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Cass County, MN: population growth, jobs and income

Cass County gained 6 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+0.0%).

Cass County had an estimated 31,430 residents in 2025, up 4.2% (1,278 more people) since 2020. That is faster than Minnesota as a whole (+2.1%), and the 13th fastest growth of 87 counties in Minnesota.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Cass County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Cass County, ranked against Minnesota and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$863/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes47.4%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months2962025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 151 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 7,493 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +14.2% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 6.3% in 2025, 0.5 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 271 new homes in 2025, or 8.6 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $68,874 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +27.9% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 727th.

Part of the Brainerd, MN micro area.

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Cass County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202531,430+6
202431,424+80
202331,344+98
202231,246+586
202130,660+508
202030,152–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Cass County

Cass County grew by 1,278 people since 2020; the largest part came from domestic migration (+1,980).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−153−787
International migrationfrom and to other countries+8+49
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+151+1,980
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+0+36
Total change+6+1,278

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn MinnesotaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth13th of 87727th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents16th of 871,096th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth4th of 87400th of 3,092
Median household income74th of 871,261st of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate82nd of 872,941st of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents4th of 87211th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for Cass County, MN as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

Add 2 neighbouring counties for $50: the Crow Wing County and Beltrami County reports too, $149 for all 3.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Cass County's population change (+4.2%) was ahead of 6 of its 8 neighbouring counties and behind 2 (Crow Wing County and Hubbard County).

4 of its 8 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Cass County's $68,874 (2020–24).

Cass County, MN and its 8 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Cass County, MN This county31,430+4.2%4.88.6$68,874
Crow Wing County, MN69,132+4.3%8.29.0$72,589
Hubbard County, MN22,369+4.6%13.11.1$71,995
Wadena County, MN14,388+1.9%6.05.7$61,467
Morrison County, MN34,620+1.9%3.44.5$69,446
Aitkin County, MN16,252+3.5%6.813.2$60,833
Itasca County, MN45,404+0.8%2.05.5$68,603
Todd County, MN26,060+3.0%0.33.2$67,662
Beltrami County, MN47,055+1.8%4.43.6$68,975

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

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Questions

Is Cass County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 4.2% between 2020 and 2025, about 1,278 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Minnesota as a whole changed +2.1% over the same years. That ranks 13th of 87 counties in Minnesota for population growth.

How many people moved to Cass County?

On net, about 151 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Cass County?

It averaged 6.3% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Cass County?

About 31,430 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Cass County?

Private employers there had 7,493 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +14.2% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Minnesota

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Minnesota county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Cass County data alerts

Email me when Cass County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Cass County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.