1st Advantage MortgageThe median Beltrami County household earns $68,975, and 16% of residents live below the poverty line. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Beltrami County at a glance
- Beltrami County housing compared with Minnesota
- Household income in Beltrami County
- Work, industries and travel time in Beltrami County
- Beltrami County next to its neighbors
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Beltrami County
- Beltrami County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Before borrowing in Beltrami County
- Debt-to-income at Beltrami County's medians
- Who licenses lenders for Beltrami County residents
- Before you sign
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Beltrami County at a glance
With an estimated 46,512 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Beltrami County ranks 21st of 87 in Minnesota for population. It covers 2,505 square miles of land, or about 19 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Beltrami County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 12 places in the county (8 incorporated, 4 census-designated); the largest is Bemidji, with about 15,569 residents, or 33% of the county.
Beltrami County housing compared with Minnesota
A typical Beltrami County rental runs $1,053 a month including utilities, which is 18% below Minnesota. 44% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 22% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $237,500, about 3.4 times the median household income. 70% of Beltrami County households own their home and 30% rent.
| Housing | Beltrami County | Minnesota statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,053/mo | $1,280/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $237,500 | $329,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 70% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 44% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 26% | 23% | n/a |
Household income in Beltrami County
Half of Beltrami County households take in less than $68,975 a year and half take in more, 23% below the Minnesota median of $89,062.
| Band | Beltrami County | Compared with Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 24.0% | +6.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.2% | +5.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 25.6% | -5.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.2% | -6.6 pts |
The spread is wide: 33% of Beltrami County households make $100,000 or more, and 24% make less than $35,000. 16.1% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 9.3%). For a borrower in Beltrami County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Work, industries and travel time in Beltrami County
By the Census industry count, 32% of employed Beltrami County residents work in education and health care and 13% in retail trade. Compared with Minnesota, the county leans toward education and health care (32% against 26%). Averaged over the five survey years, 4.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 11% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 5.9% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Beltrami County | Gap to Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 32.3% | +6.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.5% | +1.9 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.7% | +2.5 pts |
| Public administration | 8.5% | +4.8 pts |
| Construction | 7.7% | +1.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.5% | -4.1 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
Beltrami County next to its neighbors
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Beltrami County's, from 27 to 62 miles away. Income ranges from $59,441 in Mahnomen County to $77,546 in Lake of the Woods County; 4 of these neighbors top Beltrami County's median.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beltrami County | - | $68,975 | $1,053/mo | 70% |
| Clearwater County, MN | 27 mi | $64,475 | $742/mo | 80% |
| Pennington County, MN | 50 mi | $77,325 | $862/mo | 72% |
| Red Lake County, MN | 50 mi | $77,188 | $583/mo | 83% |
| Mahnomen County, MN | 53 mi | $59,441 | $696/mo | 73% |
| Hubbard County, MN | 54 mi | $71,995 | $905/mo | 83% |
| Lake of the Woods County, MN | 62 mi | $77,546 | $955/mo | 82% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Beltrami County
12 Census places fall mainly inside Beltrami County; the 12 biggest are below. They account for 21,684 residents, leaving about 53% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Incomes vary by place: $57,059 at the median in Redby, $36,447 in Blackduck. Rent is cheapest in Red Lake ($378) and steepest in Bemidji ($1,067). None of the 12 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bemidji | city | 15,569 | $55,405 | $1,067 | 28 mi |
| Redby | CDP | 1,495 | $57,059 | $518 | 5 mi |
| Red Lake | CDP | 1,481 | $46,328 | $378 | 1 mi |
| Little Rock | CDP | 944 | n/a | n/a | 5 mi |
| Blackduck | city | 699 | $36,447 | $749 | 23 mi |
| Ponemah | CDP | 391 | n/a | n/a | 12 mi |
| Kelliher | city | 341 | $102,529 | $600 | 27 mi |
| Wilton | city | 327 | $70,625 | $1,167 | 26 mi |
| Tenstrike | city | 207 | $58,750 | $845 | 21 mi |
| Solway | city | 117 | $96,250 | n/a | 25 mi |
| Turtle River | city | 58 | $89,375 | n/a | 23 mi |
| Funkley | city | 55 | $23,813 | n/a | 28 mi |
Beltrami County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 32% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 7.8%, against 4.7% for Minnesota.
| Residents | Beltrami County | Minnesota | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 | 38.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 31.8% | 39.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.7% | 6.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.8% | 4.7% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.9% | 6.7% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 17.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 16.1% | 9.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.7% | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 44.9% |
| 15 to 29 min | 35.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 8.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.6% |
| 60+ min | 7.0% |
Before borrowing in Beltrami County
Based on the Beltrami County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Beltrami County borrower sees (free reports).
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Beltrami County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
Debt-to-income at Beltrami County's medians
Beltrami County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $5,748 a month: gross income for a household at the Beltrami County median
- Rent at the median, $1,053, takes 18% of that
- $1,016: what a 36% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Who licenses lenders for Beltrami County residents
Beltrami County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. Statewide data and rules: Minnesota guide.
Before you sign
Quick steps for Beltrami County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Ask a Beltrami County credit union about member loans.
Related local guides
The Minnesota guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Beltrami County earn?
The median is $68,975; 33% earn $100,000 or more and 24% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Beltrami County?
$1,053 a month at the median, about 18% of median household income.
Does this page cover Bemidji?
Yes, along with the other 11 Census places in Beltrami County, such as Redby, Red Lake, Little Rock.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Beltrami County or elsewhere in Minnesota, the same rules apply.
Who regulates personal lenders for Beltrami County residents?
The Minnesota Department of Commerce licenses consumer lenders in Minnesota; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.