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Norman County, MN Economy

Unemployment was 4.6% in Aug 2026 and jobs paid $56,723 a year on average.

Unemployment rate
4.6%
+1.5 pts in a year
Labor force
3,704
-0.3% in a year
Income per person
$54,965
82nd of 87 in MN
Average annual pay
$56,723
1,874 jobs, 2025

Unemployment rate in Norman County

Monthly. County rates are not seasonally adjusted, so they rise and fall with the seasons.

Norman CountyMinnesota (seasonally adjusted)
Show as a table
PeriodNorman County
Aug 20264.6%
Dec 20254.5%
Dec 20244.0%
Dec 20233.3%
Dec 20223.7%
Dec 20213.4%
Dec 20205.0%
Dec 20195.1%
Dec 20185.3%
Dec 20174.6%
Dec 20165.0%
Dec 20155.1%
Dec 20145.2%
Dec 20135.8%
Dec 20126.3%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics ยท Last updated 09/01/2026

Jobs and pay by industry

Private employers in Norman County, annual average 2025. Industries with too few employers to publish are left out.

Swipe the table sideways to see more columns.

IndustryJobs1-year changeAverage pay
Health care and social assistance371+2.8%$49,852
Agriculture, forestry and fishing241+3.0%$54,408
Retail trade172-6.5%$31,214
Wholesale trade92+10.8%$80,481
Professional and technical services48+9.1%$81,982

Latest quarter (Q1 2026): 1,796 jobs (-1.4% from a year earlier), average weekly wage $1,110.

Income and output

Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

Total personal income
$345M
-1.1% in a year
Income per person
$54,965
MN: $75,603
GDP
$246M
Current dollars
Real GDP growth
-13.8%
Adjusted for inflation
Norman CountyMinnesota
Show as a table
PeriodNorman County
2024$54,965
2023$55,271
2022$62,331
2021$60,218
2020$50,092
2019$37,492
2018$36,789
2017$35,323
2016$33,886
2015$34,599
2014$33,719
2013$40,705
2012$43,499
2011$38,110
2010$35,786

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Economic Accounts

Businesses by industry, trucking companies, banks and bankruptcies in Norman County.

Business profile

Businesses in Norman County

County Business Patterns 2023 and Nonemployer Statistics 2024

Employer businesses
175
Employees
1,206
Mid-March
Annual payroll
$67.06M
Self-employed businesses
466
$24.24M receipts

By industry

  • Retail trade2614.9%
  • Construction2514.3%
  • Other services2011.4%
  • Finance and insurance1910.9%
  • Health care and social assistance169.1%
  • Wholesale trade137.4%
  • Transportation and warehousing137.4%
  • Accommodation and food services95.1%

By number of employees

  • 1 to 411062.9%
  • 5 to 93419.4%
  • 10 to 191810.3%
  • 20 to 4995.1%
  • 50 to 9942.3%
  • 100 to 24900.0%
  • 250 to 49900.0%
  • 500 to 99900.0%
  • 1,000 or more00.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns and Nonemployer Statistics

Neighboring counties

Unemployment rate, Aug 2026

CountyRate1 year
Cass County, ND2.0%-0.4 pts
Traill County, ND2.1%-0.4 pts
Clay County4.3%+0.8 pts
Becker County4.5%+0.8 pts
Norman CountyThis county4.6%+1.5 pts
Polk County5.0%+0.8 pts
Mahnomen County6.6%+0.6 pts

Federal money in Norman County

Federal awards, pandemic loans and political donations

Frequently asked questions

What is the unemployment rate in Norman County, MN?
The unemployment rate in Norman County was 4.6% in Aug 2026, not seasonally adjusted, with 3,704 people in the labor force.
What is the average salary in Norman County?
Jobs in Norman County paid an average of $56,723 in 2025 ($1,091 a week), across 1,874 jobs covered by unemployment insurance.
What are the biggest industries in Norman County?
The largest private industries by jobs are health care and social assistance (371), agriculture, forestry and fishing (241), retail trade (172).
What is the income per person in Norman County?
Personal income per person was $54,965 in 2024, compared with $75,603 for Minnesota. It counts wages, business income, investment income and government benefits.
How many businesses are in Norman County?
Norman County had 175 business establishments with paid employees in 2023, plus 466 businesses with no employees.