Nobles County, Minnesota: commercial real estate data.
Nobles County, Minnesota had an estimated 21,969 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 22,290, across 715 square miles. County output reached $1.90 bn in 2024, 574 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 4 7(a) approvals worth $735,000 since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Nobles County
How many people live in Nobles County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202422,041
- Households7,674
- Average household size2.87
- Median household income$66,101
- Median age35.7
- Median gross rent$896 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$197,200
- Home value to household income3.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher17.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over13,649
- Population under 186,383
- Share under 1829.0 percent
- Population 65 and over3,789
- Share 65 and over17.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6411,869
- Civilian labor force10,274
- Unemployment rate3.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over65.6 percent
- Rank by population among Minnesota counties44th of 87
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1772nd of 3,222
Nobles County is the 44th largest of 87 Minnesota counties by population. A median home costs 3.0 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 29.0 percent against 17.2 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Nobles County
Is Nobles County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202421,969
- Census 2020 base population22,290
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.44 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202448
- Births, 2024289
- Deaths, 2024221
- Natural change, 202468
- Net domestic migration, 2024-327
- Net international migration, 2024306
- Total net migration, 2024-21
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-1,627
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2340th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.44 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Births exceeded deaths in 2024 by more than net migration took away, so the population grew even though more people left than moved in.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Nobles County
Where are people moving to Nobles County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving328
- People arriving, from those returns596
- Tax returns filed by households leaving547
- Net household movement-219
- Adjusted gross income arriving$16.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-13.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$49,409
- Average income of a leaving household$54,962
- Largest single originMurray County (23 households)
- Largest single destinationMinnehaha County (56 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murray County | 23 | 42 | $1.5 m |
| Minnehaha County | 23 | 46 | $1.1 m |
| Jackson County | 20 | 38 | $1.3 m |
Households arriving report $5,553 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Murray 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.
Nobles County
What is the Nobles County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.90 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.73 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20249.7 percent
- GDP change over five years46.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Minnesota areas BEA publishes35th of 87
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1328th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$86,069
Output grew 9.7 percent in the latest year and 46.3 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.
Nobles County
Employment by industry in Nobles County
- Covered employment, annual average9,788
- Establishments reporting638
- Average annual pay$55,354
- Average weekly wage$1,065
- Manufacturing, employment3,315
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$71,230
- Retail trade, employment1,264
- Retail trade, average annual pay$31,685
- Transportation and warehousing, employment338
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$54,493
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment334
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, average annual pay$40,635
- Wholesale trade, employment303
- Other services, except public administration, employment299
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,315 | 30 | $71,230 |
| Retail trade | 1,264 | 91 | $31,685 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 338 | 33 | $54,493 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 334 | 50 | $40,635 |
| Wholesale trade | 303 | 36 | $86,256 |
| Other services, except public administration | 299 | 66 | $36,916 |
| Construction | 240 | 66 | $58,242 |
| Finance and insurance | 224 | 31 | $75,289 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,315 jobs, 33.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Nobles County
How many businesses are in Nobles County?
- Establishments, all industries574
- Employment at those establishments8,853
- Annual payroll$447.4 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.
Nobles County
Building permits in Nobles County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202418
- Declared construction value permitted$5.6 m
- Single family units authorized16
- Multifamily units authorized2
- Multifamily share of units11.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$312,492
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.3
Single-family homes are 88.9 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Nobles County
SBA loans in Nobles County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded4
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$735,000
- Average 7(a) approval$183,750
- Median 7(a) approval$110,000
- Largest single approval$465,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)29
- Jobs per approval7.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active2
- Distinct industries receiving approvals2
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer0.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms0
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter3
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- 504 approvals recorded18
- 504 gross approval dollars$9.9 m
- Average 504 approval$548,944
- Median 504 approval$322,500
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval4.4
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved8.1
- Most active CDCMidwest Business Finance Corporation (13)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$10.6 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.
Nobles County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Nobles County
Do SBA loans in Nobles County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Cancelled1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure3
Only 0 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.
Nobles County
SBA lending by place in Nobles County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Lismore, approvals2
- Worthington, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Lismore | 2 | $535,000 |
| Worthington | 2 | $200,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Nobles County
How large is Nobles County?
- Land area715 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Minnesota counties37th of 87
- Width, east to west30.1 mi
- Height, north to south24.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land31
- Establishments per square mile0.80
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.
Nobles County
Flood risk in Nobles County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Nobles County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 270668
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book4
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate75.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Nobles 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 Nobles County (community 270668), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Nobles 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. 75.0 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 Nobles 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 Nobles County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202422,041
- Households7,674
- Average household size2.87
- Median household income$66,101
- Median age35.7
Common questions
Nobles County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Nobles County, Minnesota?
The Census Bureau estimates 21,969 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 22,041, in 7,674 households, ranking 44th of 87 Minnesota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Nobles County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.44 percent since the 2020 census base of 22,290, to 21,969 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 289 births against 221 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 Nobles County?
$66,101. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $197,200, which is 3.0 times income, and median gross rent is $896 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Nobles County?
574 establishments, employing 8,853 people with an annual payroll of $447.4 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 Nobles County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,315 jobs, 33.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 9,788 jobs at an average annual pay of $55,354, or $1,065 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Nobles County?
4 7(a) approvals totaling $735,000 since FY2020, across 2 lenders, with a median approval of $110,000, plus 18 504 approvals worth $9.9 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Nobles County?
18 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $5.6 m. Multifamily was 11.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Nobles 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 Nobles County come from?
The largest single origin is Murray County, with 23 households. Arriving households report an average income of $49,409 against $54,962 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Nobles 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 Nobles 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.
Nobles County
Cities and places in Nobles.
12 Census places lie wholly or partly in Nobles County. All 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worthington | city | 13,780 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Adrian | city | 1,236 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Brewster | city | 687 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ellsworth | city | 428 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rushmore | city | 362 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Round Lake | city | 333 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bigelow | city | 297 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wilmont | city | 280 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lismore | city | 233 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Leota | CDP | 169 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dundee | city | 79 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kinbrae | city | 2 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby