1st Advantage MortgageThe median Itasca County household earns $68,603, and 12% of residents live below the poverty line. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- A quick profile of Itasca County
- Paychecks and income spread in Itasca County
- Work, industries and travel time in Itasca County
- What it costs to live in Itasca County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Itasca County
- Itasca County next to its neighbors
- Debt-to-income at Itasca County's medians
- Itasca County households compared
- Before borrowing in Itasca County
- Lender oversight for Itasca County
- Steps before you apply in Itasca County
- More guides for Itasca County
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Itasca County
Roughly 45,275 residents live in Itasca County, Minnesota, 22nd by population among the state's 87 counties and county equivalents. It covers 2,668 square miles of land, or about 17 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Itasca County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 19 places in the county (16 incorporated, 3 census-designated); the largest is Grand Rapids, with about 11,207 residents, or 25% of the county.
Paychecks and income spread in Itasca County
At $68,603, the typical Itasca County household income is 4% above the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Band | Itasca County | Compared with Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 23.6% | +6.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.3% | +7.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 24.9% | -5.9 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.1% | -7.7 pts |
Some 24% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 31% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 12.2%, 3 points higher than the state's 9.3%. None of these numbers decides a Itasca County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Work, industries and travel time in Itasca County
Education and health care employs 27% of working residents, the largest share; retail trade is next with 14%. The sharpest difference from the state is in retail trade, at 14% locally and 11% for Minnesota. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.9% in Itasca County. About 76% drive to work alone and 14% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Households without a car make up 4.7% of the total (6.7% statewide).
| Industry | Share of Itasca County workers | vs Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.8% | +1.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.9% | +3.2 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9.7% | -3.7 pts |
| Construction | 8.8% | +2.4 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.5% | +0.4 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.4% | -4.2 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 Itasca County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $988 in Itasca County versus $1,280 statewide. By the Census definition, 58% of Itasca County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $225,200, a typical Itasca County house costs 3.3 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 83% of homes. The median home was built in 1979, so roofs, wiring and heating systems are a common source of repair bills.
| Cost | Itasca County | Minnesota figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $988/mo | $1,280/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $225,200 | $329,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 83% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 58% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 25% | 23% | n/a |
Because most Itasca 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. When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Cities, towns and CDPs in Itasca County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 19 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 50% of Itasca County residents live in one of the 19. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $38,824 in Deer River to $92,692 in Cohasset. Rent is cheapest in Marble ($658) and steepest in Coleraine ($1,167). No Itasca County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 19.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | city | 11,207 | $61,029 | $1,090 | 18 mi |
| Cohasset | city | 2,703 | $92,692 | $827 | 17 mi |
| Coleraine | city | 2,150 | $74,716 | $1,167 | 18 mi |
| Keewatin | city | 1,215 | $53,643 | $932 | 25 mi |
| Nashwauk | city | 926 | $57,589 | $688 | 22 mi |
| Deer River | city | 889 | $38,824 | $816 | 13 mi |
| Marble | city | 669 | $53,958 | $658 | 19 mi |
| Bovey | city | 646 | $64,083 | $948 | 16 mi |
| La Prairie | city | 592 | $69,375 | $725 | 19 mi |
| Taconite | city | 468 | $84,375 | $2,625 | 16 mi |
| Bigfork | city | 375 | $29,375 | $1,000 | 18 mi |
| Calumet | city | 279 | $43,036 | $645 | 20 mi |
| Warba | city | 146 | $59,688 | $1,143 | 29 mi |
| Ball Club | CDP | 127 | n/a | n/a | 19 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Itasca County next to its neighbors
Cass County is closest, 50 miles from center to center; the sixth, Beltrami County, is 70 miles off. Hubbard County leads the group on income ($71,995), Aitkin County trails ($60,833), and Itasca County out-earns 2 of the six.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Itasca County | - | $68,603 | $988/mo | 83% |
| Cass County, MN | 50 mi | $68,874 | $863/mo | 86% |
| St. Louis County, MN | 52 mi | $70,069 | $1,013/mo | 71% |
| Koochiching County, MN | 53 mi | $66,940 | $671/mo | 80% |
| Aitkin County, MN | 62 mi | $60,833 | $869/mo | 85% |
| Hubbard County, MN | 67 mi | $71,995 | $905/mo | 83% |
| Beltrami County, MN | 70 mi | $68,975 | $1,053/mo | 70% |
Debt-to-income at Itasca County's medians
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Itasca County's medians:
- $5,717 a month: gross income for a household at the Itasca County median
- Housing at the median rent of $988 uses 17%
- Under a 35% cap, $2,001 total minus rent leaves $1,013
- At 45%, room after rent is $1,585 a month
If your rent is above $988, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Itasca County households compared
Degree holders: 26% of adults over 25. About 5% go without health insurance.
| Measure | Itasca County | Minnesota statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.9 | 38.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 25.9% | 39.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 4.8% | 6.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.8% | 4.7% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.7% | 6.7% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.5% | 17.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 9.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.9% | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Itasca County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 37.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 33.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 15.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.8% |
| 60+ min | 7.9% |
Before borrowing in Itasca County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Itasca County borrowers.
- Older households. A 46.9 median age means fixed-income borrowing is common; a fixed payment and short term limit risk.
- 58% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
Lender oversight for Itasca County
Consumer lenders serving Itasca County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Minnesota that is the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. More on Minnesota: Minnesota personal loans.
Steps before you apply in Itasca County
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- A Minnesota license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
More guides for Itasca County
The Minnesota guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Itasca County household make?
About $68,603 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 23% below the Minnesota median.
How does Itasca County rent compare with Minnesota?
$988 locally versus $1,280 for the state, 23% below.
Which towns does the Itasca County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 19 Census places: Grand Rapids, Cohasset, Coleraine, Keewatin, Nashwauk.
Can Itasca 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.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Itasca County?
Start with the Minnesota Department of Commerce, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.