Freeborn County, Minnesota

County in MN, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

30,623

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

44.3

years ∙ half population younger than 44.3, half older

Diversity Index

32.2%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

4.2%

foreign-born population

95.8%Native

4.2% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Freeborn County is a county in Minnesota, United States.

Location

County in MN, US

Co-ordinates

DEC43.674202° N, 93.350289° W

DMS43° 40′ 27.13″ N, 93° 21′ 01.04″ W

Population Density & area

43.3/sq mi (16.72/km²)

Total Area

722.4 sq mi (1,871.1 km²)

Land Area

707.2 sq mi (1,831.8 km²) · 97.9%

Water Area

15.2 sq mi (39.3 km²) · 2.1%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

50.6% male

Male 50.6%

Female 49.4%

males per 100 females

Freeborn County 102.6

Minnesota 100.4

United States 98

Nativity

4.2%

foreign-born population

95.8%Native

4.2% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Freeborn County 4.2%

Minnesota 8.7%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

44.3

years ∙ half population younger than 44.3, half older

Freeborn County

44.3

Minnesota

38.8

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

82.3

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Freeborn County 82.3

Minnesota 67.1

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Freeborn County	Minnesota	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	21.8%	22.9%	22%
Working age (18-64)	54.8%	59.8%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	23.4%	17.3%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	82.3	67.1	64.4
Child dependency ratio	39.7	38.2	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	42.6	28.9	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

81.5%

Black

1.5%

Asian

3.5%

Hispanic

10.8%

Other

2.7%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

32.2%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Freeborn County 32.2%

Minnesota 41%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Freeborn County population

	Freeborn County	Minnesota	United States
Hispanic or Latino	10.8%	6.4%	19.3%
Mexican	9.1%	3.9%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	0.2%	0.3%	1.8%
Cuban	0.3%	0.1%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	1.3%	2%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	89.2%	93.6%	80.7%
One race	87%	89.1%	76.4%
White	81.5%	75.9%	57.4%
Black or African American	1.5%	6.9%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.1%	0.7%	0.5%
Asian	3.5%	5.1%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0.1%	0%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0.3%	0.5%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	2.2%	4.5%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

62.7% family

Family 62.7%

Non family 37.3%

% family households

Freeborn County 62.7%

Minnesota 62.3%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.34

persons per household

Freeborn County

2.34

Minnesota

2.43

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Freeborn County population

	Freeborn County	Minnesota	United States
Total households	12,846	2,307,955	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.34	2.43	2.53
Family households	8,052	1,438,404	82,990,528
Average family size	2.89	3.04	3.14
Married couple family	5,945	1,129,003	60,637,388
Other families	2,107	309,401	22,353,140
Male householder	808	102,922	6,572,819
Female householder	1,299	206,479	15,780,321
Non-family households	4,794	869,551	46,236,968
One-person households	4,063	686,475	37,140,836
Male householder	1,998	320,418	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	755	97,557	5,225,110
Female householder	2,065	366,057	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	1,335	186,557	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	731	183,076	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

14,116

housing units

Freeborn County 14,116

Minnesota 2,545,030

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

91% occupied

Occupied 91%

Vacant 9%

vacancy rate

Freeborn County 9%

Minnesota 9.3%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

84.2%

Single family houses

84.2%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

13.3%

Mobile homes

2.4%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1960

Half of houses were built before 1960, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

27.5%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

36.5%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

27.1%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

8.9%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Freeborn County	Minnesota	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	6.1	6.1	5.5
1–3 rooms	9.4%	14.9%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	48.4%	41.4%	51.6%
7+ rooms	42.2%	43.7%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	1.7%	2.7%	2.9%
1 bedroom	7.4%	11.4%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	28%	24.5%	25%
3 bedrooms	40.2%	32.2%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	22.6%	29.1%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1960	1979	1981
Total housing units	14,116	2,545,030	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

79.5% owners

Renter-occupied 20.5%

Owner-occupied 79.5%

homeownership rate

Freeborn County 79.5%

Minnesota 72.2%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.45

Owner-occupied

1.93

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Freeborn County 2.45

Minnesota 2.59

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Freeborn County	Minnesota	United States
Total occupied units	12,846	2,307,955	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	20%	23.8%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	35.4%	38.9%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	15.9%	16.1%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	28.8%	21.2%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	98.2%	97.7%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	1.4%	1.5%	2.2%
1.51 or more	0.4%	0.8%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	5.8%	6.7%	8.4%
1 vehicle	32.2%	30.8%	33.1%
2 vehicles	35.3%	39.5%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	26.7%	23.1%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	83.5%	75.9%	51.4%
Electricity	13%	19.4%	41.3%
Solar	0.1%	0.1%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	1%	1.3%	3.9%
All other fuels	2.1%	2.5%	2%
No fuel used	0.4%	0.9%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.3%	0.4%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0.7%	0.7%	0.8%
No telephone service available	1.2%	0.7%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$171,100

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Freeborn County

$171,100

Minnesota

$329,300

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

22.9%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

22.9%

Owners without a mortgage

11.4%

Renters

44.9%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Freeborn County	Minnesota	United States
Property value
Median Value	$171,100	$329,300	$332,700
Under $100,000	22.6%	7.7%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	36.5%	13.3%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	19.6%	22.6%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	16.5%	36.9%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	4.1%	17%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	0.7%	2.6%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	53.3%	64%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	46.7%	36%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,316	$1,947	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$563	$698	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$849	$1,280	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

18.2%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Freeborn County 18.2%

Minnesota 39.4%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

8.6%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Freeborn County 8.6%

Minnesota 6.1%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

6,397

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

6.1%

K–12

78.5%

College / Undergraduate

13.8%

Graduate / Professional

1.6%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

23.2%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Freeborn County

23.2%

Minnesota

39.1%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Freeborn County	Minnesota	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	6,397	1,385,086	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	6.1%	6.2%	5.7%
K–12	78.5%	69.9%	67.6%
Kindergarten	6.2%	5.2%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	19.5%	20.6%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	28%	21.7%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	24.9%	22.4%	21.7%
College or graduate school	15.4%	23.9%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	13.8%	18.8%	21%
Graduate, professional school	1.6%	5.1%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	23.2%	39.1%	40.9%
School type
Public school	91.2%	83.3%	82%
Private school	8.8%	16.7%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

21,752

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

3.6%

9th-12th, no diploma

HS graduate

33.1%

Some college no degree

24.3%

Associates degree

15.9%

Bachelors degree

12.2%

Graduate or professional degree

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

51.7% · 48.3%

9th-12th, no diploma

62.9% · 37.1%

HS graduate

54.1% · 45.9%

Some college no degree

49.5% · 50.5%

Associates degree

42.8% · 57.2%

Bachelors degree

46.1% · 53.9%

Graduate or professional degree

42.2% · 57.8%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Freeborn County	Minnesota	United States
Population (25+)	21,752	3,923,744	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	3.6%	2.7%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	5%	3.4%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	33.1%	23.3%	26%
Some college, no degree	24.3%	19.5%	19.1%
Associate's degree	15.9%	11.8%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	18.2%	39.4%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	12.2%	25.6%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	6%	13.8%	14.1%
High School or higher	91.4%	93.9%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$48,712

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$32,625

HS graduate

$44,110

Some college or associates

$48,165

Bachelors degree

$59,443

Graduate or professional degree

$74,625

Poverty Rate

3.5%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

21.3%

HS graduate

12.4%

Some college or associates

8.1%

Bachelors degree or higher

3.5%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Freeborn County	Minnesota	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$48,712	$58,615	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$32,625	$36,257	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$44,110	$42,951	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$48,165	$51,845	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$59,443	$73,301	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$74,625	$89,644	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	21.3%	23.7%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	12.4%	12.3%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	8.1%	7.8%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	3.5%	3.2%	4.5%

Insights for Freeborn County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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