HomeMinnesotaBlue Earth County
Blue Earth County, Minnesota: commercial real estate data.
Blue Earth County, Minnesota had an estimated 70,700 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 69,103, across 748 square miles. County output reached $5.64 bn in 2024, 1,992 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 121 7(a) approvals worth $37.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Blue Earth County
How many people live in Blue Earth County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202469,871
- Households27,606
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$74,477
- Median age31.6
- Median gross rent$1,123 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$266,700
- Home value to household income3.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher34.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree11.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over40,881
- Population under 1813,786
- Share under 1819.7 percent
- Population 65 and over10,656
- Share 65 and over15.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6445,429
- Civilian labor force39,969
- Unemployment rate4.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over71.3 percent
- Rank by population among Minnesota counties13th of 87
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included790th of 3,222
Blue Earth County is the 13th largest of 87 Minnesota counties by population. A median home costs 3.6 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 19.7 percent against 15.3 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Blue Earth County
Is Blue Earth County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202470,700
- Census 2020 base population69,103
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.31 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024304
- Births, 2024665
- Deaths, 2024537
- Natural change, 2024128
- Net domestic migration, 2024-374
- Net international migration, 2024548
- Total net migration, 2024174
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-460
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1072nd of 3,144
The county has grown 2.31 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Blue Earth County
Where are people moving to Blue Earth County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,185
- People arriving, from those returns3,466
- Tax returns filed by households leaving2,602
- Net household movement-417
- Adjusted gross income arriving$139.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$1.8 m
- Average income of an arriving household$64,024
- Average income of a leaving household$53,079
- Largest single originNicollet County (386 households)
- Largest single destinationNicollet County (468 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicollet County | 386 | 685 | $28.5 m |
| Hennepin County | 139 | 216 | $6.3 m |
| Le Sueur County | 103 | 179 | $16.7 m |
| Waseca County | 98 | 147 | $4.7 m |
| Dakota County | 76 | 107 | $3.0 m |
| Watonwan County | 59 | 112 | $2.5 m |
| Faribault County | 51 | 78 | $2.2 m |
| Brown County | 48 | 67 | $1.6 m |
Households arriving report $10,945 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Nicollet County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Blue Earth County
What is the Blue Earth County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$5.64 bn
- County GDP, 2023$5.23 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.9 percent
- GDP change over five years34.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Minnesota areas BEA publishes12th of 87
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes670th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$80,730
Output grew 7.9 percent in the latest year and 34.5 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.
Blue Earth County
Employment by industry in Blue Earth County
- Covered employment, annual average41,255
- Establishments reporting2,150
- Average annual pay$56,997
- Average weekly wage$1,096
- Health care and social assistance, employment9,632
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$61,789
- Retail trade, employment5,602
- Retail trade, average annual pay$34,160
- Manufacturing, employment4,348
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$75,936
- Accommodation and food services, employment4,084
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,164
- Construction, employment1,941
- Other services, except public administration, employment1,546
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 9,632 | 358 | $61,789 |
| Retail trade | 5,602 | 286 | $34,160 |
| Manufacturing | 4,348 | 80 | $75,936 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,084 | 182 | $21,164 |
| Construction | 1,941 | 239 | $78,259 |
| Other services, except public administration | 1,546 | 182 | $40,933 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,457 | 74 | $54,147 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,236 | 124 | $92,850 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 9,632 jobs, 23.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Blue Earth County
How many businesses are in Blue Earth County?
- Establishments, all industries1,992
- Employment at those establishments35,883
- Annual payroll$1.81 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents28.5
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.
Blue Earth County
Building permits in Blue Earth County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024271
- Declared construction value permitted$66.3 m
- Single family units authorized81
- Multifamily units authorized190
- Multifamily share of units70.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$244,781
- Units authorized per 1,000 households9.8
Multifamily is 70.1 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Blue Earth County
SBA loans in Blue Earth County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded121
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$37.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$309,167
- Median 7(a) approval$135,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$641,000
- Largest single approval$4,750,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,150
- Jobs per approval9.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active25
- Distinct industries receiving approvals70
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer9.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms12
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter104
- Franchise loans15
- Franchise share of approvals12.4 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLimited-Service Restaurants (8)
- Most active lenderBankVista (20)
- 504 approvals recorded75
- 504 gross approval dollars$57.7 m
- Average 504 approval$768,880
- Median 504 approval$475,000
- Distinct CDCs active6
- 504 jobs per approval6.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.0
- Most active CDCMidwest Business Finance Corporation (42)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$95.1 m
The average approval of $309,167 sits well above the median of $135,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 9.9 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
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.
Blue Earth County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Blue Earth County
Do SBA loans in Blue Earth County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded33
- Paid in full32
- Charged off1
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans3.0 percent
- Status: Paid in full32
- Status: Cancelled8
- Status: Exempt from disclosure77
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed3
Of the 33 loans that have reached a final outcome, 3.0 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
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.
Blue Earth County
SBA lending by place in Blue Earth County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending7
- Mankato, approvals100
- Lake Crystal, approvals8
- Mapleton, approvals5
- Madison Lake, approvals4
- Eagle Lake, approvals2
- Good Thunder, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Mankato | 100 | $32,610,000 |
| Lake Crystal | 8 | $782,200 |
| Mapleton | 5 | $1,626,000 |
| Madison Lake | 4 | $1,709,600 |
| Eagle Lake | 2 | $443,100 |
| Good Thunder | 1 | $163,300 |
| Manakato | 1 | $75,000 |
Mankato accounts for 100 approvals against 8 in Lake Crystal. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Blue Earth County
How large is Blue Earth County?
- Land area748 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Minnesota counties34th of 87
- Width, east to west30 mi
- Height, north to south28.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land93
- Establishments per square mile2.66
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.
Blue Earth County
Flood risk in Blue Earth County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Blue Earth County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 275231
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book12
- Of those, participating in the NFIP10
- NFIP participation rate83.3 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Blue Earth 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 Blue Earth County (community 275231), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Blue Earth 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. 83.3 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 Blue Earth 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 Blue Earth County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202469,871
- Households27,606
- Average household size2.53
- Median household income$74,477
- Median age31.6
Common questions
Blue Earth County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Blue Earth County, Minnesota?
The Census Bureau estimates 70,700 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 69,871, in 27,606 households, ranking 13th of 87 Minnesota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Blue Earth County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.31 percent since the 2020 census base of 69,103, to 70,700 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 665 births against 537 deaths, with net migration of 174. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Blue Earth County?
$74,477. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $266,700, which is 3.6 times income, and median gross rent is $1,123 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Blue Earth County?
1,992 establishments, employing 35,883 people with an annual payroll of $1.81 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Blue Earth County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 9,632 jobs, 23.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 41,255 jobs at an average annual pay of $56,997, or $1,096 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Blue Earth County?
121 7(a) approvals totaling $37.4 m since FY2020, across 25 lenders, with a median approval of $135,000, plus 75 504 approvals worth $57.7 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Blue Earth County get paid back?
Of the 33 loans that have reached a final outcome, 32 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge-off rate of 3.0 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Blue Earth County?
271 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $66.3 m. Multifamily was 70.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Blue Earth 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.
Where do people moving to Blue Earth County come from?
The largest single origin is Nicollet County, with 386 households. Arriving households report an average income of $64,024 against $53,079 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Blue Earth 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 Blue Earth 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.
Blue Earth County
Cities and places in Blue Earth.
13 Census places lie wholly or partly in Blue Earth County. All 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mankato | city | 45,473 | 100 | Wholly in this county |
| Eagle Lake | city | 3,281 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Crystal | city | 2,606 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Mapleton | city | 1,728 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Madison Lake | city | 1,322 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| St. Clair | city | 710 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Minnesota Lake | city | 687 | None recorded | 3.8 percent here, 96.2 percent Faribault County |
| Amboy | city | 602 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Good Thunder | city | 456 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Vernon Center | city | 329 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Skyline | city | 307 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pemberton | city | 223 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Garden City | CDP | 194 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 121 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Blue Earth County, the largest being Manakato (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby