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Pennington County, MN

3 cities and towns and 3 ZIP codes in Pennington County, Minnesota.

Population

13,791

Land area

617sq mi

People per sq mi

22

ZIP codes

3

Cities and towns in Pennington County

Full map

Pennington County at a glance

  • Pennington County is 69% less dense than Minnesota as a whole.
  • The median household income is $77,325, 13% below the Minnesota median of $89,062.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $195,500 (41% below Minnesota) and median rent is $862 a month.
  • Its largest cities are Thief River Falls (8,823), St. Hilaire (259) and Goodridge (49).

Local data for Pennington County, MN

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Pennington County, MN, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$77,325

Poverty rate

10.5%

Median home value

$195,500

Prices -1.1% in a year

Median rent

$862/mo

Homeownership

72.2%

Bachelor's or higher

21.0%

Median age

39.6

Average commute

12.4 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: Norwegian Americans (4,500), German Americans (2,845), Swedish Americans (1,093).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, income, federal spending and pandemic loans

Details

Unemployment rate

4.3%

Sep 2026, +1.0 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$57,303

9,386 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$71,610

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$104M

FY 2026, $7,417 per person

PPP loans

$31.7M

823 loans, 4,072 jobs reported

Campaign donations

$32.4K

Itemized, 2026 cycle

EconomyFederal spendingPPP loans

How people get to work

Pennington County, MN, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone74.8%
  • Carpooled9.4%
  • Public transit0.4%
  • Walked2.3%
  • Bicycle0.1%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other3.2%
  • Worked from home9.9%

Average one-way commute: 12.4 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Pennington County, MN, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Low

Top: wildfire

Storm events since 1996

399

Most often hail

Flood insurance policies

7

0.1% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

80° / -3°F

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone2 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Pennington County, MN, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

40.2%

U.S. 33.3% +6.9 pts

Diabetes

11.2%

U.S. 12.1% -0.9 pts

Smoking

15.4%

U.S. 12.8% +2.6 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

7.9%

U.S. 11.1% -3.2 pts

Cities, towns and ZIP codes in Pennington County

Population shown

·

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Pennington County, MN?
Thief River Falls is the largest city or town in Pennington County, with about 8,823 residents.
How many ZIP codes are in Pennington County?
Pennington County includes 3 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 56701, 56725, 56754.
What is the population of Pennington County, MN?
About 13,791 people live in Pennington County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What counties border Pennington County?
Pennington County borders Beltrami County, Polk County, Marshall County, Clearwater County, Red Lake County.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023

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