Blue Earth County vs Clay County
A side-by-side comparison of Blue Earth County and Clay County: population, income, housing, and more.
Blue Earth County and Clay County are counties in Minnesota. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Blue Earth County has the higher population (69,386 vs 65,628 in Clay County). Clay County has the higher median household income ($77,664 vs $72,623 in Blue Earth County). Clay County has the higher median home value ($256,000 vs $252,800 in Blue Earth County).
Population, income & housing
| Blue Earth County | Clay County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 69,386 | 65,628 |
| Median age | 31.5 yrs | 33.5 yrs |
| Median household income | $72,623 | $77,664 |
| Median home value | $252,800 | $256,000 |
| Median gross rent | $1,076 | $1,000 |
| Housing units | 29,544 | 27,241 |
| Homeownership rate | 61.8% | 66.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.5% | 39.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.9% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Blue Earth County | Clay County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 66,795 → 69,386 (+3.9%) | 63,446 → 65,628 (+3.4%) |
| Median household income | $57,429 → $72,623 (+26.5%) | $65,269 → $77,664 (+19.0%) |
| Median home value | $184,800 → $252,800 (+36.8%) | $197,100 → $256,000 (+29.9%) |
| Median gross rent | $883 → $1,076 (+21.9%) | $865 → $1,000 (+15.6%) |
Blue Earth County
66,79569,386
$57,429$72,623
$184,800$252,800
$883$1,076
Clay County
63,44665,628
$65,269$77,664
$197,100$256,000
$865$1,000
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Blue Earth County | Clay County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.2% | 6.5% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.7% | 18.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 21.2% | 14.0% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.0% | 13.2% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.6% | 13.5% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.4% | 10.4% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.5% | 7.8% |
| 75 and over | 6.2% | 6.1% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Blue Earth County | Clay County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 85.2% | 84.3% |
| Black or African American | 4.5% | 4.6% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Asian | 2.3% | 1.7% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Some other race | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more races | 3.0% | 3.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.7% | 4.9% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Blue Earth County | Clay County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 5.0% | 5.0% |
| High school graduate | 24.8% | 22.2% |
| Some college or associate's | 35.7% | 33.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 23.1% | 26.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 11.4% | 13.0% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Blue Earth County | Clay County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 76.2% | 75.2% |
| Carpooled | 9.7% | 7.8% |
| Public transit | 1.8% | 1.2% |
| Walked | 3.0% | 3.5% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Worked from home | 8.3% | 11.0% |
| Other means | 0.8% | 1.0% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Blue Earth County | Clay County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 59.4% | 60.5% |
| 1-unit, attached | 7.0% | 8.5% |
| 2 to 4 units | 6.5% | 3.6% |
| 5 to 19 units | 8.7% | 11.2% |
| 20 or more units | 14.1% | 13.8% |
| Mobile home & other | 4.3% | 2.4% |
Poverty & households
| Blue Earth County | Clay County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.3% | 14.4% |
| Average household size | 2.40 | 2.41 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 17 | 20 |
| Median year structure built | 1977 | 1981 |
Full profiles
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