1st Advantage MortgageThe median Big Stone County household earns $70,400, and 13% of residents live below the poverty line. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Minnesota license first.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Big Stone County
- Income in Big Stone County compared with Minnesota
- How Big Stone County residents earn a living
- What it costs to live in Big Stone County
- Counties near Big Stone County
- Big Stone County towns compared
- Room for a loan payment in Big Stone County
- Big Stone County households compared
- Before borrowing in Big Stone County
- Four steps for Big Stone County borrowers
- Who licenses lenders for Big Stone County residents
- More guides for Big Stone County
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Big Stone County
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Big Stone County's population at 5,127; only 82 of Minnesota's 87 county-level areas are larger. Land area is 499 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 10 per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Big Stone County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Of the 8 Census places inside Big Stone County, Ortonville leads by population with about 2,028; 8 of the 8 are incorporated. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Big Stone County figure on this page as a rough guide.
Income in Big Stone County compared with Minnesota
The median household income in Big Stone County is $70,400; statewide it is $89,062, so Big Stone County runs 21% below Minnesota as a whole.
| Yearly household income | Big Stone County | Gap to Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 25.1% | +7.8 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.1% | +2.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 27.3% | -3.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.4% | -6.4 pts |
About 25% of households earn under $35,000, while 35% clear $100,000. 12.9% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 9.3%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.463 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a Big Stone County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
How Big Stone County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Big Stone County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 35% of workers, followed by agriculture, forestry and mining (13%). The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 13% locally and 2% for Minnesota. The survey's unemployment rate for Big Stone County averages 1.8% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.1%). Long commutes are the exception here: 9% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 4.4% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Sector | Big Stone County | Compared with Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 34.8% | +9.0 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 12.5% | +10.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.8% | +0.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.4% | -5.0 pts |
| Construction | 7.7% | +1.4 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 5.7% | +0.8 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
What it costs to live in Big Stone County
Renters in Big Stone County pay a median of $745 a month, 42% below the Minnesota figure of $1,280. By the Census definition, 41% of Big Stone County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $169,100, a typical Big Stone County house costs 2.4 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 80%.
| Housing | Big Stone County | Minnesota statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $745/mo | $1,280/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $169,100 | $329,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 80% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 41% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 26% | 23% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
Counties near Big Stone County
Distances run center to center, from Stevens County at 23 miles out to Swift County at 36. Income ranges from $60,412 in Swift County to $75,733 in Stevens County; 3 of these neighbors top Big Stone County's median. The list crosses into South Dakota, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Stone County | - | $70,400 | $745/mo | 80% |
| Stevens County, MN | 23 mi | $75,733 | $951/mo | 63% |
| Traverse County, MN | 24 mi | $62,989 | $615/mo | 82% |
| Grant County, SD | 25 mi | $75,028 | $763/mo | 76% |
| Roberts County, SD | 30 mi | $65,130 | $658/mo | 71% |
| Lac qui Parle County, MN | 31 mi | $74,432 | $728/mo | 83% |
| Swift County, MN | 36 mi | $60,412 | $920/mo | 72% |
Big Stone County towns compared
Here are the 8 most populous of the county's 8 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 63% of Big Stone County residents live in one of the 8. No Big Stone County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 8.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ortonville | city | 2,028 | $56,133 | $747 | 8 mi |
| Graceville | city | 564 | $66,111 | $739 | 10 mi |
| Clinton | city | 281 | $88,750 | $625 | 4 mi |
| Beardsley | city | 229 | $64,375 | $613 | 18 mi |
| Odessa | city | 87 | $46,250 | n/a | 11 mi |
| Johnson | city | 20 | n/a | n/a | 12 mi |
| Correll | city | 18 | n/a | n/a | 17 mi |
| Barry | city | 16 | $83,750 | n/a | 12 mi |
Room for a loan payment in Big Stone County
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Big Stone County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Start: $5,867 gross per month ($70,400 / 12)
- Median rent: $745, or 13 cents of every gross dollar
- Under a 40% cap, $2,347 total minus rent leaves $1,602
If your rent is above $745, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Big Stone County households compared
26% of Big Stone County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 3.5%, against 4.7% for Minnesota.
| Indicator | Big Stone County | All of Minnesota | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.0 | 38.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 25.7% | 39.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.1% | 6.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 3.5% | 4.7% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.4% | 6.7% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.6% | 17.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 9.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 1.8% | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 52.1% |
| 15 to 29 min | 28.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 9.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.2% |
| 60+ min | 6.1% |
Before borrowing in Big Stone County
Where the Big Stone County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Fixed incomes. Big Stone County's median age is 47.0. Social Security and pensions count as income when documented.
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Big Stone County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
Four steps for Big Stone County borrowers
Quick steps for Big Stone County:
- Price the Big Stone County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Big Stone County-area credit union.
- Verify the Minnesota license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Who licenses lenders for Big Stone County residents
Consumer lenders serving Big Stone County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Minnesota that is the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. The Minnesota guide covers state rules in more detail.
More guides for Big Stone County
For statewide rules and data, see the Minnesota guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Big Stone County a high-income county?
Its $70,400 median ranks 67th of 87 Minnesota counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
Is Big Stone County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $745 against $1,280 statewide, and 41% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I own my home in Big Stone County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 80% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
Which towns does the Big Stone County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 8 Census places: Ortonville, Graceville, Clinton, Beardsley, Odessa.
Can Big Stone County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Minnesota county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.