Cass County, Minnesota: commercial real estate data.
Cass County, Minnesota had an estimated 31,442 residents on July 1, 2024, up 4.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 30,084, across 2,022 square miles. County output reached $1.36 bn in 2024, 891 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 64 7(a) approvals worth $18.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Cass County
How many people live in Cass County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202430,992
- Households12,874
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$68,874
- Median age49.9
- Median gross rent$863 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$288,300
- Home value to household income4.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher26.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over22,923
- Population under 186,190
- Share under 1820.0 percent
- Population 65 and over8,508
- Share 65 and over27.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6416,294
- Civilian labor force14,110
- Unemployment rate6.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over56.9 percent
- Rank by population among Minnesota counties34th of 87
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1449th of 3,222
Cass County is the 34th largest of 87 Minnesota counties by population. A median home costs 4.2 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 27.5 percent against 20.0 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.
Cass County
Is Cass County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202431,442
- Census 2020 base population30,084
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.51 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202449
- Births, 2024245
- Deaths, 2024429
- Natural change, 2024-184
- Net domestic migration, 2024218
- Net international migration, 202413
- Total net migration, 2024231
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,864
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents614th of 3,144
The county has grown 4.51 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Cass County
Where are people moving to Cass County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,173
- People arriving, from those returns2,203
- Tax returns filed by households leaving916
- Net household movement257
- Adjusted gross income arriving$114.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$49.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$97,603
- Average income of a leaving household$70,820
- Largest single originCrow Wing County (241 households)
- Largest single destinationCrow Wing County (211 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crow Wing County | 241 | 513 | $24.4 m |
| Hennepin County | 114 | 195 | $21.1 m |
| Beltrami County | 54 | 111 | $2.4 m |
| Hubbard County | 51 | 101 | $2.3 m |
| Anoka County | 46 | 77 | $6.0 m |
| Stearns County | 34 | 63 | $2.8 m |
| Morrison County | 32 | 57 | $1.6 m |
| Dakota County | 29 | 48 | $3.6 m |
Households arriving report $26,783 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 Crow Wing 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.
Cass County
What is the Cass County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.36 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.29 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.9 percent
- GDP change over five years33.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Minnesota areas BEA publishes44th of 87
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1587th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$43,976
Output grew 5.9 percent in the latest year and 33.3 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.
Cass County
Employment by industry in Cass County
- Covered employment, annual average10,661
- Establishments reporting965
- Average annual pay$43,904
- Average weekly wage$844
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,880
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$26,565
- Retail trade, employment1,152
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,422
- Manufacturing, employment650
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$51,030
- Construction, employment434
- Construction, average annual pay$59,444
- Real estate and rental and leasing, employment274
- Other services, except public administration, employment248
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 1,880 | 140 | $26,565 |
| Retail trade | 1,152 | 131 | $33,422 |
| Manufacturing | 650 | 44 | $51,030 |
| Construction | 434 | 152 | $59,444 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 274 | 35 | $40,486 |
| Other services, except public administration | 248 | 68 | $25,650 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 222 | 52 | $60,829 |
| Arts, entertainment and recreation | 221 | 23 | $20,587 |
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 1,880 jobs, 17.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Cass County
How many businesses are in Cass County?
- Establishments, all industries891
- Employment at those establishments7,493
- Annual payroll$323.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents28.7
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.
Cass County
Building permits in Cass County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024294
- Declared construction value permitted$96.3 m
- Single family units authorized286
- Multifamily units authorized8
- Multifamily share of units2.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$327,550
- Units authorized per 1,000 households22.8
Single-family homes are 97.3 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Cass County
SBA loans in Cass County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded64
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$18.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$283,798
- Median 7(a) approval$100,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$699,330
- Largest single approval$3,477,200
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)402
- Jobs per approval6.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active24
- Distinct industries receiving approvals40
- Median 7(a) term85 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer9.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms6
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter53
- Franchise loans3
- Franchise share of approvals4.7 percent
- Most active lenderSecurity Bank USA (16)
- 504 approvals recorded52
- 504 gross approval dollars$27.4 m
- Average 504 approval$527,673
- Median 504 approval$374,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval4.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved8.1
- Most active CDCMidwest Business Finance Corporation (47)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$45.6 m
The average approval of $283,798 sits well above the median of $100,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 9.4 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.
Cass County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Cass County
Do SBA loans in Cass County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded29
- Paid in full29
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full29
- Status: Exempt from disclosure34
- Status: Cancelled1
Only 29 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.
Cass County
SBA lending by place in Cass County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending14
- Pine River, approvals15
- Cass Lake, approvals14
- Walker, approvals9
- Hackensack, approvals7
- Longville, approvals4
- Brainerd, approvals3
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Pine River | 15 | $4,665,300 |
| Cass Lake | 14 | $656,000 |
| Walker | 9 | $1,485,800 |
| Hackensack | 7 | $3,271,000 |
| Longville | 4 | $3,247,100 |
| Brainerd | 3 | $350,000 |
| Bena | 3 | $291,000 |
| Backus | 2 | $3,587,200 |
| 6 other borrower cities | 7 | $609,700 |
Pine River accounts for 15 approvals against 14 in Cass Lake. 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.
Cass County
How large is Cass County?
- Land area2,022 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Minnesota counties6th of 87
- Width, east to west47.9 mi
- Height, north to south82.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary8
- Residents per square mile of land15
- Establishments per square mile0.44
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.
Cass County
Flood risk in Cass County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Cass County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 270631
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate50.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Cass County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Cass County (community 270631), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Cass County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 50.0 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 Cass 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 Cass County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202430,992
- Households12,874
- Average household size2.41
- Median household income$68,874
- Median age49.9
Common questions
Cass County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Cass County, Minnesota?
The Census Bureau estimates 31,442 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 30,992, in 12,874 households, ranking 34th of 87 Minnesota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Cass County's population growing?
The population has grown 4.51 percent since the 2020 census base of 30,084, to 31,442 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 245 births against 429 deaths, with net migration of 231. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Cass County?
$68,874. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $288,300, which is 4.2 times income, and median gross rent is $863 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Cass County?
891 establishments, employing 7,493 people with an annual payroll of $323.8 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 Cass County?
Accommodation and food services is the largest private sector at 1,880 jobs, 17.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 10,661 jobs at an average annual pay of $43,904, or $844 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Cass County?
64 7(a) approvals totaling $18.2 m since FY2020, across 24 lenders, with a median approval of $100,000, plus 52 504 approvals worth $27.4 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Cass County?
294 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $96.3 m. Multifamily was 2.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Cass County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 Cass County come from?
The largest single origin is Crow Wing County, with 241 households. Arriving households report an average income of $97,603 against $70,820 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Cass 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 Cass 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.
Cass County
Cities and places in Cass.
16 Census places lie wholly or partly in Cass County. All 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Gull Lake | city | 1,076 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Lake Shore | city | 1,073 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pine River | city | 906 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Walker | city | 848 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Cass Lake | city | 635 | 14 | Wholly in this county |
| Motley | city | 608 | 1 | 14.6 percent here, 85.4 percent Morrison County |
| Pillager | city | 547 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Remer | city | 371 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Backus | city | 291 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Chickamaw Beach | city | 248 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hackensack | city | 248 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Federal Dam | city | 142 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Longville | city | 138 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Bena | city | 79 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Whipholt | CDP | 76 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Boy River | city | 6 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 6 of the county's 64 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Cass County, the largest being Brainerd (3), Hopkins (1), Jenkins (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.