HomeMinnesotaOtter Tail County
Otter Tail County, Minnesota: commercial real estate data.
Otter Tail County, Minnesota had an estimated 60,884 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.4 percent since the 2020 census base of 60,061, across 1,972 square miles. County output reached $3.28 bn in 2024, 1,730 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 99 7(a) approvals worth $37.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Otter Tail County
How many people live in Otter Tail County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202460,475
- Households25,157
- Average household size2.40
- Median household income$72,255
- Median age46.2
- Median gross rent$868 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$273,000
- Home value to household income3.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher28.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree9.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over43,482
- Population under 1813,137
- Share under 1821.7 percent
- Population 65 and over15,374
- Share 65 and over25.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6431,964
- Civilian labor force29,673
- Unemployment rate4.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.7 percent
- Rank by population among Minnesota counties17th of 87
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included889th of 3,222
Otter Tail County is the 17th largest of 87 Minnesota counties by population. A median home costs 3.8 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 25.4 percent against 21.7 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.
Otter Tail County
Is Otter Tail County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202460,884
- Census 2020 base population60,061
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.37 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024197
- Births, 2024574
- Deaths, 2024743
- Natural change, 2024-169
- Net domestic migration, 2024223
- Net international migration, 2024149
- Total net migration, 2024372
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,183
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1376th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.37 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.
Otter Tail County
Where are people moving to Otter Tail County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,429
- People arriving, from those returns2,602
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,326
- Net household movement103
- Adjusted gross income arriving$109.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$27.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$76,792
- Average income of a leaving household$61,980
- Largest single originCass County (138 households)
- Largest single destinationCass County (167 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cass County | 138 | 231 | $13.4 m |
| Clay County | 109 | 219 | $7.4 m |
| Becker County | 106 | 215 | $6.5 m |
| Hennepin County | 81 | 143 | $8.7 m |
| Wadena County | 77 | 142 | $3.6 m |
| Douglas County | 67 | 108 | $3.4 m |
| Todd County | 50 | 75 | $2.2 m |
| Wilkin County | 31 | 59 | $2.7 m |
Households arriving report $14,812 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 Cass 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.
Otter Tail County
What is the Otter Tail County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$3.28 bn
- County GDP, 2023$3.14 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.5 percent
- GDP change over five years31.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Minnesota areas BEA publishes17th of 87
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes920th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$54,319
Output grew 4.5 percent in the latest year and 31.6 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.
Otter Tail County
Employment by industry in Otter Tail County
- Covered employment, annual average22,910
- Establishments reporting1,908
- Average annual pay$52,013
- Average weekly wage$1,000
- Manufacturing, employment3,878
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$61,541
- Retail trade, employment2,631
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,299
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,984
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$19,902
- Construction, employment1,236
- Construction, average annual pay$62,182
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment778
- Other services, except public administration, employment754
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,878 | 87 | $61,541 |
| Retail trade | 2,631 | 242 | $33,299 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,984 | 176 | $19,902 |
| Construction | 1,236 | 281 | $62,182 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 778 | 76 | $49,746 |
| Other services, except public administration | 754 | 164 | $33,450 |
| Wholesale trade | 647 | 61 | $63,376 |
| Utilities | 494 | 8 | $109,512 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,878 jobs, 16.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Otter Tail County
How many businesses are in Otter Tail County?
- Establishments, all industries1,730
- Employment at those establishments18,813
- Annual payroll$928.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents28.6
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.
Otter Tail County
Building permits in Otter Tail County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202489
- Declared construction value permitted$25.1 m
- Single family units authorized71
- Multifamily units authorized18
- Multifamily share of units20.2 percent
- Average declared value per unit$281,941
- Units authorized per 1,000 households3.5
Single-family homes are 79.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Otter Tail County
SBA loans in Otter Tail County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded99
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$37.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$381,380
- Median 7(a) approval$153,600
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$759,760
- Largest single approval$4,250,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)953
- Jobs per approval9.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active32
- Distinct industries receiving approvals55
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer18.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms18
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter77
- Franchise loans8
- Franchise share of approvals8.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFull-Service Restaurants (6)
- Most active lenderUnited Community Bank (20)
- 504 approvals recorded63
- 504 gross approval dollars$35.2 m
- Average 504 approval$558,587
- Median 504 approval$331,000
- Distinct CDCs active7
- 504 jobs per approval5.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved9.1
- Most active CDCMidwest Business Finance Corporation (44)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$72.9 m
The average approval of $381,380 sits well above the median of $153,600, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 18.2 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.
Otter Tail County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Otter Tail County
Do SBA loans in Otter Tail County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded27
- Paid in full26
- Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full26
- Status: Exempt from disclosure66
- Status: Cancelled6
- Status: Charged off1
Only 27 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.
Otter Tail County
SBA lending by place in Otter Tail County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending16
- Perham, approvals32
- Fergus Falls, approvals16
- New York Mills, approvals13
- Battle Lake, approvals8
- Vergas, approvals5
- Ottertail, approvals5
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Perham | 32 | $12,566,600 |
| Fergus Falls | 16 | $11,660,900 |
| New York Mills | 13 | $3,219,900 |
| Battle Lake | 8 | $2,845,800 |
| Vergas | 5 | $722,300 |
| Ottertail | 5 | $383,500 |
| Pelican Rapids | 3 | $1,837,200 |
| Dent | 3 | $1,535,000 |
| 8 other borrower cities | 14 | $2,985,400 |
Perham accounts for 32 approvals against 16 in Fergus Falls. 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.
Otter Tail County
How large is Otter Tail County?
- Land area1,972 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Minnesota counties7th of 87
- Width, east to west54.1 mi
- Height, north to south42.2 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land31
- Establishments per square mile0.88
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.
Otter Tail County
Flood risk in Otter Tail County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Otter Tail County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 270339
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate87.5 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail County (community 270339), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Otter Tail 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. 87.5 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 Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202460,475
- Households25,157
- Average household size2.40
- Median household income$72,255
- Median age46.2
Common questions
Otter Tail County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Otter Tail County, Minnesota?
The Census Bureau estimates 60,884 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 60,475, in 25,157 households, ranking 17th of 87 Minnesota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Otter Tail County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.37 percent since the 2020 census base of 60,061, to 60,884 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 574 births against 743 deaths, with net migration of 372. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Otter Tail County?
$72,255. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $273,000, which is 3.8 times income, and median gross rent is $868 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Otter Tail County?
1,730 establishments, employing 18,813 people with an annual payroll of $928.5 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 Otter Tail County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 3,878 jobs, 16.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 22,910 jobs at an average annual pay of $52,013, or $1,000 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Otter Tail County?
99 7(a) approvals totaling $37.8 m since FY2020, across 32 lenders, with a median approval of $153,600, plus 63 504 approvals worth $35.2 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Otter Tail County?
89 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $25.1 m. Multifamily was 20.2 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail County come from?
The largest single origin is Cass County, with 138 households. Arriving households report an average income of $76,792 against $61,980 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail 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.
Otter Tail County
Cities and places in Otter Tail.
22 Census places lie wholly or partly in Otter Tail County. All 22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fergus Falls | city | 14,181 | 16 | Wholly in this county |
| Wadena | city | 4,419 | None recorded | 4.6 percent here, 95.4 percent Wadena County |
| Perham | city | 3,627 | 32 | Wholly in this county |
| Pelican Rapids | city | 2,586 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| New York Mills | city | 1,371 | 13 | Wholly in this county |
| Parkers Prairie | city | 980 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Henning | city | 860 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Battle Lake | city | 786 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| Ottertail | city | 490 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Underwood | city | 461 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Rothsay | city | 454 | None recorded | 19.2 percent here, 80.8 percent Wilkin County |
| Deer Creek | city | 330 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Bluffton | city | 263 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Vergas | city | 258 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Dent | city | 230 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Dalton | city | 223 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Erhard | city | 154 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Elizabeth | city | 122 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Clitherall | city | 111 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Vining | city | 86 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Richville | city | 44 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Urbank | city | 40 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 99 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Otter Tail County, the largest being Bertha (1), Detroit Lakes (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