Lincoln County, Minnesota Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Lincoln County, MN Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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B
Income Around average
-
D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Lincoln County | Minnesota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,603 | 5,724,000 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 10.2 | 65.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.42% | 0.64% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 46.1 | 37.1 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,445 | 2,299,361 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Lincoln County declined by 3.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 5,603 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Lincoln County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 21.3% of residents. That is 4.7 points above Minnesota as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 950 17.0% -4.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 922 16.5% -5.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,149 20.5% +0.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,192 21.3% +4.7 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Minnesota, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.4% of the people living in Lincoln County and men 49.6%.
- Women 50.4% Minnesota 50.0%
- Men 49.6% Minnesota 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Lincoln County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Lincoln County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Lincoln County | Minnesota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,005 | $89,852 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.31% | 4.43% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Lincoln County is about 23% lower than in Minnesota.
Housing
| Metric | Lincoln County | Minnesota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $155,833 | $236,718 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $674 | $1,280 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.4% | 72.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Lincoln County is about 19.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $674 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Lincoln County spend about 41 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 171 hours, about 7.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Lincoln County | Minnesota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.5 | 20.3 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 41.0 | 40.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 171 | 169 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,293 | $5,249 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 16.4% | 17.6% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 876 | 7,066 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 228 | 854 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Minnesota:
Brown County (10.6 min), Pennington County (10.8 min), Cottonwood County (10.9 min).
Slowest:
Chisago County (30.9 min), Wright County (28.8 min), Sherburne County (28.8 min).
The average commute time in Lincoln County is about the same as in Minnesota.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Lincoln County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Lincoln County | Minnesota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.6% | 35.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.21 | 2.43 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Minnesota:
Hennepin County (0.4), Olmsted County (0.4), Carver County (0.4).
Lowest:
Nobles County (0.2), Mahnomen County (0.2), Watonwan County (0.2).
Health
Lincoln County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Lincoln County | Minnesota Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.3 | 80.8 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.2% | 13.0% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.4% | 18.5% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Minnesota:
Carver County (0.8), Washington County (0.8), Stevens County (0.8).
Lowest:
Mahnomen County (0.8), Clearwater County (0.8), Beltrami County (0.8).
Lincoln County, MN Compared With Nearby Counties
How Lincoln County, MN compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County, MN | 5,603 | $69,005 #3/3 | $155,833 #1/3 | 20.5 min #3/3 |
| Lyon County, MN | 25,503 | $75,660 | $101,293 | 11.9 min |
| Brookings County, SD | 35,353 | $70,805 | $118,181 | 11.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Lincoln County, Minnesota.
How big is Lincoln County, Minnesota by population?
About 5,603 people live in Lincoln County, Minnesota, in 2,445 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 46.1, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 9 years.
Is Lincoln County, Minnesota urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Lincoln County, Minnesota has 10 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 12% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Lincoln County, Minnesota an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 2.3 times the median household income ($155,833 against $69,005), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $674 a month takes about 12% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Lincoln County, Minnesota?
Unemployment in Lincoln County, Minnesota is only 2.7%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Lincoln County, Minnesota have a college degree?
21.6% of adults in Lincoln County, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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