Census tract · Steele County
Census Tract 9606, Steele County, Minnesota
Census Tract 9606, GEOID 27147960600, in Steele County, Minnesota, mostly within Owatonna (97% of its census blocks). 3,796 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±469); the 2020 Census counted 3,571.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,796
±469 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,571
Median household income
$55,855
±$11,533 (90% margin)
Steele County: $84,196
Median home value
$211,900
±$17,631 (90% margin)
Steele County: $245,400
Median gross rent
$840
±$61 (90% margin)
Steele County: $1,061
Where is Census Tract 9606?
Census Tract 9606 is one of 8 census tracts in Steele County, Minnesota. It covers 1.67 square miles of land, 2,134 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 27147960600, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Owatonna | 97% |
| Owatonna Township | 3% |
4 census tracts border Census Tract 9606: Tract 9601 ($99,700), Tract 9602 ($104,894), Tract 9604 ($52,015) and Tract 9607 ($102,313). 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 9606?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 9606's population at 3,796 (±469) in 1,678 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,571 residents and 1,867 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 9606 | Owatonna |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,796 ±469 | 26,498 |
| Households | 1,678 ±144 | 11,018 |
| Average household size | 2.18 ±0.17 | 2.36 |
| Housing units | 1,787 ±132 | 11,500 |
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 9606?
The median resident of Census Tract 9606 is 42.9 years old; 21.6% are under 18 and 24.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 82.4%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 8.2%.
| Measure | Tract 9606 | Owatonna |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 ±6.5 | 40.4 |
| Under 18 years | 21.6% ±3.6 pts | 23.9% |
| 65 years and over | 24.9% ±4.6 pts | 19.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.3% ±3.8 pts | 8.6% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 82.4% ±6.1 pts | 82.1% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 8.2% ±6.1 pts | 4.5% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.7% ±1.7 pts | 0.7% |
| 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% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.4% ±1.6 pts | 3.7% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.3% |
| Born outside the United States | 2.7% ±2.2 pts | 4.7% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.6% ±3.0 pts | 6.6% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.9% ±2.8 pts | 8.0% |
| With a disability | 15.7% ±3.8 pts | 12.0% |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.5% ±1.3 pts | 3.1% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.4% ±4.8 pts | 94.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 21.3% ±4.9 pts | 29.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.5% ±3.4 pts | 9.1% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 81.0% ±8.7 pts | 88.3% |
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 9606 earn?
Half of the 1,678 households in Census Tract 9606 earn less than $55,855 a year (±$11,533), against $84,196 across Steele County: 7th highest of the county's 8 tracts with a reliable estimate. 18.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 9606 | Owatonna |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,855 ±$11,533 | $80,750 |
| Mean household income | $78,133 ±$10,527 | $98,799 |
| Per capita income | $35,756 ±$3,685 | $41,767 |
| People below the poverty line | 18.2% ±7.6 pts | 9.2% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 32.2% ±19.0 pts | 10.9% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 15.6% ±4.2 pts | 8.7% |
| Households with a computer | 86.6% ±5.6 pts | 93.6% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.3% ±5.6 pts | 87.9% |
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 9606?
Owners occupy 56.9% of Census Tract 9606's occupied homes and renters 43.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $211,900 by its owner (±$17,631). The median renter pays $840 a month including utilities, and 45.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 9606 | Owatonna |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $211,900 ±$17,631 | $245,200 |
| Median gross rent | $840 ±$61 | $1,067 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 45.2% ±13.7 pts | 50.9% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,592 ±$157 | $1,661 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 56.9% ±6.9 pts | 75.6% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 43.1% ±6.9 pts | 24.4% |
| Housing units | 1,787 ±132 | 11,500 |
| Single-family detached homes | 56.0% ±6.6 pts | 70.0% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 3.1% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 0.8% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.7% ±2.9 pts | 6.2% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 23.8% ±6.9 pts | 14.1% |
| Households with no vehicle | 15.2% ±4.8 pts | 7.0% |
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 9606 get to work?
76.6% of Census Tract 9606's workers drive alone and 5.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 16.2 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 9606 | Owatonna |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.6% ±5.6 pts | 64.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% ±3.9 pts | 3.6% |
| Drove alone to work | 76.6% ±7.7 pts | 81.7% |
| Carpooled | 7.0% ±5.8 pts | 5.8% |
| Public transportation | 6.3% ±5.5 pts | 1.2% |
| Walked | 3.1% ±2.7 pts | 1.8% |
| Worked from home | 5.5% ±2.6 pts | 8.3% |
| Mean travel time to work | 16.2 min ±3.1 | 17.7 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 9606 compare with the other tracts in Steele County?
Among Steele County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 9606 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Steele County | In Owatonna |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6th of 8 | 5th of 6 |
| Residents per square mile | 3rd of 8 | 3rd of 6 |
| Median household income | 7th of 8 | 5th of 6 |
| Per capita income | 7th of 8 | 5th of 6 |
| Median home value | 6th of 8 | 5th of 6 |
| Median gross rent | 7th of 8 | 6th of 6 |
| Poverty rate | 1st of 7 | 1st of 5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7th of 8 | 5th of 6 |
| Median age | 2nd of 8 | 2nd of 6 |
| Owner-occupied share | 7th of 8 | 5th of 6 |
The tracts next to it on Steele County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9601 | 4th | $99,700±$8,426 |
| Tract 9603 | 5th | $87,905±$6,352 |
| Tract 9608 | 6th | $73,870±$3,528 |
| Tract 9606 | 7th | $55,855±$11,533 |
| Tract 9604 | 8th | $52,015±$11,322 · within the margin of this tract |
"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 9606?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 9606 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