Palmer Township, MN

Township in Sherburne County, MN, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

2,581

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

Median Age

46.1

years ∙ half population younger than 46.1, half older

Diversity Index

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

0.3%

foreign-born population

99.7%Native

0.3% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Palmer Township is a township in Sherburne County, Minnesota, United States.

Location

Township in Sherburne County, MN, US

Co-ordinates

DEC45.517303° N, 93.948814° W

DMS45° 31′ 02.29″ N, 93° 56′ 55.73″ W

Population Density & area

74.17/sq mi (28.68/km²)

Total Area

36.5 sq mi (94.5 km²)

Land Area

34.8 sq mi (90 km²) · 95.3%

Water Area

1.7 sq mi (4.5 km²) · 4.7%

Demographics & Living

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

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

51.3% male

Male 51.3%

Female 48.7%

males per 100 females

Palmer Township 105.2

Sherburne County 105.3

Minnesota 100.4

Nativity

0.3%

foreign-born population

99.7%Native

0.3% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Palmer Township 0.3%

Sherburne County 4.5%

Minnesota 8.7%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

46.1

years ∙ half population younger than 46.1, half older

Palmer Township

46.1

Sherburne County

Minnesota

38.8

Dependency ratio

72.3

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Palmer Township 72.3

Sherburne County 61.5

Minnesota 67.1

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Palmer Township	Sherburne County	Minnesota
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	23.6%	25.8%	22.9%
Working age (18-64)	58%	61.9%	59.8%
Senior (65+)	18.4%	12.3%	17.3%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	72.3	61.5	67.1
Child dependency ratio	40.7	41.6	38.2
Old-age dependency ratio	31.6	19.9	28.9

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

95.9%

Black

0.2%

Asian

0.5%

Hispanic

0.9%

Other

2.5%

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

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Palmer Township 8%

Sherburne County 25.9%

Minnesota 41%

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 Palmer Township population

	Palmer Township	Sherburne County	Minnesota
Hispanic or Latino	0.9%	3.4%	6.4%
Mexican	0.9%	2.4%	3.9%
Puerto Rican	0%	0.2%	0.3%
Cuban	0%	0%	0.1%
Other Hispanic / Latino	0%	0.8%	2%
Not Hispanic or Latino	99.1%	96.6%	93.6%
One race	97.7%	92.4%	89.1%
White	95.9%	85.8%	75.9%
Black or African American	0.2%	4%	6.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0%	0.2%	0.7%
Asian	0.5%	1.7%	5.1%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
Some Other Race	1.2%	0.6%	0.5%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	1.4%	4.2%	4.5%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

82.6% family

Family 82.6%

Non family 17.4%

% family households

Palmer Township 82.6%

Sherburne County 73%

Minnesota 62.3%

Average household size

2.64

persons per household

Palmer Township

2.64

Sherburne County

2.78

Minnesota

2.43

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Palmer Township population

	Palmer Township	Sherburne County	Minnesota
Total households	975	35,555	2,307,955
Average houshold size	2.64	2.78	2.43
Family households	805	25,949	1,438,404
Average family size	2.89	3.23	3.04
Married couple family	706	20,855	1,129,003
Other families	99	5,094	309,401
Male householder	66	1,946	102,922
Female householder	33	3,148	206,479
Non-family households	170	9,606	869,551
One-person households	112	7,297	686,475
Male householder	80	3,190	320,418
Senior (65+) living alone	33	870	97,557
Female householder	32	4,107	366,057
Senior (65+) living alone	17	2,363	186,557
Other living arrangements	58	2,309	183,076

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

1,123

housing units

Palmer Township 1,123

Sherburne County 37,099

Minnesota 2,545,030

Occupancy status

86.8% occupied

Occupied 86.8%

Vacant 13.2%

vacancy rate

Palmer Township 13.2%

Sherburne County 4.2%

Minnesota 9.3%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

97.8%

Single family houses

97.8%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

Mobile homes

0.8%

Boat, RV, van, etc

1.4%

Median Year Built

1991

Half of houses were built before 1991, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

6.4%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

17.6%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

49.3%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

26.7%

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

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Palmer Township	Sherburne County	Minnesota
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	7.2	6.8	6.1
1–3 rooms	5.9%	8.2%	14.9%
4–6 rooms	30.3%	38%	41.4%
7+ rooms	63.7%	53.8%	43.7%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	0%	1.4%	2.7%
1 bedroom	6.1%	5.7%	11.4%
2 bedrooms	13.3%	16.4%	24.5%
3 bedrooms	35.6%	35.7%	32.2%
4+ bedrooms	45.1%	40.8%	29.1%
At a glance
Median year built	1991	1996	1979
Total housing units	1,123	37,099	2,545,030

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

98.3% owners

Renter-occupied 1.7%

Owner-occupied 98.3%

homeownership rate

Palmer Township 98.3%

Sherburne County 83.2%

Minnesota 72.2%

Average household size

2.67

Owner-occupied

1.18

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Palmer Township 2.67

Sherburne County 2.93

Minnesota 2.59

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Palmer Township	Sherburne County	Minnesota
Total occupied units	975	35,555	2,307,955
Year moved in
2020 or later	11.7%	21.7%	23.8%
2010 to 2019	33.1%	41.2%	38.9%
2000 to 2009	27.9%	19.4%	16.1%
1999 or earlier	27.3%	17.7%	21.2%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	99.8%	98.5%	97.7%
1.01 to 1.50	0.2%	1.3%	1.5%
1.51 or more	0%	0.3%	0.8%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	0.8%	4.2%	6.7%
1 vehicle	16.2%	21.5%	30.8%
2 vehicles	34.8%	38.8%	39.5%
3 or more vehicles	48.2%	35.6%	23.1%
House heating fuel used
Gas	83.6%	80.8%	75.9%
Electricity	14.9%	16.2%	19.4%
Solar	0%	0.1%	0.1%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	0.2%	0.4%	1.3%
All other fuels	1.3%	1.9%	2.5%
No fuel used	0%	0.7%	0.9%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.7%	0.2%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	0.7%	0.8%	0.7%
No telephone service available	0%	1.1%	0.7%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$382,700

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Palmer Township

$382,700

Sherburne County

$361,400

Minnesota

$329,300

Housing Cost Burden

22.2%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

22.2%

Owners without a mortgage

10.8%

Renters

35.7%

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

	Palmer Township	Sherburne County	Minnesota
Property value
Median Value	$382,700	$361,400	$329,300
Under $100,000	0.5%	3.7%	7.7%
$100,000 - $200,000	3.5%	5.4%	13.3%
$200,000 - $300,000	15%	21.4%	22.6%
$300,000 - $500,000	58%	53.4%	36.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	20.7%	15.3%	17%
$1,000,000 and more	2.2%	0.7%	2.6%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	66.2%	73.9%	64%
Without a mortgage	33.8%	26.1%	36%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,839	$2,050	$1,947
Without a mortgage	$668	$700	$698
Gross rent
Median rent	$—	$1,127	$1,280

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

36.6%

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

Palmer Township 36.6%

Sherburne County 29.7%

Minnesota 39.4%

Adults without a high school diploma

4.1%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Palmer Township 4.1%

Sherburne County 5.6%

Minnesota 6.1%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

458

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

6.6%

K–12

71.6%

College / Undergraduate

17.2%

Graduate / Professional

4.6%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

50.4%

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

Palmer Township

50.4%

Sherburne County

23.7%

Minnesota

39.1%

Enrollment & school type

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

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Palmer Township	Sherburne County	Minnesota
Total enrolled (age 3+)	458	24,712	1,385,086
Nursery / preschool	6.6%	4.8%	6.2%
K–12	71.6%	79.8%	69.9%
Kindergarten	12.2%	8.1%	5.2%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	17.2%	21.1%	20.6%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	25.1%	23.9%	21.7%
High School: Grades 9–12	17%	26.8%	22.4%
College or graduate school	21.8%	15.3%	23.9%
College, undergraduate	17.2%	12%	18.8%
Graduate, professional school	4.6%	3.3%	5.1%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	50.4%	23.7%	39.1%
School type
Public school	84.3%	91.4%	83.3%
Private school	15.7%	8.6%	16.7%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

1,853

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

1.8%

9th-12th, no diploma

2.3%

HS graduate

24.7%

Some college no degree

23.5%

Associates degree

11.1%

Bachelors degree

25%

Graduate or professional degree

11.5%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

97.1% · 2.9%

9th-12th, no diploma

81% · 19%

HS graduate

60.6% · 39.4%

Some college no degree

56.9% · 43.1%

Associates degree

37.4% · 62.6%

Bachelors degree

43.8% · 56.3%

Graduate or professional degree

45.3% · 54.7%

Educational Attainment Overview

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

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Palmer Township	Sherburne County	Minnesota
Population (25+)	1,853	66,512	3,923,744
Less than 9th grade	1.8%	2%	2.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	2.3%	3.6%	3.4%
High school diploma or GED	24.7%	27.4%	23.3%
Some college, no degree	23.5%	22.4%	19.5%
Associate's degree	11.1%	14.9%	11.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	36.6%	29.7%	39.4%
Bachelor's degree	25%	20.8%	25.6%
Graduate or professional	11.5%	8.8%	13.8%
High School or higher	95.9%	94.4%	93.9%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$69,966

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$59,375

HS graduate

$49,471

Some college or associates

$62,333

Bachelors degree

$78,836

Graduate or professional degree

$92,656

Poverty Rate

1.6%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

2.6%

HS graduate

1.1%

Some college or associates

3.1%

Bachelors degree or higher

1.6%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Palmer Township	Sherburne County	Minnesota
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$69,966	$62,850	$58,615
Less than high school graduate	$59,375	$56,587	$36,257
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$49,471	$49,910	$42,951
Some college or associate's degree	$62,333	$60,458	$51,845
Bachelor's degree	$78,836	$77,000	$73,301
Graduate or professional degree	$92,656	$85,456	$89,644
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	2.6%	14.6%	23.7%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	1.1%	6.9%	12.3%
Some college or associate's degree	3.1%	5.2%	7.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	1.6%	3%	3.2%

Insights for Palmer Township, 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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