Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety73#253/924
Economy57#400/925
Housing57#402/925
Health70#282/925
Healthcare65#320/923
Environment92#75/917
Education74#244/925
Infrastructure68#298/925
Community70#282/925
Leisure & amenities63#344/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Loneliness · low28.8%
100/100Minnesota 32.1%United States 33.2%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Mammography screening · high58.0%
96/100Minnesota 54.0%United States 46.0%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Hot days · low3 days
90/100Minnesota 5 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationAggregated from counties
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · low5.7 µg/m³
89/100Minnesota 6.3 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAggregated from counties
Voter turnout · high73.7%
88/100Minnesota 77.0%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionAggregated from counties
Distance to an Amtrak station · low9 mi
86/100Minnesota 32 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Distance to an emergency room · high19.8 mi
4/100Minnesota 6.2 miUnited States 5.5 miJul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesAggregated from counties
Public libraries · low0.3 /10k
12/100Minnesota 0.6 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAggregated from counties
Income inequality (Gini index) · high0.480
17/100Minnesota 0.452United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Grocery stores · low1.1 /10k
22/100Minnesota 1.6 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Pharmacies · low1.1 /10k
22/100Minnesota 1.7 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Access to exercise opportunities · low61.7%
23/100Minnesota 86.4%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Hot daysWorsening
1 days (2011-2020) → 3 days (2016-2025)
+108%5 yearsUS 41 days → 42 days
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
43.8% (2010 & 2021) → 61.7% (2022 & 2024)
+18 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%
New business applicationsImproving
6.5 /1k (2020) → 11.1 /1k (2025)
+72%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Flu vaccinationsWorsening
57.0% (2019) → 47.0% (2023)
−10 pts4 yearsUS 48.0% → 44.0%
Drought exposureWorsening
53% (2021) → 62% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+9.5 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
80.4% (2015-2019) → 88.8% (2020-2024)
+8.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area improved on 9 of 23 measures with a comparison and declined on 7. 0 moved within the margin of error and 7 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2020 with 2025); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved9

Grocery stores+32%0.9 /10k → 1.1 /10k
Restaurants+17%9.4 /10k → 11.0 /10k
Real income+39%$53,081 → $73,812
New businesses+72%6.5 /1k → 11.1 /1k
Firearm deaths−14%14.2 /100k → 12.2 /100k

Declined7

Overdose deaths+53%12.0 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Violent crime+19%133 /100k → 158 /100k
Arts & recreation−10%6.0 /10k → 5.4 /10k
Gyms−26%1.1 /10k → 0.8 /10k
Rent burden+4.2 points42.2% → 46.4%

All 23 measures

Change of every measure of Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	6.0 /10k2020	5.4 /10k2025	−10%	Declined	14%
Average commute time	22.5 min2015-2019	21.7 min2020-2024	−0.9 min	Little change	85%
Bachelor's degree or higher	25.0%2015-2019	28.0%2020-2024	+3 points	Improved	54%
Broadband subscriptions	80.4%2015-2019	88.8%2020-2024	+8.5 points	Improved	45%
Distance to an airport	49 mi2020	49 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	12.0 /100k2020	18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	+53%	Declined	8%
Firearm deaths	14.2 /100k2020	12.2 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−14%	Improved	73%
Grocery stores	0.9 /10k2020	1.1 /10k2025	+32%	Improved	94%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.1 /10k2020	0.8 /10k2025	−26%	Declined	15%
High school diploma or higher	93.1%2015-2019	93.2%2020-2024	+0 points	Little change	7%
Homicide rate	4.0 /100k2020	3.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−5%	Little change	26%
Income adjusted for local prices	$53,0812019	$73,8122024	+39%	Improved	88%
New business applications	6.5 /1k2020	11.1 /1k2025	+72%	Improved	81%
Pharmacies	1.1 /10k2020	1.1 /10k2025	−0.9%	Little change	69%
Property crime rate	1,207 /100k2020	701 /100k2025	−42%	Improved	69%
Public libraries	0.3 /10k2019	0.3 /10k2024	−2.6%	Little change	41%
Public transit commuters	0.6%2015-2019	0.5%2020-2024	−0 points	Little change	77%
Rent-burdened households	42.2%2015-2019	46.4%2020-2024	+4.2 points	Declined	23%
Restaurants and bars	9.4 /10k2020	11.0 /10k2025	+17%	Improved	90%
Suicide rate	16.9 /100k2020	18.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+6.5%	Declined	44%
Traffic deaths	14.1 /100k2015-2019	16.4 /100k2020-2024	+16%	Declined	33%
Unemployment rate	6.8%2020	4.5%2025	−2.3 points	Improved	30%
Violent crime rate	133 /100k2020	158 /100k2025	+19%	Declined	13%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area itself moved −4.1 points in standing on average over the same 22 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

35,343 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

35,343 residents

Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area
United States share

White85%30,011
Black0.7%†258
Hispanic or Latino2.0%702
Asian0.5%†173
American Indian and Alaska Native4.7%1,644
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%†17
Other or two or more races7.2%2,538

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

24,568 residents (±66)

Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area
United States share

No high school diploma6.8%1,679
High school or GED28%6,894
Some college23%5,590
Associate degree14%3,530
Bachelor's degree19%4,677
Graduate degree8.9%2,198

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

14,410 households (±254)

Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k14%2,080
$25k–50k20%2,944
$50k–75k18%2,564
$75k–100k14%1,959
$100k–150k18%2,572
$150k–200k7.6%1,099
$200k or more8.3%1,192

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

14,410 households (±254)

Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area
United States share

Own77%11,123
Rent23%3,287

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

2,921 households (±244)

Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area
United States share

Under $75037%1,072
$750–1,00023%670
$1,000–1,50028%829
$1,500–2,0009.4%

Home values

11,123 homes (±289)

Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area
United States share

Under $150k19%2,062
$150k–250k25%2,749
$250k–400k25%2,767
$400k–750k24%2,687

Age of homes

20,005 homes (±51)

Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area
United States share

2010 or later13%2,532
2000–200917%3,434
1980–199921%4,216
1960–197924%4,784

Size of homes

20,005 homes (±51)

Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area
United States share

Studio1.8%†352
1 bedroom9.3%1,869
2 bedrooms26%5,130
3 bedrooms

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

16,179 workers (±363)

Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone75%12,162
Carpool9.7%1,569
Public transit0.5%†83
Walk3.1%503
Bike0.0%†4
Work from home11%1,723
Other0.8%†135

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

14,456 workers (±401)

Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area
United States share

Under 15 min42%6,142
15–29 min32%4,644
30–44 min13%1,830
45–59 min5.7%828

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Detroit Lakes, MN has 956 employer establishments, 271 for every 10,000 residents (1.09× the US rate of 248), with 10,874 paid employees at an average annual pay of $53,871. The Census Bureau also counts 2,955 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 956; 2,955 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 271; US 248
Paid employees: 10,874
Average annual pay: $53,871; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Detroit Lakes, MN by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	117	33.2	2.14×More than typical	482	$88,077	300
Construction of buildings	59	16.7	2.21×More than typical	131	$80,412	185
Ambulatory health care services	43	12.2	0.58×Fewer than typical	706	$78,033	61
Restaurants and other eating places	41	11.6	0.63×Fewer than typical	688	$25,656	5
Lessors of real estate	38	10.8	0.87×About typical	68	$39,765	356
Truck transportation	38	10.8	2.13×More than typical	330	$52,418	128
Religious organizations	33	9.4	1.69×More than typical	196	$21,801	—
Building equipment contractors	32	9.1	1.51×More than typical	164	$59,561	36
Other specialty trade contractors	32	9.1	3.61×More than typical	113	$102,761	91
Building finishing contractors	28	7.9	2.09×More than typical	85	$58,388	128
Automotive repair and maintenance	25	7.1	1.41×More than typical	101	$50,158	48
Foundation, structure and building exterior contractors	25	7.1	2.25×More than typical	120	$134,250	45

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 35,282 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $10.6M on contracts performed in Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area: $298 per resident (US $1,995).

Obligations: $10.6M; +8.1% vs FY2025
Per resident: $298; US $1,995
Sole-source: 4.8%; US 30%
Single offer: 11%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Indian Health Service$7.7M73%
Agricultural Marketing Service$1.8M17%
Department of Veterans Affairs$512K4.8%
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service$430.5K4.1%
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources$47.5K0.4%
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission$33K0.3%
Forest Service$8,5500.1%
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Acquisition and Property Management Division$7,2520.1%

Top recipients

DT-TRAK CONSULTING, INC.$2M19%
WHITE EARTH MARKET, LLC$1.8M17%
AKICITA CYBER LLC$1.6M15%
MAAT ENTERPRISES INC$955.6K9.0%
PRIME PHYSICIANS TRI PROVIDERS LLC$560.1K5.3%

Spending by fiscal year

7.4MFY2017
3.7MFY2018
5.4MFY2019
4.1MFY2020
6.2MFY2021
5.6MFY2022
7.7MFY2023
8.4M

Top industries (NAICS)

Employment services · 5613$4.8M45%
Grain and oilseed milling · 3112$1.8M17%
Other professional, scientific, and technical services · 5419$820.2K7.8%
Medical and diagnostic laboratories · 6215$738.1K7.0%
Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) · 6231$512K4.8%
Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing · 3345

Largest awards

TO PROVIDE PERSONNEL TO PERFORM THE NON-PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OF UP TO THREE (3) FULL TIME EQUIVALENT PRIMARY CARE NURSE PRACTITIONER OR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS IN FAMILY PRACTICE OR PEDIATRICS. SERVICES ARE TO BE PERFORMED FOR THE WHITE EARTH$2.1M
NATIVEARC, LLC· Becker County, MN· Health & medical· Aug 24, 2022 – Jul 20, 2026· 75H70522C00016
09/15/2025 - 09/14/2026 WEHC AREA WIDE NURSE SERVICES $162.73 HOURLY RATE (4) RN'S KEY PERSONNEL LISTING MAINTAINED BY COR$1.8M
MAAT ENTERPRISES INC· Becker County, MN· Health & medical· Jul 22, 2025 – May 29, 2026· 75H70525F06009
COMMODITIES FOR USG FOOD DONATIONS: 2000011200/4100033874/RICE WILD PKG-25/1 LB$1.8M
WHITE EARTH MARKET, LLC· Becker County, MN· Other equipment & supplies· Mar 3, 2026 – Mar 3, 2026· 123J1426C0806

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 7, 2026, loaded Oct 7, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $288.5M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area: $8,129 per resident (US $12,975).

Assistance · FY2026: $288.5M; −2.2% vs FY2025
Per resident: $8,129; US $12,975
Loan face value: $30.3M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 7.4%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$178M62%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$22.3M7.7%

Counties in Detroit Lakes, MN

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Becker CountyCentral county8335,497

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

Detroit LakesPrincipal city10,025

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Minnesota

Areas based in Minnesota, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M19810

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved9

Declined7

Metro and micro areas like Detroit Lakes, MN micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Getting to work

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Counties in Detroit Lakes, MN

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Minnesota

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved9

Declined7

Age and sex

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Household income

Owners and renters

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

How people get to work

Time to get to work

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Top programs

What was bought

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

By type

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates