1st Advantage MortgageFaribault County households have a median income of $66,815 and median rent of $799 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Minnesota before sharing details.
On this page
- A quick profile of Faribault County
- Rent, home values and ownership in Faribault County
- What Faribault County households earn
- The Faribault County job picture
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Faribault County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Budget math at the Faribault County median
- More Faribault County figures
- Borrowing situations common in Faribault County
- Checklist for Faribault County applicants
- Lender oversight for Faribault County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Faribault County
Roughly 13,914 residents live in Faribault County, Minnesota, 59th by population among the state's 87 counties and county equivalents. Spread over 712 square miles, that works out to roughly 19.5 residents per square mile. Under the July 2023 OMB definitions, Faribault County is not part of any metropolitan area. Of the 11 Census places inside Faribault County, Blue Earth leads by population with about 3,165; 11 of the 11 are incorporated.
Rent, home values and ownership in Faribault County
Renters in Faribault County pay a median of $799 a month, 38% below the Minnesota figure of $1,280. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 42% of renter households here. Home values center on $135,300, or 2.0 years of median income. 79% of Faribault County households own their home and 21% rent. The median home was built in 1952, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Faribault County | Minnesota | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $799/mo | $1,280/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $135,300 | $329,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 79% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 42% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 23% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 1.2% | 2.9% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Faribault County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
What Faribault County households earn
Half of Faribault County households take in less than $66,815 a year and half take in more, 25% below the Minnesota median of $89,062. In the state ranking that is 79th of 87.
| Households earning | Faribault County | +/- vs Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 23.2% | +5.8 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 46.4% | +8.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 24.7% | -6.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.7% | -8.1 pts |
The spread is wide: 30% of Faribault County households make $100,000 or more, and 23% make less than $35,000. 10.4% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 9.3%). Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.432 here. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
The Faribault County job picture
The biggest employer of Faribault County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 23% of workers, followed by manufacturing (14%). The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 11% locally and 2% for Minnesota. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.4% in Faribault County. Long commutes are the exception here: 11% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 4.9% of the total (6.7% statewide).
| Industry | Share of Faribault County workers | vs Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.5% | -2.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 13.7% | +0.3 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 10.9% | +8.8 pts |
| Construction | 9.2% | +2.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 8.4% | -2.3 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 6.6% | +1.6 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Cities, towns and CDPs in Faribault County
Here are the 11 most populous of the county's 11 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 68% of Faribault County residents live in one of the 11. Minnesota Lake has the highest median household income on the list ($68,750) and Winnebago the lowest ($59,643), counting places with at least 500 residents. None of the 11 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Earth | city | 3,165 | $66,771 | $918 | 8 mi |
| Wells | city | 2,296 | $60,156 | $694 | 12 mi |
| Winnebago | city | 1,280 | $59,643 | $713 | 13 mi |
| Minnesota Lake | city | 687 | $68,750 | $1,015 | 13 mi |
| Kiester | city | 494 | $52,727 | $820 | 15 mi |
| Elmore | city | 451 | $41,250 | $1,006 | 14 mi |
| Bricelyn | city | 392 | $52,750 | $621 | 10 mi |
| Frost | city | 275 | $76,250 | $825 | 6 mi |
| Easton | city | 178 | $76,250 | $1,125 | 7 mi |
| Delavan | city | 160 | $63,125 | n/a | 7 mi |
| Walters | city | 57 | $38,125 | n/a | 15 mi |
Neighboring counties at a glance
Six nearby counties, 23 to 35 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Waseca County leads the group on income ($76,261), Martin County trails ($59,507), and Faribault County out-earns 1 of the six. The list crosses into Iowa, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faribault County | - | $66,815 | $799/mo | 79% |
| Winnebago County, IA | 23 mi | $67,642 | $717/mo | 71% |
| Blue Earth County, MN | 25 mi | $74,477 | $1,123/mo | 61% |
| Waseca County, MN | 30 mi | $76,261 | $883/mo | 81% |
| Freeborn County, MN | 30 mi | $71,023 | $849/mo | 80% |
| Martin County, MN | 30 mi | $59,507 | $761/mo | 69% |
| Kossuth County, IA | 35 mi | $67,697 | $859/mo | 79% |
Budget math at the Faribault County median
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Faribault County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $5,568 a month: gross income for a household at the Faribault County median
- Housing at the median rent of $799 uses 14%
- 40% debt-to-income limit: $1,428 left for all other debt payments
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
More Faribault County figures
College graduates make up 22% of the adult population. About 6% go without health insurance.
| Measure | Faribault County | Minnesota statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.3 | 38.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 21.8% | 39.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.0% | 6.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.8% | 4.7% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.9% | 6.7% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 8.2% | 17.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 10.4% | 9.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.4% | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Faribault County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 49.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 23.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 16.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.6% |
| 60+ min | 4.3% |
Borrowing situations common in Faribault County
A few patterns in the Faribault County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
Checklist for Faribault County applicants
Quick steps for Faribault County:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Lender oversight for Faribault County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Faribault County, check the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. More on Minnesota: Minnesota personal loans.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Minnesota guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Faribault County earn?
The median is $66,815; 30% earn $100,000 or more and 23% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Faribault County?
$799 a month at the median, about 14% of median household income.
Which towns does the Faribault County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 11 Census places: Blue Earth, Wells, Winnebago, Minnesota Lake, Kiester.
Will a Faribault County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Minnesota as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Where can someone in Faribault County check a lender's license?
With the Minnesota Department of Commerce. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.