Freeborn County, MN

County

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2024 Population

30,623

US Senator

Amy Klobuchar

Democratic(DFL) Party

US Senator

Tina Smith

Democratic(DFL) Party

2024 Median Age

44.3

0.911% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

10.6%

8.39% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$71,023

2.91% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$171,100

3.76% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

14,476

2.03% 1-year decline

About

None of the households in Freeborn County, MN reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.3% of the residents in Freeborn County, MN are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Freeborn County, MN was $171,100, and the homeownership rate was 79.5%.

Most people in Freeborn County, MN drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Freeborn County, MN was 2 cars per household.

Freeborn County, MN borders Winnebago County, IA, Worth County, IA, Faribault County, MN, Mower County, MN, Steele County, MN, and Waseca County, MN.

United States Minnesota Albert Lea, MN

Population & Diversity

Freeborn County, MN is home to a population of 30.6k people, from which 98.3% are citizens. As of 2024, 4.16% of Freeborn County, MN residents were born outside of the country (1.27k people).

In 2024, there were 16.5 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (24.9k people) in Freeborn County, MN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.51k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 1.09k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.3%

2024 Citizenship

98.5%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.3% of Freeborn County, MN residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Freeborn County, MN was 98.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Freeborn County, MN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Freeborn County, MN

White (Non-Hispanic)
24.9k ± 78
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
1.51k ± 276
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
1.09k ± 119

10.8%

Hispanic Population

3.3k people

10.8% of the people in Freeborn County, MN are hispanic (3.3k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Freeborn County, MN as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Minnesota.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
58,764 ± 5,921 people
Somalia
36,253 ± 4,660 people
India
31,836 ± 4,368 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Minnesota was Mexico, the natal country of 58,764 Minnesota residents, followed by Somalia with 36,253 and India with 31,836.

Foreign-Born Population

4.16%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

1.27k people

3.73%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.15k people

As of 2024, 4.16% of Freeborn County, MN residents (1.27k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Freeborn County, MN was 3.73%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Freeborn County, MN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
671 ± 99
Gulf War (2001-)
310 ± 110
Korea
153 ± 101

Freeborn County, MN has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.16 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Freeborn County, MN.

Economy

The economy of Freeborn County, MN employs 14.5k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Freeborn County, MN were Manufacturing (2,546 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,303 people), and Retail Trade (1,732 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($115,202), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($72,791), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($69,688).

Employment

Occupations

14.5k

2024 Value

± 621

−2.03%

1 Year decline

± 6.08%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Freeborn County, MN declined at a rate of −2.03%, from 14.8k employees to 14.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Freeborn County, MN, are Management Occupations (1,650 people), Production Occupations (1,627 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,485 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Freeborn County, MN.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Minnesota.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Minnesota (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

14.5k

2024 Value

± 621

−2.03%

1 Year decline

± 6.08%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Freeborn County, MN declined at a rate of −2.03%, from 14.8k employees to 14.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Freeborn County, MN, are Manufacturing (2,546 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,303 people), and Retail Trade (1,732 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Freeborn County, MN, though some of these residents may live in Freeborn County, MN and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$53,466

Median earning men ± $2,238

$38,625

Median earning women ± $2,203

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($76,979), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($74,459), and Public Administration ($68,813).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($63,207), Construction ($59,167), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($53,009).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Minnesota.

Y-Axis

2.26%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.93M people employed in Minnesota. This represents a 2.26% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Minnesota.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

62
Retail Trade
60
Other Services (except Public Administration)
58
Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$124k
Manufacturing
$109k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$61.6k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Minnesota went to Kamala Harris with 50.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (46.7%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.738%).

Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith are the senators currently representing the state of Minnesota. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Minnesota is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Freeborn County, MN. Showing the available data for Minnesota.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (50.9%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (46.7%)
Republican Party
Robert Kennedy (0.738%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Minnesota went to Kamala Harris with 50.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (46.7%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.738%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Minnesota for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Minnesota

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Minnesota.

Amy Klobuchar

Senator from Minnesota

Assumed office on January 3, 2007
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) is the Minnesota affiliate of the U.S. Democratic Party and its members are counted as Democrats.

Tina Smith

Senator from Minnesota

Assumed office on January 3, 2018
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Al Franken.

Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith are the senators currently representing Minnesota.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Minnesota over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Freeborn County, MN was $171,100 in 2024, which is 0.514 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $164,900 to $171,100, a 3.76% increase. The homeownership rate in Freeborn County, MN is 79.5%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Freeborn County, MN have an average commute time of 19.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Freeborn County, MN is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 10.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Freeborn County, MN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.2%.

Housing

Property

$171,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$5,271

$10,213

Median Property Taxes

±$500

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Freeborn County, MN the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Freeborn County, MN compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

79.5%

Homeownership

2024

62.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 79.5% of the housing units in Freeborn County, MN were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 79.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Freeborn County, MN compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$71,023

Median Household Income

± $1,725

12.8k

Number of Households

± 579

In 2024, the median household income of the 12.8k households in Freeborn County, MN grew to $71,023 from the previous year's value of $69,012.

The following chart displays the households in Freeborn County, MN distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Freeborn County, MN is from Minnesota.

0.454

2023 Wage GINI in Minnesota

0.458

2022 Wage GINI in Minnesota

In 2023, the income inequality in Minnesota was 0.454 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.78% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Minnesota was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Minnesota in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Minnesota across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (79.4%)
Carpooled (7.84%)
Worked At Home (7.65%)

In 2024, 79.4% of workers in Freeborn County, MN drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.84%) and those who worked at home (7.65%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

19.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Freeborn County, MN have a shorter commute time (19.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.71% of the workforce in Freeborn County, MN have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Freeborn County, MN compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Freeborn County, MN distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Freeborn County, MN have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 10.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Freeborn County, MN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.2%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

10.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Freeborn County, MN (3.19k out of 30.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 45 - 54, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Freeborn County, MN is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 12.5% of the children was living in poverty in Freeborn County, MN. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 92.8 in Freeborn County, MN. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 31.1 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

93.4% of the population of Freeborn County, MN has health coverage, with 42.2% on employee plans, 20.2% on Medicaid, 18.1% on Medicare, 11.8% on non-group plans, and 1.02% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Freeborn County, MN see 1,537 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,537 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2363 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 710 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.7% were men and 49.3% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,537 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Freeborn County, MN

Primary care physicians in Freeborn County, MN see an average of 1,537 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,537 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Freeborn County, MN in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.1% under 18 years, 16.6% between 18 and 34 years, 37.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 22.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.7% were men and 49.3% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.57%

Uninsured

42.2%

Employer Coverage

20.2%

Medicaid

18.1%

Medicare

11.8%

Non-Group

1.02%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Freeborn County, MN grew by 16.1% from 5.66% to 6.57%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Freeborn County, MN changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 68.6 in Freeborn County, MN.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Freeborn County, MN.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 40.6% in Freeborn County, MN.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Freeborn County, MN.