Scores by category

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

Safety95#49/924
Economy91#80/925
Housing39#569/925
Health90#93/925
Healthcare43#528/923
Environment92#77/917
Education73#251/925
Infrastructure83#158/925
Community100#2/925
Leisure & amenities62#354/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

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

Strengths

Social associations · high18.3 /10k
98/100Minnesota 12.2 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Voter turnout · high79.0%
98/100Minnesota 77.0%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionAggregated from counties
Loneliness · low29.8%
96/100Minnesota 32.1%United States 33.2%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Homicide rate · low0.0 /100k
93/100Minnesota 2.9 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Poor or fair health · low15.7%
92/100Minnesota 16.4%United States 19.9%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Food insecurity · low11.6%
91/100Minnesota 11.9%United States 15.6%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Preventable hospital stays · high4,409 /100k
5/100Minnesota 2,419 /100kUnited States 2,769 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Pharmacies · low1.0 /10k
18/100Minnesota 1.7 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Mental health providers · low142 /100k
20/100Minnesota 383 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Gyms and fitness centers · low0.6 /10k
23/100Minnesota 1.4 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
New business applications · low9.3 /1k
25/100Minnesota 12.7 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Distance to an emergency room · high7.6 mi
33/100Minnesota 6.2 miUnited States 5.5 miJul 2026Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesAggregated from counties

Trends

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

Homicide rateImproving
2.2 /100k (2021) → 0.0 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−100%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k
Drug overdose deathsImproving
31.2 /100k (2021) → 9.4 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−70%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Property crime rateImproving
1,987 /100k (2020) → 850 /100k (2025)
−57%5 yearsUS 1,929 /100k → 1,535 /100k
Drought exposureImproving
33% (2021) → 22% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
−11 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
New homes permittedWorsening
3.5 /1k (2021) → 1.9 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
−47%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
83.1% (2015-2019) → 91.3% (2020-2024)
+8.3 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, Red Wing, MN micropolitan area improved on 14 of 31 measures with a comparison and declined on 5. 9 moved within the margin of error and 3 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 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved14

Homicides−100%2.1 /100k → 0.0 /100k
Grocery stores+27%1.5 /10k → 1.9 /10k
Property crime−57%1,987 /100k → 850 /100k
Restaurants+13%7.4 /10k → 8.3 /10k
Traffic deaths−20%12.5 /100k → 10.0 /100k

Declined5

Pharmacies−38%1.7 /10k → 1.0 /10k
Gyms−41%1.1 /10k → 0.6 /10k
Inequality+0.0210.414 → 0.435
Transit use−0.8 points1.5% → 0.7%
Price / income+0.3×3.1× → 3.4×

All 31 measures

Change of every measure of Red Wing, MN micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	5.9 /10k2020	5.6 /10k2025	−4.8%	Little change	21%
Average commute time	24.4 min2015-2019	23.8 min2020-2024	−0.6 min	Within the margin of error	82%
Average weekly wage	$9992020	$1,2152025	+22%	Improved	36%
Bachelor's degree or higher	26.0%2015-2019	27.9%2020-2024	+1.9 points	Within the margin of error	29%
Broadband subscriptions	83.1%2015-2019	91.3%2020-2024	+8.3 points	Improved	43%
Child poverty rate	13.3%2015-2019	11.0%2020-2024	−2.3 points	Within the margin of error	49%
Distance to an airport	42 mi2020	42 mi2025	0 mi	Little change	50%
Drug overdose deaths	11.2 /100k2020	9.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−16%	Improved	40%
Effective property tax rate	0.97%2015-2019	0.98%2020-2024	+0 points	Within the margin of error	6%
Firearm deaths	10.0 /100k2020	8.6 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−14%	Improved	73%
Grocery stores	1.5 /10k2020	1.9 /10k2025	+27%	Improved	92%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.1 /10k2020	0.6 /10k2025	−41%	Declined	7%
High school diploma or higher	94.4%2015-2019	93.4%2020-2024	−1 points	Within the margin of error	3%
Home price to income ratio	3.1×2015-2019	3.4×2020-2024	+0.3×	Declined	64%
Homicide rate	2.1 /100k2020	0.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−100%	Improved	95%
Income adjusted for local prices	$59,9272019	$81,9912024	+37%	Improved	80%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4142015-2019	0.4352020-2024	+0.021	Declined	14%
Median household income	$66,8002015-2019	$84,1712020-2024	+26%	Improved	45%
New business applications	6.7 /1k2020	9.3 /1k2025	+40%	Improved	40%
Pharmacies	1.7 /10k2020	1.0 /10k2025	−38%	Declined	4%
Poverty rate	9.3%2015-2019	9.3%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	28%
Property crime rate	1,987 /100k2020	850 /100k2025	−57%	Improved	93%
Public libraries	1.1 /10k2019	1.0 /10k2024	−3.7%	Little change	33%
Public transit commuters	1.5%2015-2019	0.7%2020-2024	−0.8 points	Declined	21%
Rent as share of income	28.6%2015-2019	29.9%2020-2024	+1.3 points	Within the margin of error	32%
Rent-burdened households	46.0%2015-2019	49.8%2020-2024	+3.8 points	Within the margin of error	26%
Restaurants and bars	7.4 /10k2020	8.3 /10k2025	+13%	Improved	85%
Traffic deaths	12.5 /100k2015-2019	10.0 /100k2020-2024	−20%	Improved	88%
Unemployment rate	6.2%2020	3.9%2025	−2.3 points	Improved	31%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	5.9%2015-2019	7.3%2020-2024	+1.4 points	Within the margin of error	14%
Violent crime rate	143 /100k2020	125 /100k2025	−12%	Improved	44%

“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 Red Wing, MN micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Red Wing, 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, Red Wing, MN micropolitan area itself moved −2 points in standing on average over the same 29 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

47,943 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

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

Household income

19,727 households (±294)

Red Wing, MN micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k14%2,813
$25k–50k16%3,115
$50k–75k15%3,028

Homes

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

Owners and renters

19,727 households (±294)

Red Wing, MN micropolitan area
United States share

Own79%15,548
Rent21%4,179

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+3.5 points).

Table view

Getting to work

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

How people get to work

23,681 workers (±481)

Red Wing, MN micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone78%18,576
Carpool6.7%1,583
Public transit0.7%†163

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 Red Wing, 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.

Red Wing, MN has 1,294 employer establishments, 269 for every 10,000 residents (1.08× the US rate of 248), with 18,951 paid employees at an average annual pay of $54,291. The Census Bureau also counts 3,285 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,294; 3,285 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 269; US 248
Paid employees: 18,951
Average annual pay: $54,291; US $68,342

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

Specialty trade contractors	107	22.2	1.43×More than typical	624	$89,925	254
Restaurants and other eating places	70	14.5	0.79×Fewer than typical	1,296	$20,365	10
Ambulatory health care services	63	13.1	0.63×Fewer than typical	472	$51,076	99
Religious organizations	59	12.2	2.21×More than typical	273	$16,842	—
Truck transportation	48	10	1.97×More than typical	223	$67,318	110
Building equipment contractors	41	8.5	1.41×More than typical	420	$97,929	40
Automotive repair and maintenance	39	8.1	1.61×More than typical	208	$57,024	50
Lessors of real estate	39	8.1	0.66×Fewer than typical	124	$36,210	411
Insurance agencies and brokerages	35	7.3	1.65×More than typical	81	$60,333	43
Services to buildings and dwellings	35	7.3	1.08×About typical	160	$43,119	209
Construction of buildings	34	7.1	0.93×About typical	138	$53,630	95
Full-service restaurants	33	6.9	0.89×About typical	576	$21,549	3

Rank places for an industry

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 48,168 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 $10.3M on contracts performed in Red Wing, MN micropolitan area: $214 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $10.3M; +30% vs FY2025
Per resident: $214; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.2%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.3%; 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

Department of the Army$8.3M80%
Agricultural Marketing Service$1M9.9%
Department of Veterans Affairs$955.5K9.3%
Bureau of Engraving and Printing$40K0.4%
Offices, Boards and Divisions$20.1K0.2%

Top recipients

L S MARINE INC$8.2M80%
DAKOTA PURE MEATS, LLC$1M9.9%
BENEDICTINE CARE CENTERS$955.5K9.3%
RED WING BRANDS OF AMERICA, INC.$62.3K0.6%
APPRAISAL SERVICES UNLIMITED$20.1K0.2%

Spending by fiscal year

1.8MFY2017
8.3MFY2018
1.1MFY2019
1.3MFY2020
1.5MFY2021
4.8MFY2022
8.7MFY2023
6.8M

Top industries (NAICS)

Other heavy and civil engineering construction · 2379$8.2M80%
Animal slaughtering and processing · 3116$1M9.9%
Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) · 6231$955.5K9.3%
Footwear manufacturing · 3162$62.3K0.6%
Legal services · 5411$20.1K0.2%
Support activities for road transportation · 4884$15.2K

Largest awards

CORPS ISLAND UNLOADING$7.4M
L S MARINE INC· Goodhue County, MN· Construction & real property· Apr 8, 2026 – Apr 8, 2026· W912ES26CA012
COMMODITIES FOR USG FOOD DONATIONS: 2000011478/4100034881/BISON GROUND LEAN FRZ PKG-40/1 LB$1M
DAKOTA PURE MEATS, LLC· Goodhue County, MN· Other equipment & supplies· Aug 25, 2026 – Aug 25, 2026· 123J1426C1821
EXPRESS REPORT: NURSING HOME SERVICES$955.5K
BENEDICTINE CARE CENTERS· Goodhue County, MN· Health & medical· May 1, 2026 – May 1, 2026· 36C26326K0015
PHASE I SBIR - CUBIC BN DIODES AND TRANSISTORS

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 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 $338.2M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Red Wing, MN micropolitan area: $7,017 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $338.2M; −5.8% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,017; US $12,955
Loan face value: $13.2M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 2.9%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$242.4M72%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$24.2M7.2%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$20.5M6.1%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$15.2M4.5%
10.988 · Supplemental Disaster Relief Program$5.8M1.7%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$3.7M1.1%
10.855 · Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants$3.2M0.9%
10.990 · Farmer Bridge Assistance Program$2.8M0.8%

Top recipients (organizations)

MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$4.2M1.2%
SAINT PAUL, MN
COUNTY OF GOODHUE$3.2M0.9%
RED WING, MN
THREE RIVERS COMMUNITY ACTION, INC.$2.4M0.7%
ZUMBROTA, MN
RED WING HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY$2.4M0.7%
RED WING, MN
MAZEPPA VALLEY DAIRY INC

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$281.9M83%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$27.8M8.2%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Farm Service Agency$8.9M2.6%
Department of Agriculture
Federal Highway Administration$4.3M1.3%
Department of Transportation
Rural Utilities Service$3.2M

Assistance by fiscal year

285.3MFY2021
282.1MFY2022
316.2MFY2023
322.6MFY2024
358.9MFY2025
338.2MFY2026

County aggregates

92%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Red Wing, 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.

Goodhue CountyCentral county9548,195

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

Red WingPrincipal city16,758

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
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M39860

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved14

Declined5

Metro and micro areas like Red Wing, MN micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people 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

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Red Wing, 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

Improved14

Declined5

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought