Pope County, Minnesota: commercial real estate data.
Pope County, Minnesota had an estimated 11,495 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 11,311, across 670 square miles. County output reached $750.3 m in 2024, 323 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 15 7(a) approvals worth $5.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Pope County
How many people live in Pope County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202411,418
- Households4,958
- Average household size2.30
- Median household income$76,220
- Median age45.3
- Median gross rent$902 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$255,100
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher23.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over8,279
- Population under 182,439
- Share under 1821.4 percent
- Population 65 and over2,912
- Share 65 and over25.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 646,067
- Civilian labor force5,795
- Unemployment rate1.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over64.5 percent
- Rank by population among Minnesota counties64th of 87
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2394th of 3,222
Pope County is the 64th 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 25.5 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.
Pope County
Is Pope County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202411,495
- Census 2020 base population11,311
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.63 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202476
- Births, 2024129
- Deaths, 2024145
- Natural change, 2024-16
- Net domestic migration, 202478
- Net international migration, 202414
- Total net migration, 202492
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024197
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1292nd of 3,144
The county has grown 1.63 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.
Pope County
Where are people moving to Pope County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving290
- People arriving, from those returns503
- Tax returns filed by households leaving254
- Net household movement36
- Adjusted gross income arriving$19.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$1.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$67,831
- Average income of a leaving household$71,528
- Largest single originDouglas County (72 households)
- Largest single destinationDouglas County (56 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | 72 | 127 | $4.1 m |
| Stevens County | 21 | 41 | $1.2 m |
Households arriving report $3,697 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Douglas 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.
Pope County
What is the Pope County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$750.3 m
- County GDP, 2023$745.2 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20240.7 percent
- GDP change over five years34.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Minnesota areas BEA publishes65th of 87
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2076th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$65,713
Output grew 0.7 percent in the latest year and 34.5 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.
Pope County
Employment by industry in Pope County
- Covered employment, annual average4,459
- Establishments reporting381
- Average annual pay$56,347
- Average weekly wage$1,084
- Manufacturing, employment803
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$71,026
- Wholesale trade, employment524
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$77,603
- Retail trade, employment483
- Retail trade, average annual pay$43,062
- Accommodation and food services, employment294
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,177
- Construction, employment166
- Other services, except public administration, employment152
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 803 | 29 | $71,026 |
| Wholesale trade | 524 | 16 | $77,603 |
| Retail trade | 483 | 42 | $43,062 |
| Accommodation and food services | 294 | 32 | $18,177 |
| Construction | 166 | 52 | $60,676 |
| Other services, except public administration | 152 | 47 | $24,628 |
| Finance and insurance | 141 | 17 | $88,995 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 80 | 19 | $63,018 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 803 jobs, 18.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Pope County
How many businesses are in Pope County?
- Establishments, all industries323
- Employment at those establishments3,137
- Annual payroll$181.1 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents28.3
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.
Pope County
Building permits in Pope County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202437
- Declared construction value permitted$12.7 m
- Single family units authorized37
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$342,496
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.5
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.
Pope County
SBA loans in Pope County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded15
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$5.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$355,400
- Median 7(a) approval$135,000
- Largest single approval$2,050,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)117
- Jobs per approval7.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active13
- Distinct industries receiving approvals13
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer6.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter13
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals13.3 percent
- Leading industry by approval countConstruction Sand and Gravel Mining (3)
- 504 approvals recorded12
- 504 gross approval dollars$4.6 m
- Average 504 approval$381,083
- Median 504 approval$267,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval4.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.7
- Most active CDCMidwest Business Finance Corporation (10)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$9.9 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.
Pope County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Pope County
Do SBA loans in Pope County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded6
- Paid in full6
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full6
- Status: Exempt from disclosure7
- Status: Cancelled2
Only 6 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.
Pope County
SBA lending by place in Pope County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Glenwood, approvals10
- Starbuck, approvals5
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Glenwood | 10 | $1,796,000 |
| Starbuck | 5 | $3,535,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Pope County
How large is Pope County?
- Land area670 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Minnesota counties44th of 87
- Width, east to west30.4 mi
- Height, north to south24 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land17
- Establishments per square mile0.48
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.
Pope County
Flood risk in Pope County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Pope County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 270368
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP4
- NFIP participation rate80.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Pope 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 Pope County (community 270368), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Pope 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. 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 Pope 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 Pope County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202411,418
- Households4,958
- Average household size2.30
- Median household income$76,220
- Median age45.3
Common questions
Pope County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Pope County, Minnesota?
The Census Bureau estimates 11,495 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 11,418, in 4,958 households, ranking 64th of 87 Minnesota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Pope County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.63 percent since the 2020 census base of 11,311, to 11,495 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 129 births against 145 deaths, with net migration of 92. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Pope County?
$76,220. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $255,100, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $902 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Pope County?
323 establishments, employing 3,137 people with an annual payroll of $181.1 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 Pope County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 803 jobs, 18.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 4,459 jobs at an average annual pay of $56,347, or $1,084 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Pope County?
15 7(a) approvals totaling $5.3 m since FY2020, across 13 lenders, with a median approval of $135,000, plus 12 504 approvals worth $4.6 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Pope County?
37 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $12.7 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Pope 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 Pope County come from?
The largest single origin is Douglas County, with 72 households. Arriving households report an average income of $67,831 against $71,528 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Pope 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 Pope 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.
Pope County
Cities and places in Pope.
9 Census places lie wholly or partly in Pope County. All 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenwood | city | 2,633 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Starbuck | city | 1,235 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Cyrus | city | 355 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lowry | city | 348 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Long Beach | city | 318 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Villard | city | 236 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Farwell | city | 43 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sedan | city | 40 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Westport | city | 37 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby