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Scott County, MN: population growth, jobs and income

Scott County gained 1,563 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+1.0%).

Scott County had an estimated 159,017 residents in 2025, up 5.1% (7,656 more people) since 2020. That is faster than Minnesota as a whole (+2.1%), and the 7th fastest growth of 87 counties in Minnesota.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Scott County report

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

  • Median gross rent$1,568/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes3.0%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months7062025-10/2026-09
  • 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 575 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 60,419 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +20.4% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 3.4% in 2025, 0.7 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 883 new homes in 2025, or 5.6 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $119,314 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +15.5% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 605th.

Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area.

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Scott County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
2025159,017+1,563
2024157,454+1,309
2023156,145+1,326
2022154,819+1,325
2021153,494+2,133
2020151,361–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Scott County

Scott County grew by 7,656 people since 2020; the largest part came from natural change (+3,717).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths+682+3,717
International migrationfrom and to other countries+294+2,427
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+575+1,501
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+12+11
Total change+1,563+7,656

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 growth7th of 87605th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents22nd of 871,279th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth2nd of 87207th of 3,092
Median household income2nd of 8757th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate11th of 87802nd of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents17th of 87520th of 3,005

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

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Scott 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 Hennepin County and Dakota County reports too, $149 for all 3.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Scott County's population change (+5.1%) was ahead of 5 of its 6 neighbouring counties and behind 1 (Carver County).

Only Carver County had a higher median household income (2020–24) among its 6 neighbouring counties; Scott County's was $119,314.

Scott County, MN and its 6 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Scott County, MN This county159,017+5.1%3.65.6$119,314
Carver County, MN114,379+6.6%10.08.4$125,946
Hennepin County, MN1,284,784+0.2%−0.52.7$97,653
Rice County, MN69,939+4.2%0.21.4$83,181
Le Sueur County, MN29,453+2.9%−1.92.3$94,968
Dakota County, MN457,710+3.9%3.25.1$106,318
Sibley County, MN15,356+3.6%−0.51.8$77,634

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.

All 87 Minnesota counties · Every state

Questions

Is Scott County growing?

Yes. Its population grew 5.1% between 2020 and 2025, about 7,656 more people (Census Bureau population estimates). Minnesota as a whole changed +2.1% over the same years. That ranks 7th of 87 counties in Minnesota for population growth.

How many people moved to Scott County?

On net, about 575 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 Scott County?

It averaged 3.4% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Scott County?

About 159,017 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Scott County?

Private employers there had 60,419 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +20.4% 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.

Scott County data alerts

Email me when Scott 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 Scott 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.