Houston County, Minnesota: commercial real estate data.
Houston County, Minnesota had an estimated 18,352 residents on July 1, 2024, down 2.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 18,817, across 552 square miles. County output reached $810.3 m in 2024, 394 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 14 7(a) approvals worth $9.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Houston County
How many people live in Houston County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202418,653
- Households8,134
- Average household size2.29
- Median household income$79,825
- Median age45.1
- Median gross rent$879 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$239,000
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher30.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over13,430
- Population under 183,992
- Share under 1821.4 percent
- Population 65 and over4,396
- Share 65 and over23.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6410,265
- Civilian labor force9,792
- Unemployment rate1.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over66.8 percent
- Rank by population among Minnesota counties51st of 87
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1953rd of 3,222
Houston County is the 51st largest of 87 Minnesota counties by population. A median home costs 3.0 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 23.6 percent against 21.4 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.
Houston County
Is Houston County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202418,352
- Census 2020 base population18,817
- Population change since the 2020 census base-2.47 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-225
- Births, 202422
- Deaths, 2024226
- Natural change, 2024-204
- Net domestic migration, 2024-25
- Net international migration, 20244
- Total net migration, 2024-21
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-43
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2621st of 3,144
The county has lost 2.47 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. The population fell in 2024 from both sources: deaths exceeded births and more people left than moved in.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Houston County
Where are people moving to Houston County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving386
- People arriving, from those returns648
- Tax returns filed by households leaving412
- Net household movement-26
- Adjusted gross income arriving$22.5 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-5.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$58,280
- Average income of a leaving household$68,102
- Largest single originLa Crosse County (136 households)
- Largest single destinationLa Crosse County (130 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse County | 136 | 228 | $8.0 m |
| Winona County | 47 | 78 | $2.2 m |
| Fillmore County | 28 | 36 | $1.4 m |
Households arriving report $9,822 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is La Crosse 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.
Houston County
What is the Houston County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$810.3 m
- County GDP, 2023$752.8 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20247.6 percent
- GDP change over five years38.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Minnesota areas BEA publishes60th of 87
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2020th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$43,441
Output grew 7.6 percent in the latest year and 38.6 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.
Houston County
Employment by industry in Houston County
- Covered employment, annual average5,031
- Establishments reporting471
- Average annual pay$47,489
- Average weekly wage$913
- Retail trade, employment485
- Retail trade, average annual pay$28,393
- Transportation and warehousing, employment444
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$69,409
- Manufacturing, employment375
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$53,054
- Construction, employment358
- Construction, average annual pay$69,412
- Accommodation and food services, employment323
- Other services, except public administration, employment191
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 485 | 55 | $28,393 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 444 | 17 | $69,409 |
| Manufacturing | 375 | 26 | $53,054 |
| Construction | 358 | 60 | $69,412 |
| Accommodation and food services | 323 | 29 | $14,095 |
| Other services, except public administration | 191 | 45 | $27,833 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 152 | 26 | $31,575 |
| Information | 145 | 10 | $66,832 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 485 jobs, 9.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Houston County
How many businesses are in Houston County?
- Establishments, all industries394
- Employment at those establishments4,309
- Annual payroll$204.6 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.1
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.
Houston County
Building permits in Houston County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202444
- Declared construction value permitted$15.0 m
- Single family units authorized34
- Multifamily units authorized10
- Multifamily share of units22.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$340,956
- Units authorized per 1,000 households5.4
Single-family homes are 77.3 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Houston County
SBA loans in Houston County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded14
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$9.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$703,429
- Median 7(a) approval$252,750
- Largest single approval$2,850,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)180
- Jobs per approval12.9
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active8
- Distinct industries receiving approvals11
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer21.4 percent
- Loans on real estate terms3
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter10
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals7.1 percent
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$139,000
- Average 504 approval$139,000
- Median 504 approval$139,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval2.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.4
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$10.0 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.
Houston County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Houston County
Do SBA loans in Houston County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full5
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure9
- Status: Paid in full5
Only 5 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.
Houston County
SBA lending by place in Houston County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Houston, approvals4
- Spring Grove, approvals3
- La Crescent, approvals3
- Brownsville, approvals2
- Caledonia, approvals1
- Hokah, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Houston | 4 | $545,700 |
| Spring Grove | 3 | $4,220,500 |
| La Crescent | 3 | $905,500 |
| Brownsville | 2 | $1,189,500 |
| Caledonia | 1 | $2,850,000 |
| Hokah | 1 | $136,800 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Houston County
How large is Houston County?
- Land area552 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Minnesota counties61st of 87
- Width, east to west25.7 mi
- Height, north to south23.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land34
- Establishments per square mile0.71
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.
Houston County
Flood risk in Houston County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Houston County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 270190
- 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 Houston 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 Houston County (community 270190), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Houston 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 Houston 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 Houston County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202418,653
- Households8,134
- Average household size2.29
- Median household income$79,825
- Median age45.1
Common questions
Houston County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Houston County, Minnesota?
The Census Bureau estimates 18,352 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 18,653, in 8,134 households, ranking 51st of 87 Minnesota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Houston County's population growing?
The population has fallen 2.47 percent since the 2020 census base of 18,817, to 18,352 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 22 births against 226 deaths, with net migration of -21. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Houston County?
$79,825. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $239,000, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $879 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Houston County?
394 establishments, employing 4,309 people with an annual payroll of $204.6 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 Houston County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 485 jobs, 9.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 5,031 jobs at an average annual pay of $47,489, or $913 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Houston County?
14 7(a) approvals totaling $9.8 m since FY2020, across 8 lenders, with a median approval of $252,750, plus 1 504 approvals worth $139,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Houston County?
44 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $15.0 m. Multifamily was 22.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Houston 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 Houston County come from?
The largest single origin is La Crosse County, with 136 households. Arriving households report an average income of $58,280 against $68,102 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Houston 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 Houston 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.
Houston County
Cities and places in Houston.
7 Census places lie wholly or partly in Houston County. All 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Crescent | city | 5,251 | 3 | 94.7 percent here, 5.3 percent Winona County |
| Caledonia | city | 2,820 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Spring Grove | city | 1,177 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Houston | city | 982 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Hokah | city | 668 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Brownsville | city | 609 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Eitzen | city | 281 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |