Big Stone County, Minnesota: commercial real estate data.
Big Stone County, Minnesota had an estimated 5,067 residents on July 1, 2024, down 2.0 percent since the 2020 census base of 5,169, across 499 square miles. County output reached $336.4 m in 2024, 178 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 5 7(a) approvals worth $3.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Big Stone County
How many people live in Big Stone County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20245,127
- Households2,136
- Average household size2.40
- Median household income$70,400
- Median age47.0
- Median gross rent$745 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$169,100
- Home value to household income2.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income12.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher25.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over3,700
- Population under 181,127
- Share under 1822.0 percent
- Population 65 and over1,378
- Share 65 and over26.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 642,622
- Civilian labor force2,340
- Unemployment rate1.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over58.5 percent
- Rank by population among Minnesota counties83rd of 87
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2888th of 3,222
Big Stone County is the 83rd largest of 87 Minnesota counties by population. A median home costs 2.4 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 26.9 percent against 22.0 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Big Stone County
Is Big Stone County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 20245,067
- Census 2020 base population5,169
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.97 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-28
- Births, 202453
- Deaths, 202483
- Natural change, 2024-30
- Net domestic migration, 2024-1
- Net international migration, 20242
- Total net migration, 20241
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2492nd of 3,144
The county has lost 1.97 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Big Stone County
Where are people moving to Big Stone County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving92
- People arriving, from those returns159
- Tax returns filed by households leaving124
- Net household movement-32
- Adjusted gross income arriving$5.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-1.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$61,011
- Average income of a leaving household$56,419
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|
Households arriving report $4,592 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Big Stone County
What is the Big Stone County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$336.4 m
- County GDP, 2023$315.8 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.5 percent
- GDP change over five years41.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Minnesota areas BEA publishes82nd of 87
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2644th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$65,621
Output grew 6.5 percent in the latest year and 41.0 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Big Stone County
Employment by industry in Big Stone County
- Covered employment, annual average1,694
- Establishments reporting221
- Average annual pay$53,377
- Average weekly wage$1,026
- Construction, employment185
- Construction, average annual pay$104,178
- Retail trade, employment156
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,078
- Wholesale trade, employment82
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$72,760
- Other services, except public administration, employment55
- Other services, except public administration, average annual pay$23,987
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment50
- Transportation and warehousing, employment30
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 185 | 27 | $104,178 |
| Retail trade | 156 | 24 | $30,078 |
| Wholesale trade | 82 | 9 | $72,760 |
| Other services, except public administration | 55 | 25 | $23,987 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 50 | 13 | $58,914 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 30 | 11 | $61,889 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 17 | 7 | $50,463 |
| Information | 16 | 3 | $36,481 |
Construction is the largest private sector at 185 jobs, 10.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Big Stone County
How many businesses are in Big Stone County?
- Establishments, all industries178
- Employment at those establishments1,372
- Annual payroll$70.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents34.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Big Stone County
Building permits in Big Stone County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20243
- Declared construction value permitted$1.7 m
- Single family units authorized3
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$566,667
- Units authorized per 1,000 households1.4
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Big Stone County
SBA loans in Big Stone County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded5
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$3.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$770,000
- Median 7(a) approval$210,000
- Largest single approval$3,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)60
- Jobs per approval12.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active4
- Distinct industries receiving approvals4
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer20.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter3
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals20.0 percent
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$1.4 m
- Average 504 approval$270,400
- Median 504 approval$280,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval5.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved19.2
- Most active CDCMidwest Business Finance Corporation (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$5.2 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Big Stone County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Big Stone County
Do SBA loans in Big Stone County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded2
- Paid in full2
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled3
- Status: Paid in full2
Only 2 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Big Stone County
SBA lending by place in Big Stone County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Beardsley, approvals2
- Ortonville, approvals2
- Clinton, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Beardsley | 2 | $3,500,000 |
| Ortonville | 2 | $140,000 |
| Clinton | 1 | $210,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Big Stone County
How large is Big Stone County?
- Land area499 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Minnesota counties67th of 87
- Width, east to west35.6 mi
- Height, north to south28.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land10
- Establishments per square mile0.36
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Big Stone County
Flood risk in Big Stone County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Big Stone County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 270652
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Big Stone County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Big Stone County (community 270652), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Big Stone County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Big Stone County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Big Stone County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20245,127
- Households2,136
- Average household size2.40
- Median household income$70,400
- Median age47.0
Common questions
Big Stone County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Big Stone County, Minnesota?
The Census Bureau estimates 5,067 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 5,127, in 2,136 households, ranking 83rd of 87 Minnesota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Big Stone County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.97 percent since the 2020 census base of 5,169, to 5,067 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 53 births against 83 deaths, with net migration of 1. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Big Stone County?
$70,400. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $169,100, which is 2.4 times income, and median gross rent is $745 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Big Stone County?
178 establishments, employing 1,372 people with an annual payroll of $70.7 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Big Stone County?
Construction is the largest private sector at 185 jobs, 10.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 1,694 jobs at an average annual pay of $53,377, or $1,026 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Big Stone County?
5 7(a) approvals totaling $3.9 m since FY2020, across 4 lenders, with a median approval of $210,000, plus 5 504 approvals worth $1.4 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Big Stone County?
3 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $1.7 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Big Stone County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Are traffic counts available for Big Stone County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Big Stone County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Big Stone County
Cities and places in Big Stone.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Big Stone County. All 8 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ortonville | city | 2,028 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Graceville | city | 564 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Clinton | city | 281 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Beardsley | city | 229 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Odessa | city | 87 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Johnson | city | 20 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Correll | city | 18 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Barry | city | 16 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |