1st Advantage MortgageThe median Scott County household earns $119,314, and 5% 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
- Scott County at a glance
- Work, industries and travel time in Scott County
- How much Scott County households make
- Renting and owning in Scott County
- Scott County next to its neighbors
- Scott County towns compared
- Budget math at the Scott County median
- What the numbers mean for Scott County borrowers
- Scott County households compared
- Lender oversight for Scott County
- Steps before you apply in Scott County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Scott County at a glance
Scott County is home to about 154,557 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 9th most populous of 87 county-level areas in Minnesota. It covers 356 square miles of land, or about 434 people per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. Shakopee is the biggest of its 7 Census places, at roughly 46,012 people (30% of the county total).
Work, industries and travel time in Scott County
The biggest employer of Scott County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 21% of workers, followed by manufacturing (15%). The survey's unemployment rate for Scott County averages 3.5% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.1%). About 71% drive to work alone and 11% have trips of 45 minutes or more.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Scott County | Gap to Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.3% | -4.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.1% | +1.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.2% | +1.6 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 11.0% | +0.5 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 8.8% | +1.7 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.4% | +0.3 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
How much Scott County households make
Scott County households have a median income of $119,314 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 2nd of 87 in Minnesota.
| Yearly household income | Scott County | Gap to Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 10.2% | -7.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 30.4% | -7.6 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 35.0% | +4.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 24.3% | +10.5 pts |
Some 10% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 59% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 4.6% of Scott County residents in poverty, against 9.3% across Minnesota. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.412 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in Scott 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.
Renting and owning in Scott County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,568 in Scott County versus $1,280 statewide. 52% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 24% spend half or more. Home values center on $419,400, or 3.5 years of median income. Owners occupy 84% of homes.
| Measure | Scott County | Minnesota | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,568/mo | $1,280/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $419,400 | $329,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 84% | 72% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 52% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 23% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 1.4% | 2.9% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 3% | 9% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Scott 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. High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
Scott County next to its neighbors
Carver County is closest, 18 miles from center to center; the sixth, Ramsey County, is 33 miles off. Carver County leads the group on income ($125,946), Ramsey County trails ($81,568), and Scott County out-earns 5 of the six.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott County | - | $119,314 | $1,568/mo | 84% |
| Carver County, MN | 18 mi | $125,946 | $1,514/mo | 81% |
| Le Sueur County, MN | 22 mi | $94,968 | $942/mo | 81% |
| Dakota County, MN | 23 mi | $106,318 | $1,548/mo | 75% |
| Rice County, MN | 24 mi | $83,181 | $1,083/mo | 76% |
| Hennepin County, MN | 25 mi | $97,653 | $1,487/mo | 63% |
| Ramsey County, MN | 33 mi | $81,568 | $1,329/mo | 61% |
Scott County towns compared
The table lists the 7 largest of 7 Census places in Scott County, by population. Together all 7 hold about 134,350 people, so roughly 13% of residents live outside any named place. Elko New Market has the highest median household income on the list ($152,150) and New Prague the lowest ($94,539), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Jordan ($1,192) and steepest in Elko New Market ($2,200). None of the 7 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shakopee | city | 46,012 | $107,223 | $1,531 | 9 mi |
| Savage | city | 32,889 | $125,513 | $1,766 | 11 mi |
| Prior Lake | city | 28,016 | $134,255 | $1,654 | 7 mi |
| New Prague | city | 8,237 | $94,539 | $1,389 | 8 mi |
| Belle Plaine | city | 7,423 | $99,315 | $1,342 | 12 mi |
| Jordan | city | 6,771 | $110,057 | $1,192 | 5 mi |
| Elko New Market | city | 5,002 | $152,150 | $2,200 | 11 mi |
Budget math at the Scott County median
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Scott County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $119,314 a year is $9,943 of gross monthly income
- Less median rent of $1,568, which is 16% of it
- With a 36% ceiling, about $2,011 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $2,707 left for all other debt payments
Two-income households and single earners in Scott County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
What the numbers mean for Scott County borrowers
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Scott County borrowers.
- Higher earners. 59% of households clear $100,000; shop at least three lenders and pick the shortest term.
- 52% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Consolidating cards in Scott County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
Scott County households compared
Degree holders: 44% of adults over 25. 3.7% of residents have no health coverage.
| Measure | Scott County | Minnesota statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 | 38.8 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 44.1% | 39.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.4% | 6.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 3.7% | 4.7% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 3.1% | 6.7% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 19.7% | 17.6% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 4.6% | 9.3% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.5% | 4.1% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Scott County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 25.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 37.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 25.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 7.3% |
| 60+ min | 4.2% |
Lender oversight for Scott County
The Minnesota Department of Commerce is the place to verify any lender's Minnesota license. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. See the Minnesota state guide for the statewide picture.
Steps before you apply in Scott County
Quick steps for Scott County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Verify the Minnesota license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Minnesota guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Scott County a high-income county?
Its $119,314 median ranks 2nd of 87 Minnesota counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
What do renters pay in Scott County?
$1,568 a month at the median, about 16% of median household income.
What are the biggest places in Scott County?
By population: Shakopee, Savage, Prior Lake, New Prague, Belle Plaine. The county has 7 Census places in all.
Will a Scott 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 do I complain to about a lender in Scott County?
Start with the Minnesota Department of Commerce, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.