Minnesota · GEOID 27031

Cook County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 5,635 · 6,079 housing units

Median household income

$72,638

State $90,564

Median home value

$336,200

State $324,699

Median gross rent

$886

State $1,292

Homeownership rate

77.7%

State 72.2%

Renter cost-burden rate

41.0%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

21.4%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

0.0%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

6.9%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

55.4%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

4.63

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Cook County	Minnesota
Population	5,635	5,739,445
Population density (per sq. mi.)	3.88	—
Median household income	$72,638	$90,564
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$95,700	—
Households	2,710	—
Average household size	2.05 people	—
Owner-occupied	77.7%	72.2%
Renter-occupied	22.3%	27.8%
Race	84.2% White · 1.3% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

Cook County compared with Minnesota.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

46.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 39.4%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	17.9%	$84,808	$2,120	$284,665
1 earner	29.2%	$66,250	$1,656	$215,585
2 earners	48.0%	$113,125	$2,828	$390,070
3+ earners	5.0%	$92,292	$2,307	$312,523

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

2,710

Average size: 2.05 people

Households with children

424

15.6% of households

Per-capita income

$46,808

Poverty rate: 9.2%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

77.7% owner-occupied vs. state average 72.2%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 91.0% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 6.5%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

39.2% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,988.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $336,200.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $886.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 3,369 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 0.0% · For rent 1.3% · Seasonal 93.1% · Other 5.2%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

1.5% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 98.5% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

51.6%

3,137 units of 6,079 total

⚑ Above the 10% threshold — meaningful pressure on year-round residents from second-home / short-term-rental demand.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

2.9%

176 units of 6,079 total

Census "Other vacant" — units off the market for reasons other than seasonal, migrant, sale, or rental.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$58,110

100% MHI$72,638

120% MHI$87,166

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Cook County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$54,900	$62,750	$78,400
100% AMI	$66,990	$76,560	$95,700
120% AMI	$80,400	$91,850	$114,850

HUD FMR Area: Cook County, MN. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

41.0% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (13.7% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

21.4% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in Cook County.

Covered employment

2,374

Across 12 sectors

Establishments

295

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$45,677

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 72 Accommodation and food services NAICS 72	737	$34,108	$95,942	−$240,258	$853
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	432	$61,814	$199,073	−$137,127	$1,545
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	314	$30,717	$83,320	−$252,880	$768
NAICS 62 Health care and social assistance NAICS 62	219	$65,202	$211,684	−$124,516	$1,630
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	170	$43,830	$132,131	−$204,069	$1,096
NAICS 61 Educational services NAICS 61	169	$51,772	$161,693	−$174,507	$1,294
NAICS 23 Construction NAICS 23	152	$53,372	$167,649	−$168,551	$1,334
NAICS 42 Wholesale trade NAICS 42	53	$65,558	$213,010	−$123,190	$1,639
NAICS 81 Other services (except public administration) NAICS 81	46	$23,980	$58,242	−$277,958	$600
NAICS 56 Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services NAICS 56	44	$51,275	$159,843	−$176,357	$1,282
NAICS 51 Information NAICS 51	20	$34,672	$98,041	−$238,159	$867
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	18	$46,153	$140,778	−$195,422	$1,154

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 721 Accommodation NAICS 721	493	$36,383	$104,410	−$231,790	$910
NAICS 921 Executive, legislative, and other general government support NAICS 921	308	$58,629	$187,218	−$148,982	$1,466
NAICS 722 Food services and drinking places NAICS 722	244	$29,510	$78,827	−$257,373	$738
NAICS 611 Educational services NAICS 611	169	$51,772	$161,693	−$174,507	$1,294
NAICS 622 Hospitals NAICS 622	118	$64,046	$207,381	−$128,819	$1,601
NAICS 531 Real estate NAICS 531	117	$28,451	$74,885	−$261,315	$711
NAICS 445 Food and beverage retailers NAICS 445	106	$34,791	$98,484	−$237,716	$870
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	86	$72,584	$239,163	−$97,037	$1,815
NAICS 236 Construction of buildings NAICS 236	76	$44,916	$136,173	−$200,027	$1,123
NAICS 713 Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries NAICS 713	74	$44,782	$135,674	−$200,526	$1,120
NAICS 457 Gasoline stations and fuel dealers NAICS 457	62	$26,144	$66,297	−$269,903	$654
NAICS 455 General merchandise retailers NAICS 455	48	$20,292	$44,514	−$291,686	$507
NAICS 459 Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers NAICS 459	47	$28,291	$74,289	−$261,911	$707
NAICS 237 Heavy and civil engineering construction NAICS 237	29	$74,230	$245,290	−$90,910	$1,856
NAICS 926 Administration of economic programs NAICS 926	22	$28,132	$73,697	−$262,503	$703
NAICS 624 Social assistance NAICS 624	20	$34,351	$96,847	−$239,353	$859
NAICS 922 Justice, public order, and safety activities NAICS 922	18	$99,161	$338,091	+$1,891	$2,479
NAICS 458 Clothing, clothing accessories, shoe, and jewelry retailers NAICS 458	17	$23,573	$56,727	−$279,473	$589
NAICS 813 Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations NAICS 813	15	$22,445	$52,528	−$283,672	$561
NAICS 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers NAICS 441	13	$41,838	$124,716	−$211,484	$1,046
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	10	$54,796	$172,950	−$163,250	$1,370
NAICS 485 Transit and ground passenger transportation NAICS 485	8	$35,348	$100,558	−$235,642	$884
NAICS 423 Merchant wholesalers, durable goods NAICS 423	6	$45,877	$139,750	−$196,450	$1,147
NAICS 712 Museums, historical sites, and similar institutions NAICS 712	5	$56,704	$180,052	−$156,148	$1,418
NAICS 562 Waste management and remediation services NAICS 562	2	$39,661	$116,612	−$219,588	$992

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	730	(230)	(24%)	$13.07	$27,190	$70,191	$680
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023 · prior-year code differs	1,220	10	1%	$14.81	$30,800	$83,629	$770
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	1,740	(50)	(3%)	$15.03	$31,260	$85,341	$782
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	190	30	19%	$16.10	$33,500	$93,679	$838
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	1,060	(210)	(17%)	$17.40	$36,190	$103,692	$905
Firefighters SOC 33-2011	120	(230)	(66%)	$17.61	$36,640	$105,367	$916
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	820	(60)	(7%)	$18.81	$39,120	$114,598	$978
Tellers SOC 43-3071	230	(30)	(12%)	$19.53	$40,630	$120,219	$1,016
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131 · prior-year code differs	450	40	10%	$21.09	$43,870	$132,280	$1,097
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	850	(150)	(15%)	$22.11	$45,980	$140,134	$1,150
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	710	280	65%	$27.67	$57,550	$183,201	$1,439
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	640	(330)	(34%)	$28.24	$58,750	$187,668	$1,469
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	680	330	94%	$29.25	$60,840	$195,448	$1,521
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	320	(70)	(18%)	$31.58	$65,680	$213,464	$1,642
Paramedics SOC 29-2043 · prior-year code differs	40	(160)	(80%)	$31.97	$66,510	$216,553	$1,663
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	620	(120)	(16%)	—	$67,940	$221,876	$1,699
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	210	0	0%	$33.79	$70,290	$230,624	$1,757
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	260	70	37%	$37.92	$78,880	$262,599	$1,972
Electricians SOC 47-2111	160	(30)	(16%)	$38.98	$81,070	$270,751	$2,027
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	1,020	270	36%	$44.49	$92,540	$313,446	$2,314

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 27031 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.