1st Advantage MortgageIn Freeborn County, Minnesota, the typical household earns $71,023 a year and the typical rent is $849. 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
- Who lives in Freeborn County
- Household income in Freeborn County
- Freeborn County housing compared with Minnesota
- Jobs and commutes in Freeborn County
- The communities that make up Freeborn County
- The counties around Freeborn County
- Who lives in Freeborn County, in numbers
- What the numbers mean for Freeborn County borrowers
- Room for a loan payment in Freeborn County
- Before you sign
- Minnesota rules that apply in Freeborn County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Freeborn County
With an estimated 30,623 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Freeborn County ranks 36th of 87 in Minnesota for population. It covers 707 square miles of land, or about 43 people per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 14 places in the county (14 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Albert Lea, with about 18,330 residents, or 60% of the county.
Household income in Freeborn County
The median household income in Freeborn County is $71,023; statewide it is $89,062, so Freeborn County runs 20% below Minnesota as a whole. Only 63 Minnesota counties post a higher median.
| Band | Freeborn County | Compared with Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 23.7% | +6.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.6% | +5.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.1% | -4.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.6% | -7.3 pts |
Some 24% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 33% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 10.6%, 1 point higher than the state's 9.3%. For a borrower in Freeborn 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.
Freeborn County housing compared with Minnesota
A typical Freeborn County rental runs $849 a month including utilities, which is 34% below Minnesota. 45% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 22% spend half or more. With a median value of $171,100, a typical Freeborn County house costs 2.4 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 80% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1959.
| Home costs | Freeborn County | Minnesota | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $849/mo | $1,280/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $171,100 | $329,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 80% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 45% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 23% | n/a |
Because most Freeborn County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
Jobs and commutes in Freeborn County
The biggest employer of Freeborn County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 23% of workers, followed by manufacturing (18%). The sharpest difference from the state is in manufacturing, at 18% locally and 13% for Minnesota. Averaged over the five survey years, 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 9% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 8% work from home. Households without a car make up 5.8% of the total (6.7% statewide).
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Freeborn County | Gap to Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.9% | -3.0 pts |
| Manufacturing | 17.6% | +4.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.0% | +1.3 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.4% | +1.2 pts |
| Construction | 6.4% | 0.0 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 6.0% | +1.0 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Freeborn County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
The communities that make up Freeborn County
14 Census places fall mainly inside Freeborn County; the 14 biggest are below. They account for 22,578 residents, leaving about 26% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Clarks Grove has the highest median household income on the list ($73,750) and Glenville the lowest ($56,563), counting places with at least 500 residents. None of the 14 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Lea | city | 18,330 | $64,603 | $857 | 2 mi |
| Clarks Grove | city | 636 | $73,750 | $845 | 6 mi |
| Alden | city | 629 | $73,250 | $1,042 | 11 mi |
| Glenville | city | 572 | $56,563 | $903 | 8 mi |
| Hartland | city | 422 | $86,250 | $529 | 11 mi |
| Geneva | city | 387 | $61,500 | $670 | 11 mi |
| Emmons | city | 363 | $57,969 | $792 | 13 mi |
| Freeborn | city | 348 | $50,000 | $642 | 12 mi |
| Hollandale | city | 340 | $64,375 | $642 | 9 mi |
| Hayward | city | 231 | $61,250 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Twin Lakes | city | 158 | $55,089 | $558 | 9 mi |
| Conger | city | 99 | $66,250 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Manchester | city | 32 | $68,750 | n/a | 6 mi |
| Myrtle | city | 31 | $56,250 | n/a | 12 mi |
The counties around Freeborn County
Worth County is closest, 21 miles from center to center; the sixth, Faribault County, is 30 miles off. Steele County leads the group on income ($84,196), Faribault County trails ($66,815), and Freeborn County out-earns 2 of the six. Some neighbors are in Iowa. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Freeborn County resident follows Minnesota rules.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freeborn County | - | $71,023 | $849/mo | 80% |
| Worth County, IA | 21 mi | $78,008 | $758/mo | 83% |
| Steele County, MN | 24 mi | $84,196 | $1,061/mo | 79% |
| Waseca County, MN | 27 mi | $76,261 | $883/mo | 81% |
| Winnebago County, IA | 28 mi | $67,642 | $717/mo | 71% |
| Mower County, MN | 30 mi | $73,074 | $927/mo | 78% |
| Faribault County, MN | 30 mi | $66,815 | $799/mo | 79% |
Who lives in Freeborn County, in numbers
18% of Freeborn County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 6.6% of residents have no health coverage.
| Residents | Freeborn County | Minnesota | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.3 | 38.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 18.2% | 39.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.6% | 6.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.6% | 4.7% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.8% | 6.7% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 17.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 10.6% | 9.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.6% | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 47.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 32.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 11.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.1% |
| 60+ min | 5.5% |
What the numbers mean for Freeborn County borrowers
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Freeborn County borrowers.
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
Room for a loan payment in Freeborn County
Here is the Freeborn County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- $71,023 a year is $5,919 of gross monthly income
- Rent at the median, $849, takes 14% of that
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $1,696 left for all other debt payments
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Before you sign
Before you apply, wherever you live in Freeborn County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Minnesota rules that apply in Freeborn County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Freeborn County resident can confirm its license with the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. Statewide data and rules: Minnesota guide.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Minnesota guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Freeborn County household make?
About $71,023 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 20% below the Minnesota median.
How does Freeborn County rent compare with Minnesota?
$849 locally versus $1,280 for the state, 34% below.
Which towns does the Freeborn County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 14 Census places: Albert Lea, Clarks Grove, Alden, Glenville, Hartland.
Will a Freeborn County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Minnesota as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who regulates personal lenders for Freeborn 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.