Crow Wing County, Minnesota: commercial real estate data.
Crow Wing County, Minnesota had an estimated 68,642 residents on July 1, 2024, up 3.8 percent since the 2020 census base of 66,123, across 999 square miles. County output reached $4.04 bn in 2024, 2,283 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 128 7(a) approvals worth $79.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Crow Wing County
How many people live in Crow Wing County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202467,686
- Households29,402
- Average household size2.30
- Median household income$72,589
- Median age45.7
- Median gross rent$971 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$306,800
- Home value to household income4.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher29.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over49,339
- Population under 1813,843
- Share under 1820.5 percent
- Population 65 and over16,563
- Share 65 and over24.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6437,280
- Civilian labor force33,104
- Unemployment rate5.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over61.5 percent
- Rank by population among Minnesota counties15th of 87
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included809th of 3,222
Crow Wing County is the 15th 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 24.5 percent against 20.5 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.
Crow Wing County
Is Crow Wing County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202468,642
- Census 2020 base population66,123
- Population change since the 2020 census base3.81 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024356
- Births, 2024629
- Deaths, 2024745
- Natural change, 2024-116
- Net domestic migration, 2024416
- Net international migration, 202456
- Total net migration, 2024472
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20242,928
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents722nd of 3,144
The county has grown 3.81 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.
Crow Wing County
Where are people moving to Crow Wing County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,042
- People arriving, from those returns3,562
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,728
- Net household movement314
- Adjusted gross income arriving$244.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$116.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$119,837
- Average income of a leaving household$74,277
- Largest single originHennepin County (217 households)
- Largest single destinationCass County (241 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hennepin County | 217 | 355 | $31.3 m |
| Cass County | 211 | 386 | $15.5 m |
| Anoka County | 111 | 194 | $12.2 m |
| Stearns County | 84 | 131 | $6.8 m |
| Aitkin County | 80 | 139 | $4.9 m |
| Ramsey County | 78 | 139 | $8.9 m |
| Morrison County | 76 | 119 | $4.1 m |
| Dakota County | 68 | 128 | $6.9 m |
Households arriving report $45,560 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 Hennepin 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.
Crow Wing County
What is the Crow Wing County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$4.04 bn
- County GDP, 2023$3.83 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.5 percent
- GDP change over five years33.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Minnesota areas BEA publishes15th of 87
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes800th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$59,744
Output grew 5.5 percent in the latest year and 33.5 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.
Crow Wing County
Employment by industry in Crow Wing County
- Covered employment, annual average31,053
- Establishments reporting2,376
- Average annual pay$53,044
- Average weekly wage$1,020
- Health care and social assistance, employment5,986
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$63,898
- Retail trade, employment4,739
- Retail trade, average annual pay$40,342
- Accommodation and food services, employment4,277
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$25,882
- Manufacturing, employment2,950
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$58,356
- Construction, employment2,200
- Finance and insurance, employment1,144
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 5,986 | 241 | $63,898 |
| Retail trade | 4,739 | 362 | $40,342 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,277 | 242 | $25,882 |
| Manufacturing | 2,950 | 123 | $58,356 |
| Construction | 2,200 | 314 | $76,048 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,144 | 118 | $81,719 |
| Other services, except public administration | 1,104 | 219 | $28,849 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 805 | 150 | $76,301 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 5,986 jobs, 19.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Crow Wing County
How many businesses are in Crow Wing County?
- Establishments, all industries2,283
- Employment at those establishments28,209
- Annual payroll$1.35 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents33.7
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.
Crow Wing County
Building permits in Crow Wing County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024431
- Declared construction value permitted$139.8 m
- Single family units authorized419
- Multifamily units authorized12
- Multifamily share of units2.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$324,274
- Units authorized per 1,000 households14.7
Single-family homes are 97.2 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Crow Wing County
SBA loans in Crow Wing County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded128
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$79.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$619,137
- Median 7(a) approval$178,900
- 10th percentile approval$30,420
- 90th percentile approval$1,739,810
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)1,329
- Jobs per approval10.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active39
- Distinct industries receiving approvals77
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer19.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms25
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter97
- Franchise loans10
- Franchise share of approvals7.8 percent
- Most active lenderFirst Western Bank & Trust (21)
- 504 approvals recorded126
- 504 gross approval dollars$87.6 m
- Average 504 approval$695,349
- Median 504 approval$434,500
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval8.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.6
- Most active CDCMidwest Business Finance Corporation (114)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$166.9 m
The average approval of $619,137 sits well above the median of $178,900, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 19.5 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.
Crow Wing County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Crow Wing County
Do SBA loans in Crow Wing County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded55
- Paid in full51
- Charged off4
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans7.3 percent
- Status: Paid in full51
- Status: Charged off4
- Status: Exempt from disclosure64
- Status: Cancelled7
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Of the 55 loans that have reached a final outcome, 7.3 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.
Crow Wing County
SBA lending by place in Crow Wing County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending14
- Brainerd, approvals48
- Baxter, approvals20
- Pequot Lakes, approvals12
- Nisswa, approvals11
- Crosby, approvals7
- Deerwood, approvals6
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Brainerd | 48 | $31,951,500 |
| Baxter | 20 | $13,203,500 |
| Pequot Lakes | 12 | $1,146,200 |
| Nisswa | 11 | $10,888,600 |
| Crosby | 7 | $7,047,600 |
| Deerwood | 6 | $2,294,300 |
| Crosslake | 5 | $3,248,500 |
| Merrifield | 4 | $1,375,000 |
| 6 other borrower cities | 15 | $8,094,300 |
Brainerd accounts for 48 approvals against 20 in Baxter. 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.
Crow Wing County
How large is Crow Wing County?
- Land area999 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Minnesota counties21st of 87
- Width, east to west28.6 mi
- Height, north to south44.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary4
- Residents per square mile of land68
- Establishments per square mile2.29
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.
Crow Wing County
Flood risk in Crow Wing County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Crow Wing County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 270091
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book20
- Of those, participating in the NFIP16
- NFIP participation rate80.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Crow Wing 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 Crow Wing County (community 270091), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Crow Wing 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. 80.0 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 Crow Wing 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 Crow Wing County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202467,686
- Households29,402
- Average household size2.30
- Median household income$72,589
- Median age45.7
Common questions
Crow Wing County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Crow Wing County, Minnesota?
The Census Bureau estimates 68,642 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 67,686, in 29,402 households, ranking 15th of 87 Minnesota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Crow Wing County's population growing?
The population has grown 3.81 percent since the 2020 census base of 66,123, to 68,642 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 629 births against 745 deaths, with net migration of 472. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Crow Wing County?
$72,589. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $306,800, which is 4.2 times income, and median gross rent is $971 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Crow Wing County?
2,283 establishments, employing 28,209 people with an annual payroll of $1.35 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 Crow Wing County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 5,986 jobs, 19.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 31,053 jobs at an average annual pay of $53,044, or $1,020 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Crow Wing County?
128 7(a) approvals totaling $79.2 m since FY2020, across 39 lenders, with a median approval of $178,900, plus 126 504 approvals worth $87.6 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Crow Wing County get paid back?
Of the 55 loans that have reached a final outcome, 51 were paid in full and 4 charged off, a charge-off rate of 7.3 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Crow Wing County?
431 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $139.8 m. Multifamily was 2.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Crow Wing 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 Crow Wing County come from?
The largest single origin is Hennepin County, with 217 households. Arriving households report an average income of $119,837 against $74,277 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Crow Wing 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 Crow Wing 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.
Crow Wing County
Cities and places in Crow Wing.
19 Census places lie wholly or partly in Crow Wing County. All 19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brainerd | city | 14,468 | 48 | Wholly in this county |
| Baxter | city | 8,966 | 20 | Wholly in this county |
| Breezy Point | city | 2,687 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Crosslake | city | 2,521 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Crosby | city | 2,218 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Pequot Lakes | city | 2,079 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Nisswa | city | 1,954 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Deerwood | city | 710 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Emily | city | 693 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Ironton | city | 621 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Jenkins | city | 508 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Fifty Lakes | city | 478 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cuyuna | city | 250 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Garrison | city | 156 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Riverton | city | 145 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Trommald | city | 123 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Merrifield | CDP | 121 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Fort Ripley | city | 68 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Manhattan Beach | city | 25 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 7 of the county's 128 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Crow Wing County, the largest being Aitkin (3), South Haven (2), Lake Shore (2). 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