Itasca County, Minnesota: commercial real estate data.
Itasca County, Minnesota had an estimated 45,442 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 45,022, across 2,668 square miles. County output reached $2.58 bn in 2024, 1,175 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 53 7(a) approvals worth $18.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Itasca County
How many people live in Itasca County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202445,275
- Households18,541
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$68,603
- Median age46.9
- Median gross rent$988 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$225,200
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher25.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over33,202
- Population under 189,125
- Share under 1820.2 percent
- Population 65 and over11,666
- Share 65 and over25.8 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6424,484
- Civilian labor force20,588
- Unemployment rate5.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over57.0 percent
- Rank by population among Minnesota counties22nd of 87
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1095th of 3,222
Itasca County is the 22nd largest of 87 Minnesota counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 25.8 percent against 20.2 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.
Itasca County
Is Itasca County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202445,442
- Census 2020 base population45,022
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.93 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-76
- Births, 2024404
- Deaths, 2024579
- Natural change, 2024-175
- Net domestic migration, 202489
- Net international migration, 202413
- Total net migration, 2024102
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,230
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1503rd of 3,144
The county has grown 0.93 percent 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.
Itasca County
Where are people moving to Itasca County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving955
- People arriving, from those returns1,721
- Tax returns filed by households leaving811
- Net household movement144
- Adjusted gross income arriving$67.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$22.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$70,353
- Average income of a leaving household$55,559
- Largest single originSt. Louis County (188 households)
- Largest single destinationSt. Louis County (153 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis County | 188 | 334 | $12.6 m |
| Hennepin County | 74 | 124 | $7.7 m |
| Anoka County | 42 | 73 | $4.0 m |
| Cass County | 28 | 55 | $1.8 m |
| Beltrami County | 25 | 44 | $1.2 m |
| Aitkin County | 23 | 52 | $1.0 m |
| Ramsey County | 23 | 43 | $1.8 m |
| Dakota County | 22 | 43 | $2.3 m |
Households arriving report $14,794 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 St. Louis 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.
Itasca County
What is the Itasca County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.58 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.79 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-7.5 percent
- GDP change over five years24.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Minnesota areas BEA publishes25th of 87
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1086th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$56,960
Output grew -7.5 percent in the latest year and 24.2 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.
Itasca County
Employment by industry in Itasca County
- Covered employment, annual average16,608
- Establishments reporting1,352
- Average annual pay$54,071
- Average weekly wage$1,040
- Health care and social assistance, employment3,961
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$50,307
- Retail trade, employment2,291
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,508
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,340
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,126
- Construction, employment995
- Construction, average annual pay$79,601
- Manufacturing, employment907
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment682
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 3,961 | 196 | $50,307 |
| Retail trade | 2,291 | 170 | $36,508 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,340 | 114 | $21,126 |
| Construction | 995 | 167 | $79,601 |
| Manufacturing | 907 | 52 | $67,952 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 682 | 48 | $39,949 |
| Other services, except public administration | 638 | 126 | $29,779 |
| Finance and insurance | 455 | 66 | $74,726 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 3,961 jobs, 23.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Itasca County
How many businesses are in Itasca County?
- Establishments, all industries1,175
- Employment at those establishments13,380
- Annual payroll$691.3 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents26.0
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.
Itasca County
Building permits in Itasca County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024124
- Declared construction value permitted$43.6 m
- Single family units authorized124
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$351,705
- Units authorized per 1,000 households6.7
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.
Itasca County
SBA loans in Itasca County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded53
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$18.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$345,623
- Median 7(a) approval$85,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,380
- 90th percentile approval$932,320
- Largest single approval$3,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)909
- Jobs per approval17.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active15
- Distinct industries receiving approvals41
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer18.9 percent
- Loans on real estate terms10
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter42
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals1.9 percent
- Most active lenderMembers Cooperative Credit Union (11)
- 504 approvals recorded38
- 504 gross approval dollars$17.2 m
- Average 504 approval$453,289
- Median 504 approval$334,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval5.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved12.6
- Most active CDCMidwest Business Finance Corporation (30)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$35.5 m
The average approval of $345,623 sits well above the median of $85,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 18.9 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.
Itasca County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Itasca County
Do SBA loans in Itasca County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded24
- Paid in full24
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled5
- Status: Paid in full24
- Status: Exempt from disclosure23
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 24 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.
Itasca County
SBA lending by place in Itasca County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending8
- Grand Rapids, approvals35
- Bovey, approvals5
- Deer River, approvals5
- Coleraine, approvals4
- Nashwauk, approvals1
- Marcell, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | 35 | $16,389,300 |
| Bovey | 5 | $563,900 |
| Deer River | 5 | $275,000 |
| Coleraine | 4 | $615,300 |
| Nashwauk | 1 | $342,600 |
| Marcell | 1 | $80,000 |
| Cook | 1 | $26,900 |
| Cohasset | 1 | $25,000 |
Grand Rapids accounts for 35 approvals against 5 in Bovey. 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.
Itasca County
How large is Itasca County?
- Land area2,668 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Minnesota counties3rd of 87
- Width, east to west63.7 mi
- Height, north to south60.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land17
- 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.
Itasca County
Flood risk in Itasca County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Itasca County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 270200
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book11
- Of those, participating in the NFIP8
- NFIP participation rate72.7 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Itasca 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 Itasca County (community 270200), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Itasca 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. 72.7 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 Itasca 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 Itasca County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202445,275
- Households18,541
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$68,603
- Median age46.9
Common questions
Itasca County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Itasca County, Minnesota?
The Census Bureau estimates 45,442 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 45,275, in 18,541 households, ranking 22nd of 87 Minnesota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Itasca County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.93 percent since the 2020 census base of 45,022, to 45,442 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 404 births against 579 deaths, with net migration of 102. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Itasca County?
$68,603. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $225,200, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $988 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Itasca County?
1,175 establishments, employing 13,380 people with an annual payroll of $691.3 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 Itasca County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 3,961 jobs, 23.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 16,608 jobs at an average annual pay of $54,071, or $1,040 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Itasca County?
53 7(a) approvals totaling $18.3 m since FY2020, across 15 lenders, with a median approval of $85,000, plus 38 504 approvals worth $17.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Itasca County?
124 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $43.6 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Itasca 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 Itasca County come from?
The largest single origin is St. Louis County, with 188 households. Arriving households report an average income of $70,353 against $55,559 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Itasca 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 Itasca 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.
Itasca County
Cities and places in Itasca.
19 Census places lie wholly or partly in Itasca 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | city | 11,207 | 35 | Wholly in this county |
| Cohasset | city | 2,703 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Coleraine | city | 2,150 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Keewatin | city | 1,215 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Nashwauk | city | 926 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Deer River | city | 889 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Marble | city | 669 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bovey | city | 646 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| La Prairie | city | 592 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Taconite | city | 468 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bigfork | city | 375 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Calumet | city | 279 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Warba | city | 146 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ball Club | CDP | 127 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Squaw Lake | city | 104 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Inger | CDP | 88 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Effie | city | 77 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Zemple | city | 49 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Goodland | CDP | 24 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 53 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Itasca County, the largest being Marcell (1), Cook (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