Census tract · Meeker County
Census Tract 5602, Meeker County, Minnesota
Census Tract 5602, GEOID 27093560200, in Meeker County, Minnesota, partly within Ellsworth Township, Forest Prairie Township, Darwin Township, Forest City Township, Watkins, Darwin, Collinwood Township, Dassel Township, Kingston Township, Litchfield Township, Greenleaf Township and Litchfield. 5,053 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±349); the 2020 Census counted 5,164.
Residents, 2020-2024
5,053
±349 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 5,164
Median household income
$86,650
±$6,629 (90% margin)
Meeker County: $75,446
Median home value
$320,900
±$15,188 (90% margin)
Meeker County: $249,000
Median gross rent
$1,163
±$208 (90% margin)
Meeker County: $904
Where is Census Tract 5602?
Census Tract 5602 is one of 6 census tracts in Meeker County, Minnesota. It covers 145.14 square miles of land, 36 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 27093560200, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Ellsworth Township | 21% |
| Forest Prairie Township | 19% |
| Darwin Township | 16% |
| Forest City Township | 13% |
| Watkins | 9% |
| Darwin | 7% |
| Collinwood Township | 4% |
| Dassel Township | 4% |
| Kingston Township | 2% |
| Litchfield Township | 2% |
| Greenleaf Township | 2% |
| Litchfield | 1% |
6 census tracts border Census Tract 5602: Tract 9502 in McLeod County ($104,056), Tract 5601 ($85,323), Tract 5603 ($57,070), Tract 5604 ($60,323), Tract 5605 ($84,875) and Tract 112.01 in Stearns County ($91,964). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 5602?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 5602's population at 5,053 (±349) in 1,997 households; the 2020 Census counted 5,164 residents and 2,504 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 5602 | Meeker County |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,053 ±349 | 23,468 |
| Households | 1,997 ±146 | 9,347 |
| Average household size | 2.49 ±0.12 | 2.47 |
| Housing units | 2,589 ±110 | 10,735 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 5602?
The median resident of Census Tract 5602 is 43.3 years old; 22.7% are under 18 and 21.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 88.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.7%. 0.7% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 5602 | Meeker County |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.3 ±2.8 | 42.2 |
| Under 18 years | 22.7% ±3.0 pts | 23.5% |
| 65 years and over | 21.3% ±2.5 pts | 21.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.7% ±2.1 pts | 4.4% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 88.8% ±2.7 pts | 92.2% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.3% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.9% ±1.2 pts | 2.3% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.3% |
| Born outside the United States | 0.7% ±0.4 pts | 1.1% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.0% ±0.5 pts | 3.0% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.8% ±1.1 pts | 6.4% |
| With a disability | 15.4% ±2.1 pts | 13.5% |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.9% ±1.2 pts | 6.6% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.2% ±2.0 pts | 93.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 17.9% ±2.0 pts | 19.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.1% ±1.0 pts | 6.1% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.6% ±1.6 pts | 92.8% |
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 Census Tract 5602 earn?
Half of the 1,997 households in Census Tract 5602 earn less than $86,650 a year (±$6,629), against $75,446 across Meeker County: 1st highest of the county's 6 tracts with a reliable estimate. 7.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 5602 | Meeker County |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $86,650 ±$6,629 | $75,446 |
| Mean household income | $99,106 ±$5,888 | $92,684 |
| Per capita income | $39,777 ±$2,111 | $37,905 |
| People below the poverty line | 7.1% ±1.8 pts | 9.1% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 2.5% ±1.4 pts | 7.8% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.8% ±3.2 pts | 8.4% |
| Households with a computer | 93.7% ±1.9 pts | 92.9% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.4% ±2.0 pts | 88.1% |
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 Census Tract 5602?
Owners occupy 85.4% of Census Tract 5602's occupied homes and renters 14.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $320,900 by its owner (±$15,188). The median renter pays $1,163 a month including utilities, and 48.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 5602 | Meeker County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $320,900 ±$15,188 | $249,000 |
| Median gross rent | $1,163 ±$208 | $904 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 48.3% ±16.9 pts | 38.5% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,805 ±$108 | $1,614 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 85.4% ±3.1 pts | 79.3% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 14.6% ±3.1 pts | 20.7% |
| Housing units | 2,589 ±110 | 10,735 |
| Single-family detached homes | 82.3% ±3.1 pts | 80.8% |
| Mobile homes | 8.8% ±2.3 pts | 4.9% |
| Built 2020 or later | 5.2% ±2.3 pts | 1.9% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.5% ±3.9 pts | 5.2% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 11.9% ±1.9 pts | 16.5% |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.3% ±1.6 pts | 4.2% |
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 do people in Census Tract 5602 get to work?
77.4% of Census Tract 5602's workers drive alone and 8.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 2.9%.
| Measure | Tract 5602 | Meeker County |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.2% ±2.4 pts | 64.8% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% ±1.3 pts | 3.2% |
| Drove alone to work | 77.4% ±3.3 pts | 81.1% |
| Carpooled | 9.5% ±3.2 pts | 7.6% |
| Public transportation | 0.6% ±0.5 pts | 0.2% |
| Walked | 3.1% ±1.5 pts | 2.6% |
| Worked from home | 8.5% ±1.6 pts | 8.0% |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.9 min ±2.6 | 25.2 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
How does Census Tract 5602 compare with the other tracts in Meeker County?
Among Meeker County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 5602 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Meeker County |
|---|---|
| Population | 2nd of 6 |
| Residents per square mile | 4th of 6 |
| Median household income | 1st of 6 |
| Per capita income | 3rd of 6 |
| Median home value | 1st of 6 |
| Median gross rent | 1st of 6 |
| Poverty rate | 4th of 6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4th of 6 |
| Median age | 4th of 6 |
| Owner-occupied share | 3rd of 6 |
The tracts next to it on Meeker County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 5602 | 1st | $86,650±$6,629 |
| Tract 5601 | 2nd | $85,323±$6,988 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 5605 | 3rd | $84,875±$6,172 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 5606 | 4th | $74,943±$7,617 |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 5602?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 5602 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections