Minnesota County Income and Poverty Compared

Carver County posts a median household income of $123,144. Martin County comes in at $62,969. That $60,175 gap separates the wealthiest and least wealthy counties in Minnesota and illustrates just how uneven the income map can be within a single state border.

The Income Divide Across Minnesota

The median household income across Minnesota's 87 counties is $71,573, above the national median of $63,162. But that single figure conceals deep local variation. Urban cores, college towns, and suburban job centers pull income figures upward, while rural and economically isolated counties drag them down.

The five highest-income counties in Minnesota:

1. Carver County, Minnesota: $123,144 median household income
2. Scott County, Minnesota: $120,247 median household income
3. Washington County, Minnesota: $114,457 median household income
4. Wright County, Minnesota: $106,666 median household income
5. Dakota County, Minnesota: $105,212 median household income

The five lowest-income counties in Minnesota:

1. Mahnomen County, Minnesota: $53,925 median household income
2. Wadena County, Minnesota: $56,882 median household income
3. Aitkin County, Minnesota: $59,498 median household income
4. Swift County, Minnesota: $62,601 median household income
5. Martin County, Minnesota: $62,969 median household income

Where Poverty Concentrates

The statewide median poverty rate is 9.9%, compared to a national median of 13.4%. In Mahnomen County, 21% of residents live below the poverty line, the highest rate in the state. Low-income counties tend to cluster in areas with limited job access, lower educational attainment, and fewer economic anchors.

The five counties with the highest poverty rates in Minnesota:

1. Mahnomen County, Minnesota: 20.9% in poverty
2. Blue Earth County, Minnesota: 16.3% in poverty
3. Beltrami County, Minnesota: 16.0% in poverty
4. Wilkin County, Minnesota: 14.7% in poverty
5. Chippewa County, Minnesota: 14.4% in poverty

The five counties with the lowest poverty rates:

1. Scott County, Minnesota: 4.1% in poverty
2. Carver County, Minnesota: 4.2% in poverty
3. Sherburne County, Minnesota: 4.8% in poverty
4. Wright County, Minnesota: 4.9% in poverty
5. Washington County, Minnesota: 5.0% in poverty

Income, Poverty, and Education

Across Minnesota, the counties with the highest incomes also tend to post the highest rates of bachelor's degree attainment, reinforcing the connection between educational access and economic outcomes at the county level. Carver County has 50.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Martin County has 23.8%. The education gap does not fully explain the income gap, but it maps closely onto it.

Reading the County Data

Income and poverty figures at the county level reflect decades of investment decisions, infrastructure gaps, and labor market shifts. Counties near major employment centers and with strong educational institutions consistently outperform their neighbors on income measures. Those further from economic hubs, or reliant on industries that have contracted, face structural headwinds that income support alone cannot reverse. Understanding the county-level picture is the starting point for targeting resources, whether for business investment, policy intervention, or community planning.