St. Louis County, Minnesota: commercial real estate data.
St. Louis County, Minnesota had an estimated 200,794 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 200,231, across 6,247 square miles. County output reached $13.87 bn in 2024, 5,360 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 302 7(a) approvals worth $117.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
St. Louis County
How many people live in St. Louis County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024200,123
- Households87,115
- Average household size2.30
- Median household income$70,069
- Median age41.2
- Median gross rent$1,013 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$221,400
- Home value to household income3.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher33.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree12.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over138,424
- Population under 1837,130
- Share under 1818.6 percent
- Population 65 and over42,751
- Share 65 and over21.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64120,242
- Civilian labor force102,280
- Unemployment rate4.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.8 percent
- Rank by population among Minnesota counties6th of 87
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included349th of 3,222
St. Louis County is the 6th largest of 87 Minnesota counties by population. A median home costs 3.2 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 21.4 percent against 18.6 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.
St. Louis County
Is St. Louis County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024200,794
- Census 2020 base population200,231
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.28 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024176
- Births, 20241,779
- Deaths, 20242,275
- Natural change, 2024-496
- Net domestic migration, 2024426
- Net international migration, 2024246
- Total net migration, 2024672
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20242,197
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1726th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.28 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.
St. Louis County
Where are people moving to St. Louis County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving4,192
- People arriving, from those returns6,605
- Tax returns filed by households leaving4,161
- Net household movement31
- Adjusted gross income arriving$257.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-3.2 m
- Average income of an arriving household$61,324
- Average income of a leaving household$62,545
- Largest single originHennepin County (378 households)
- Largest single destinationHennepin County (404 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hennepin County | 378 | 533 | $28.5 m |
| Douglas County | 292 | 461 | $12.5 m |
| Carlton County | 290 | 494 | $15.1 m |
| Ramsey County | 172 | 244 | $9.4 m |
| Itasca County | 153 | 220 | $6.4 m |
| Lake County | 118 | 219 | $8.0 m |
| Anoka County | 106 | 167 | $6.9 m |
| Dakota County | 106 | 146 | $7.4 m |
Households arriving report $1,221 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Hennepin 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.
St. Louis County
What is the St. Louis County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$13.87 bn
- County GDP, 2023$13.65 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20241.6 percent
- GDP change over five years32.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Minnesota areas BEA publishes7th of 87
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes341st of 3,127
- GDP per resident$69,326
Output grew 1.6 percent in the latest year and 32.5 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.
St. Louis County
Employment by industry in St. Louis County
- Covered employment, annual average95,504
- Establishments reporting5,646
- Average annual pay$60,452
- Average weekly wage$1,163
- Health care and social assistance, employment24,190
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$68,738
- Retail trade, employment11,325
- Retail trade, average annual pay$35,175
- Accommodation and food services, employment9,418
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$23,060
- Manufacturing, employment5,523
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$69,885
- Construction, employment4,551
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment3,894
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 24,190 | 682 | $68,738 |
| Retail trade | 11,325 | 762 | $35,175 |
| Accommodation and food services | 9,418 | 557 | $23,060 |
| Manufacturing | 5,523 | 208 | $69,885 |
| Construction | 4,551 | 601 | $81,268 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 3,894 | 412 | $88,119 |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 3,373 | 21 | $113,334 |
| Other services, except public administration | 3,285 | 633 | $36,562 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 24,190 jobs, 25.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
St. Louis County
How many businesses are in St. Louis County?
- Establishments, all industries5,360
- Employment at those establishments84,223
- Annual payroll$4.71 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents26.8
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.
St. Louis County
Building permits in St. Louis County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024637
- Declared construction value permitted$177.9 m
- Single family units authorized293
- Multifamily units authorized344
- Multifamily share of units54.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$279,347
- Units authorized per 1,000 households7.3
Multifamily is 54.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
St. Louis County
SBA loans in St. Louis County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded302
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$117.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$388,658
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$29,460
- 90th percentile approval$940,830
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)3,091
- Jobs per approval10.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active46
- Distinct industries receiving approvals139
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer22.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms67
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter216
- Franchise loans20
- Franchise share of approvals6.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLimited-Service Restaurants (18)
- Most active lenderNortheast Entrepreneur Fund, Inc. (83)
- 504 approvals recorded125
- 504 gross approval dollars$84.8 m
- Average 504 approval$678,656
- Median 504 approval$461,000
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval10.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved15.0
- Most active CDCMidwest Business Finance Corporation (80)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$202.2 m
The average approval of $388,658 sits well above the median of $150,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 22.2 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.
St. Louis County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in St. Louis County
Do SBA loans in St. Louis County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded98
- Paid in full97
- Charged off1
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans1.0 percent
- Status: Paid in full97
- Status: Exempt from disclosure159
- Status: Cancelled34
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed11
Of the 98 loans that have reached a final outcome, 1.0 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
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.
St. Louis County
SBA lending by place in St. Louis County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending24
- Duluth, approvals170
- Virginia, approvals24
- Hermantown, approvals23
- Ely, approvals17
- Hibbing, approvals17
- Tower, approvals10
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Duluth | 170 | $61,782,500 |
| Virginia | 24 | $11,880,100 |
| Hermantown | 23 | $9,481,500 |
| Ely | 17 | $10,328,700 |
| Hibbing | 17 | $5,477,700 |
| Tower | 10 | $2,718,100 |
| Chisholm | 7 | $3,055,400 |
| Eveleth | 6 | $1,779,900 |
| 16 other borrower cities | 28 | $10,870,700 |
Duluth accounts for 170 approvals against 24 in Virginia. 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.
St. Louis County
How large is St. Louis County?
- Land area6,247 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Minnesota counties1st of 87
- Width, east to west61.3 mi
- Height, north to south136.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land32
- Establishments per square mile0.86
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.
St. Louis County
Flood risk in St. Louis County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community St. Louis County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 270416
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book28
- Of those, participating in the NFIP20
- NFIP participation rate71.4 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in St. Louis 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 St. Louis County (community 270416), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places St. Louis 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. 71.4 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 St. Louis 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 St. Louis County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024200,123
- Households87,115
- Average household size2.30
- Median household income$70,069
- Median age41.2
Common questions
St. Louis County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in St. Louis County, Minnesota?
The Census Bureau estimates 200,794 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 200,123, in 87,115 households, ranking 6th of 87 Minnesota counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is St. Louis County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.28 percent since the 2020 census base of 200,231, to 200,794 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,779 births against 2,275 deaths, with net migration of 672. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in St. Louis County?
$70,069. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $221,400, which is 3.2 times income, and median gross rent is $1,013 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in St. Louis County?
5,360 establishments, employing 84,223 people with an annual payroll of $4.71 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in St. Louis County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 24,190 jobs, 25.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 95,504 jobs at an average annual pay of $60,452, or $1,163 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in St. Louis County?
302 7(a) approvals totaling $117.4 m since FY2020, across 46 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 125 504 approvals worth $84.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in St. Louis County get paid back?
Of the 98 loans that have reached a final outcome, 97 were paid in full and 1 charged off, a charge-off rate of 1.0 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in St. Louis County?
637 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $177.9 m. Multifamily was 54.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for St. Louis 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 St. Louis County come from?
The largest single origin is Hennepin County, with 378 households. Arriving households report an average income of $61,324 against $62,545 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for St. Louis 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 St. Louis 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.
St. Louis County
Cities and places in St. Louis.
30 Census places lie wholly or partly in St. Louis County. All 30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth | city | 87,093 | 170 | Wholly in this county |
| Hibbing | city | 16,057 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Hermantown | city | 10,218 | 23 | Wholly in this county |
| Virginia | city | 8,332 | 24 | Wholly in this county |
| Chisholm | city | 4,712 | 7 | Wholly in this county |
| Rice Lake | city | 4,153 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Eveleth | city | 3,448 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Ely | city | 3,240 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Proctor | city | 3,100 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Mountain Iron | city | 2,860 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hoyt Lakes | city | 2,064 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Aurora | city | 1,792 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Gilbert | city | 1,697 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Babbitt | city | 1,393 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Buhl | city | 1,022 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Biwabik | city | 966 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Floodwood | city | 497 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cook | city | 423 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Soudan | CDP | 415 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Orr | city | 368 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Tower | city | 367 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Mahnomen | CDP | 195 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Meadowlands | city | 174 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Nett Lake | CDP | 171 | None recorded | 88.7 percent here, 11.3 percent Koochiching County |
| Winton | city | 124 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Kinney | city | 115 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Brookston | city | 103 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| McKinley | city | 92 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Iron Junction | city | 86 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Leonidas | city | 37 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 17 of the county's 302 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in St. Louis County, the largest being Saginaw (4), White Bear Lake (2), Kabetogama (2). 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