent	$787±$114	$1,280	no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent	31.2%±8.5 pts	38.4%	no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage	$1,235±$43	$1,947	–
Owner-occupied homes	80.1%±2.5 pts	72.2%	no clear change
Housing units	4,905±33	2,545,030	−172
Homeowner vacancy rate	1.2%±0.8 pts	0.6%	–
Rental vacancy rate	7.1%±6.7 pts	5.3%	–
Single-family detached homes	86.4%±2.1 pts	66.0%	–
Mobile homes	1.5%±0.6 pts	2.9%	–
Built 2020 or later	0.3%±0.3 pts	1.9%	–
Built 1939 or earlier	29.6%±3.1 pts	15.6%	–

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 Jackson County building?

Builders took permits for 62 new housing units across Jackson County in 2025 (8 single-family), 6.3 per 1,000 residents.

2019 12 units
2020 13 units
2021 17 units
2022 14 units
2023 5 units
2024 51 units
2025 62 units

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in Jackson County get to work?

76.1% of Jackson County's workers drive alone and 10.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 2.4%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Jackson County	Minnesota	Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)	65.8%±1.5 pts	68.1%	–
Unemployment rate	2.4%±1.1 pts	4.1%	no clear change
Drove alone to work	76.1%±2.5 pts	68.9%	–
Carpooled	8.6%±1.6 pts	7.5%	–
Public transportation	0.3%±0.3 pts	1.8%	–
Walked	4.4%±1.1 pts	2.5%	–
Worked from home	10.1%±1.8 pts	17.6%	+3.8 pts
Mean travel time to work	18.4 min±1.3	22.7 min	+1.6 min

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 are Jackson County's census tracts?

Jackson County is divided into 4 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $70,223 (Tract 4804) to $89,844 (Tract 4801).

Census tracts of Jackson County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; sort by any column

Tract 480127063480100	Alpha (5%)	2,175	2,127±113	$89,844	$218,000	$925	5.7%
Tract 480227063480200	Heron Lake (12%)	2,078	2,131±161	$79,444	$152,300	$695	6.6%
Tract 480327063480300	Lakefield (32%)	2,353	2,299±173	$75,275	$149,300	$969	8.8%
Tract 480427063480400	Jackson (90%)	3,383	3,376±60	$70,223	$131,500	$759	11.6%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov

How does Jackson County compare with Minnesota's other counties?

Jackson County's rank among Minnesota's counties with a reliable estimate (1 = highest)
Measure	Rank
Population	67th of 87
Growth 2020-2025	64th of 87
Residents per square mile	66th of 87
Median household income	35th of 87
Median home value	79th of 87
Median gross rent	68th of 87
Poverty rate	62nd of 87
Bachelor's degree or higher	40th of 87
Median age	22nd of 87

Every county in Minnesota

Source: PlainCities ranks 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 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 Jackson County 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' school search.