Census tract · Otter Tail County
Census Tract 9609, Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Census Tract 9609, GEOID 27111960900, in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, mostly within Fergus Falls (86% of its census blocks). 5,460 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±385); the 2020 Census counted 5,853.
Residents, 2020-2024
5,460
±385 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 5,853
Median household income
$51,345
±$6,572 (90% margin)
Otter Tail County: $72,255
Median home value
$160,000
±$6,423 (90% margin)
Otter Tail County: $273,000
Median gross rent
$895
±$166 (90% margin)
Otter Tail County: $868
Where is Census Tract 9609?
Census Tract 9609 is one of 17 census tracts in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. It covers 13.57 square miles of land, 431 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 27111960900, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Fergus Falls | 86% |
| Fergus Falls Township | 9% |
| Buse Township | 5% |
4 census tracts border Census Tract 9609: Tract 9608 ($98,629), Tract 9610 ($57,829), Tract 9611 ($72,591) and Tract 9617 ($106,458). 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 9609?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 9609's population at 5,460 (±385) in 2,529 households; the 2020 Census counted 5,853 residents and 2,822 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 9609 | Fergus Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,460 ±385 | 14,181 |
| Households | 2,529 ±207 | 6,465 |
| Average household size | 1.99 ±0.13 | 2.07 |
| Housing units | 2,912 ±193 | 7,072 |
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 9609?
The median resident of Census Tract 9609 is 39.4 years old; 18.3% are under 18 and 25.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.6%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.6%. 2.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 9609 | Fergus Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.4 ±3.7 | 43.3 |
| Under 18 years | 18.3% ±3.0 pts | 19.6% |
| 65 years and over | 25.6% ±4.3 pts | 25.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.1% ±1.0 pts | 1.6% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 87.6% ±3.5 pts | 90.5% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±1.4 pts | 1.7% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±2.5 pts | 1.8% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.2% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.1% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.6% ±2.4 pts | 3.3% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.7% |
| Born outside the United States | 2.6% ±1.3 pts | 2.0% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.8% ±2.1 pts | 2.6% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.2% ±3.8 pts | 8.0% |
| With a disability | 21.3% ±5.0 pts | 22.6% |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.0% ±2.0 pts | 4.2% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.7% ±2.1 pts | 95.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 27.0% ±6.1 pts | 29.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.7% ±3.8 pts | 10.4% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 82.7% ±5.9 pts | 84.7% |
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 9609 earn?
Half of the 2,529 households in Census Tract 9609 earn less than $51,345 a year (±$6,572), against $72,255 across Otter Tail County: 17th highest of the county's 17 tracts with a reliable estimate. 10.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 9609 | Fergus Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,345 ±$6,572 | $56,162 |
| Mean household income | $65,066 ±$8,019 | $72,786 |
| Per capita income | $31,751 ±$3,444 | $34,864 |
| People below the poverty line | 10.1% ±4.5 pts | 9.1% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.7% ±7.6 pts | 5.9% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.6% ±3.7 pts | 9.2% |
| Households with a computer | 91.9% ±4.4 pts | 91.9% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.2% ±6.5 pts | 84.1% |
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 9609?
Owners occupy 57.5% of Census Tract 9609's occupied homes and renters 42.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $160,000 by its owner (±$6,423). The median renter pays $895 a month including utilities, and 37.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 9609 | Fergus Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $160,000 ±$6,423 | $194,000 |
| Median gross rent | $895 ±$166 | $911 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 37.6% ±12.2 pts | 38.1% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,162 ±$64 | $1,260 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 57.5% ±7.5 pts | 64.1% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 42.5% ±7.5 pts | 35.9% |
| Housing units | 2,912 ±193 | 7,072 |
| Single-family detached homes | 56.9% ±8.3 pts | 60.3% |
| Mobile homes | 3.4% ±3.4 pts | 3.0% |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.4% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 18.9% ±6.4 pts | 9.7% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 20.0% ±5.8 pts | 17.7% |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.1% ±3.0 pts | 10.0% |
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 9609 get to work?
71.1% of Census Tract 9609's workers drive alone and 7.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 14.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 10.3%.
| Measure | Tract 9609 | Fergus Falls |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.0% ±6.5 pts | 61.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 10.3% ±5.1 pts | 7.2% |
| Drove alone to work | 71.1% ±8.1 pts | 74.2% |
| Carpooled | 10.9% ±6.1 pts | 10.4% |
| Public transportation | 3.2% ±3.3 pts | 2.7% |
| Walked | 7.2% ±5.3 pts | 3.9% |
| Worked from home | 7.4% ±4.0 pts | 7.3% |
| Mean travel time to work | 14.2 min ±2.8 | 12.9 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 9609 compare with the other tracts in Otter Tail County?
Among Otter Tail County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 9609 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Otter Tail County | In Fergus Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2nd of 17 | 1st of 3 |
| Residents per square mile | 1st of 17 | 1st of 3 |
| Median household income | 17th of 17 | 3rd of 3 |
| Per capita income | 17th of 17 | 3rd of 3 |
| Median home value | 17th of 17 | 3rd of 3 |
| Median gross rent | 8th of 16 | 3rd of 3 |
| Poverty rate | 5th of 17 | 1st of 3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11th of 17 | 3rd of 3 |
| Median age | 16th of 17 | 3rd of 3 |
| Owner-occupied share | 17th of 17 | 3rd of 3 |
The tracts next to it on Otter Tail County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9603 | 14th | $68,125±$7,499 |
| Tract 9605 | 15th | $59,574±$8,578 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9610 | 16th | $57,829±$17,473 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9609 | 17th | $51,345±$6,572 |
"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 9609?
3 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 9609 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