County · Minnesota

Meeker County, Minnesota

Meeker County, Minnesota. Meeker County had 23,603 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.9% since 2020, slower than Minnesota (+2.2%). It holds 26 places (9 cities, villages and boroughs and 17 towns and townships) and 6 census tracts. GEOID 27093.

Residents, July 2025 estimate

23,603

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 23,400 · ACS 2020-2024: 23,468

Median household income

$75,446

±$2,499 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062

Median home value

$249,000

±$8,157 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300

Median gross rent

$904

±$63 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280

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

The 2020 Census counted 23,400 residents in Meeker County. The Census Bureau estimates 23,603 for July 1, 2025, up 0.9% since 2020, slower than Minnesota (+2.2%). The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 23,468 over 608 square miles of land.

July 2020→2021 −27 (23,403)
2021→2022 +142 (23,545)
2022→2023 −23 (23,522)
2023→2024 +0 (23,522)
2024→2025 +81 (23,603)

Meeker County in Minnesota. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Counts, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, with the change from 2015-2019
Measure	Meeker County	Minnesota	Change since 2015-2019
Total population	23,468	5,739,445	+363
Households	9,347±168	2,307,955	no clear change
Average household size	2.47±0.04	2.43	no clear change
Housing units	10,735±62	2,545,030	−145

Meeker County's population since 2000

From 22,644 in 2000 to 23,603 in 2025: up 4.2%. 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 22,644
2005 (estimate) 23,213
2010 Census 23,300
2015 (estimate) 23,048
2020 Census 23,400
2025 (estimate) 23,603

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 Meeker County?

Meeker County holds 26 places: 9 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places) and 17 towns and townships (county subdivisions with their own government). The largest is Litchfield with 6,528 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 Meeker County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Ring: estimate with a coefficient of variation over 40%.

Litchfield	city	6,624	6,576±23	$54,875	$187,600	15.1%	100%
Dassel Township	township	1,601	1,690±234	$108,646	$358,700	6.6%	100%
Dassel	city	1,472	1,358±176	$59,946	$236,800	13.3%	100%
Kingston Township	township	1,258	1,436±244	$84,861	$364,300	6.6%	100%
Collinwood Township	township	1,195	1,168±205	$88,958	$371,000	3.3%	100%
Watkins	city	991	765±131	$64,896	$149,100	11.4%	100%
Forest Prairie Township	township	987	1,049±268	$107,981	$323,300	3.7%	100%
Ellsworth Township	township	841	792±113	$76,250	$395,000	5.6%	100%
Litchfield Township	township	828	786±142	$97,833	$338,100	7.8%	100%
Greenleaf Township	township	744	897±209	$97,083	$319,000	1.7%	100%
Union Grove Township	township	681	634±88	$90,694	$286,000	1.7%	100%
Darwin Township	township	678	526±103	$107,917	$340,500	4.9%	100%
Forest City Township	township	635	707±100	$96,875	$332,300	3.4%	100%
Grove City	city	624	814±176	$53,839	$142,100	6.5%	100%
Manannah Township	township	577	587±110	$82,639	$242,400	11.8%	100%
Eden Valley	city	1,027	1,002±141	$67,917	$161,300	12.5%	53%
Cosmos	city	507	536±119	$56,635	$105,500	15.3%	100%
Cedar Mills Township	township	420	397±89	$92,292	$287,500	5.3%	100%
Acton Township	township	386	323±45	$83,750	$233,300	10.2%	100%
Harvey Township	township	377	437±94	$91,875	$247,000	7.8%	100%
Swede Grove Township	township	361	362±63	$94,063	$267,900	2.5%	100%
Darwin	city	348	358±65	$70,000	$175,000	10.5%	100%
Danielson Township	township	280	226±58	$102,500	$252,300	3.5%	100%
Cosmos TownshipGEOID 2709313438	township	190	255±96	$83,750	$215,000	7.8%	100%
KingstonGEOID 2733344	city	184	206±56	$100,357	$221,900	2.4%	100%
Cedar MillsGEOID 2710468	city	62	40±14	$57,500	$108,300	12.5%	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 Meeker County?

The median resident of Meeker County is 42.2 years old; 23.5% are under 18 and 21.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 4.4%. 1.1% 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	Meeker County	Minnesota	Change since 2015-2019
Median age	42.2±0.5	38.8	no clear change
Under 18 years	23.5%±0.2 pts	22.9%	–
65 years and over	21.0%±0.1 pts	17.3%	–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	4.4%	6.4%	+0.4 pts
White alone, not Hispanic	92.2%±0.4 pts	75.9%	−1.7 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic	0.3%±0.2 pts	6.9%	–
Asian alone, not Hispanic	0.3%±0.1 pts	5.1%	no clear change
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic	0.1%±0.1 pts	0.7%	–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.1 pts	0.0%	–
Two or more races, not Hispanic	2.3%±0.3 pts	4.5%	–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic	0.3%±0.3 pts	0.5%	–
Born outside the United States	1.1%±0.3 pts	8.7%	−0.6 pts
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)	3.0%±0.5 pts	12.4%	–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)	6.4%±0.7 pts	5.9%	–
With a disability	13.5%±0.8 pts	11.6%	–
No health insurance coverage	6.6%±0.9 pts	4.7%	+2.0 pts
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)	93.8%±0.9 pts	93.9%	–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)	19.9%±1.6 pts	39.4%	no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)	6.1%±0.8 pts	13.8%	–
Moved from another state in the past year	0.4%±0.2 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 Meeker County earn?

Half of Meeker County's 9,347 households earn less than $75,446 a year (±$2,499), against $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $78,090 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.1% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Meeker County	Minnesota	Change since 2015-2019
Median household income	$75,446±$2,499	$89,062	no clear change
Mean household income	$92,684±$3,232	$118,304	–
Per capita income	$37,905±$1,244	$48,237	no clear change
People below the poverty line	9.1%±1.3 pts	9.3%	+2.4 pts
Children under 18 below the poverty line	7.8%±3.0 pts	10.3%	no clear change
Households receiving SNAP	8.4%±1.2 pts	7.9%	–
Households with a broadband subscription	88.1%±1.6 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 Meeker County?

Owners occupy 79.3% of Meeker County's occupied homes and renters 20.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $249,000 by its owner (±$8,157). The median renter pays $904 a month including utilities, and 38.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Meeker County	Minnesota	Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)	$249,000±$8,157	$329,300	+$39,536
Median gross rent	$904±$63	$1,280	no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent	38.5%±6.4 pts	38.4%	no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage	$1,614±$48	$1,947	–
Owner-occupied homes	79.3%±1.8 pts	72.2%	no clear change
Housing units	10,735±62	2,545,030	−145
Homeowner vacancy rate	0.5%±0.4 pts	0.6%	–
Rental vacancy rate	1.5%±1.3 pts	5.3%	–
Single-family detached homes	80.8%±1.7 pts	66.0%	–
Mobile homes	4.9%±0.9 pts	2.9%	–
Built 2020 or later	1.9%±0.7 pts	1.9%	–
Built 1939 or earlier	16.5%±1.6 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 Meeker County building?

Builders took permits for 48 new housing units across Meeker County in 2025 (48 single-family), 2.0 per 1,000 residents.

2019 57 units
2020 87 units
2021 88 units
2022 139 units
2023 65 units
2024 71 units
2025 48 units

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

How do people in Meeker County get to work?

81.1% of Meeker County's workers drive alone and 8.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.2%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Meeker County	Minnesota	Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)	64.8%±1.2 pts	68.1%	–
Unemployment rate	3.2%±0.8 pts	4.1%	+1.1 pts
Drove alone to work	81.1%±1.7 pts	68.9%	–
Carpooled	7.6%±1.2 pts	7.5%	–
Public transportation	0.2%±0.1 pts	1.8%	–
Walked	2.6%±0.6 pts	2.5%	–
Worked from home	8.0%±1.1 pts	17.6%	+3.0 pts
Mean travel time to work	25.2 min±1.1	22.7 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 are Meeker County's census tracts?

Meeker County is divided into 6 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $57,070 (Tract 5603) to $86,650 (Tract 5602).

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

Tract 560127093560100	Dassel (14%)	5,207	5,377±292	$85,323	$317,100	$864	7.5%
Tract 560227093560200	Watkins (9%)	5,164	5,053±349	$86,650	$320,900	$1,163	7.1%
Tract 560327093560300	Litchfield (90%)	3,827	3,810±283	$57,070	$196,500	$1,006	14.1%
Tract 560427093560400	Litchfield (82%)	3,015	2,806±243	$60,323	$186,900	$867	14.4%
Tract 560527093560500	Eden Valley (8%)	3,214	3,334±222	$84,875	$256,200	$992	6.4%
Tract 560627093560600	Grove City (14%)	2,973	3,088±214	$74,943	$180,900	$805	6.9%

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

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

Meeker County's rank among Minnesota's counties with a reliable estimate (1 = highest)
Measure	Rank
Population	43rd of 87
Growth 2020-2025	43rd of 87
Residents per square mile	35th of 87
Median household income	38th of 87
Median home value	33rd of 87
Median gross rent	41st of 87
Poverty rate	55th of 87
Bachelor's degree or higher	69th of 87
Median age	38th 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 Meeker 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.