Blue Earth County vs Otter Tail County
A side-by-side comparison of Blue Earth County and Otter Tail County: population, income, housing, and more.
Blue Earth County and Otter Tail 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 60,281 in Otter Tail County). Blue Earth County has the higher median household income ($72,623 vs $70,912 in Otter Tail County). Blue Earth County has the higher median home value ($252,800 vs $252,500 in Otter Tail County).
Population, income & housing
| Blue Earth County | Otter Tail County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 69,386 | 60,281 |
| Median age | 31.5 yrs | 46.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $72,623 | $70,912 |
| Median home value | $252,800 | $252,500 |
| Median gross rent | $1,076 | $805 |
| Housing units | 29,544 | 36,669 |
| Homeownership rate | 61.8% | 79.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.5% | 27.4% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 5.1% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Blue Earth County | Otter Tail County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 66,795 → 69,386 (+3.9%) | 58,195 → 60,281 (+3.6%) |
| Median household income | $57,429 → $72,623 (+26.5%) | $58,682 → $70,912 (+20.8%) |
| Median home value | $184,800 → $252,800 (+36.8%) | $189,100 → $252,500 (+33.5%) |
| Median gross rent | $883 → $1,076 (+21.9%) | $678 → $805 (+18.7%) |
Blue Earth County
66,79569,386
$57,429$72,623
$184,800$252,800
$883$1,076
Otter Tail County
58,19560,281
$58,682$70,912
$189,100$252,500
$678$805
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Blue Earth County | Otter Tail County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.7% | 16.4% |
| 18 to 24 | 21.2% | 6.6% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.0% | 9.5% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.6% | 11.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.4% | 10.6% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.2% | 15.6% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.5% | 14.4% |
| 75 and over | 6.2% | 10.4% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Blue Earth County | Otter Tail County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 85.2% | 90.9% |
| Black or African American | 4.5% | 1.0% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 2.3% | 0.6% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.7% | 3.7% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Blue Earth County | Otter Tail County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 5.0% | 6.0% |
| High school graduate | 24.8% | 28.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 35.7% | 38.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 23.1% | 18.6% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 11.4% | 8.8% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Blue Earth County | Otter Tail County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 76.2% | 74.5% |
| Carpooled | 9.7% | 9.0% |
| Public transit | 1.8% | 0.7% |
| Walked | 3.0% | 3.1% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.5% |
| Worked from home | 8.3% | 10.9% |
| Other means | 0.8% | 1.3% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Blue Earth County | Otter Tail County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 59.4% | 80.9% |
| 1-unit, attached | 7.0% | 2.7% |
| 2 to 4 units | 6.5% | 2.3% |
| 5 to 19 units | 8.7% | 3.7% |
| 20 or more units | 14.1% | 4.1% |
| Mobile home & other | 4.3% | 6.3% |
Poverty & households
| Blue Earth County | Otter Tail County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 16.3% | 8.9% |
| Average household size | 2.40 | 2.34 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 17 | 21 |
| Median year structure built | 1977 | 1978 |
Full profiles
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