Data / Rankings / Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in Minnesota

Counties in Minnesota by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Mahnomen County had the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 87 counties in 2021, at 9.1%. Pope County had the lowest, at 1.2%. The median was 3.7% and the figure for Minnesota was 4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest9.1Mahnomen County
Lowest1.2Pope County
Median3.787 counties
Minnesota4History

Map of counties, 2021

Aitkin County: 5.6 %Anoka County: 3.8 %Becker County: 3.6 %Beltrami County: 5.5 %Benton County: 3.9 %Big Stone County: 2.4 %Blue Earth County: 3.4 %Brown County: 2.8 %Carlton County: 5 %Carver County: 3 %Cass County: 6.7 %Chippewa County: 5.4 %Chisago County: 3.5 %Clay County: 4 %Clearwater County: 8 %Cook County: 1.8 %Cottonwood County: 4.2 %Crow Wing County: 4.7 %Dakota County: 4 %Dodge County: 2.7 %Douglas County: 3.2 %Faribault County: 4.4 %Fillmore County: 3.4 %Freeborn County: 4.1 %Goodhue County: 3.7 %Grant County: 4.2 %Hennepin County: 4.4 %Houston County: 1.6 %Hubbard County: 4.4 %Isanti County: 4.5 %Itasca County: 6.6 %Jackson County: 3.1 %Kanabec County: 4.5 %Kandiyohi County: 3.4 %Kittson County: 3.4 %Koochiching County: 5.3 %Lac qui Parle County: 2.4 %Lake County: 3.4 %Lake of the Woods County: 5.2 %Le Sueur County: 3.7 %Lincoln County: 2.1 %Lyon County: 3.4 %McLeod County: 3.3 %Mahnomen County: 9.1 %Marshall County: 2.9 %Martin County: 5.4 %Meeker County: 2.4 %Mille Lacs County: 5.8 %Morrison County: 4.5 %Mower County: 3 %Murray County: 2.8 %Nicollet County: 1.9 %Nobles County: 2.8 %Norman County: 5.7 %Olmsted County: 3.2 %Otter Tail County: 4.4 %Pennington County: 3 %Pine County: 6.2 %Pipestone County: 3.1 %Polk County: 4.4 %Pope County: 1.2 %Ramsey County: 4.8 %Red Lake County: 2 %Redwood County: 2.1 %Renville County: 3.4 %Rice County: 5.2 %Rock County: 2.2 %Roseau County: 4.4 %St. Louis County: 4.9 %Scott County: 3.2 %Sherburne County: 2.7 %Sibley County: 3.4 %Stearns County: 4.8 %Steele County: 3.8 %Stevens County: 1.9 %Swift County: 3.4 %Todd County: 3.8 %Traverse County: 4.2 %Wabasha County: 3.8 %Wadena County: 7.1 %Waseca County: 3.8 %Washington County: 3.3 %Watonwan County: 5.9 %Wilkin County: 4 %Winona County: 2.7 %Wright County: 2.4 %Yellow Medicine County: 3.5 %
  • Under 2.7
  • 2.7 to 3.3
  • 3.3 to 3.7
  • 3.7 to 4.4
  • 4.4 to 5.2
  • 5.2 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Mahnomen County: 9.1 %Mahnomen County9.1Clearwater County: 8 %Clearwater County8Wadena County: 7.1 %Wadena County7.1Cass County: 6.7 %Cass County6.7Itasca County: 6.6 %Itasca County6.6Pine County: 6.2 %Pine County6.2Watonwan County: 5.9 %Watonwan County5.9Mille Lacs County: 5.8 %Mille Lacs County5.8Norman County: 5.7 %Norman County5.7Aitkin County: 5.6 %Aitkin County5.6Beltrami County: 5.5 %Beltrami County5.5Martin County: 5.4 %Martin County5.4Chippewa County: 5.4 %Chippewa County5.4Koochiching County: 5.3 %Koochiching County5.3Lake of the Woods County: 5.2 %Lake of the Woods County5.2Rice County: 5.2 %Rice County5.2Carlton County: 5 %Carlton County5St. Louis County: 4.9 %St. Louis County4.9Stearns County: 4.8 %Stearns County4.8Ramsey County: 4.8 %Ramsey County4.8Crow Wing County: 4.7 %Crow Wing County4.7Isanti County: 4.5 %Isanti County4.5Morrison County: 4.5 %Morrison County4.5Kanabec County: 4.5 %Kanabec County4.5Faribault County: 4.4 %Faribault County4.4Polk County: 4.4 %Polk County4.4Roseau County: 4.4 %Roseau County4.4Otter Tail County: 4.4 %Otter Tail County4.4Hubbard County: 4.4 %Hubbard County4.4Hennepin County: 4.4 %Hennepin County4.4Cottonwood County: 4.2 %Cottonwood County4.2Grant County: 4.2 %Grant County4.2Traverse County: 4.2 %Traverse County4.2Freeborn County: 4.1 %Freeborn County4.1Wilkin County: 4 %Wilkin County4Clay County: 4 %Clay County4Dakota County: 4 %Dakota County4Benton County: 3.9 %Benton County3.9Anoka County: 3.8 %Anoka County3.8Steele County: 3.8 %Steele County3.8Mahnomen County: 9.1 %Mahnomen County9.1Clearwater County: 8 %Clearwater County8Wadena County: 7.1 %Wadena County7.1Cass County: 6.7 %Cass County6.7Itasca County: 6.6 %Itasca County6.6Pine County: 6.2 %Pine County6.2Watonwan County: 5.9 %Watonwan County5.9Mille Lacs County: 5.8 %Mille Lacs County5.8Norman County: 5.7 %Norman County5.7Aitkin County: 5.6 %Aitkin County5.6Beltrami County: 5.5 %Beltrami County5.5Martin County: 5.4 %Martin County5.4Chippewa County: 5.4 %Chippewa County5.4Koochiching County: 5.3 %Koochiching County5.3Lake of the Woods County: 5.2 %Lake of the Woods County5.2Rice County: 5.2 %Rice County5.2Carlton County: 5 %Carlton County5St. Louis County: 4.9 %St. Louis County4.9Stearns County: 4.8 %Stearns County4.8Ramsey County: 4.8 %Ramsey County4.8Crow Wing County: 4.7 %Crow Wing County4.7Isanti County: 4.5 %Isanti County4.5Morrison County: 4.5 %Morrison County4.5Kanabec County: 4.5 %Kanabec County4.5Faribault County: 4.4 %Faribault County4.4Polk County: 4.4 %Polk County4.4Roseau County: 4.4 %Roseau County4.4Otter Tail County: 4.4 %Otter Tail County4.4Hubbard County: 4.4 %Hubbard County4.4Hennepin County: 4.4 %Hennepin County4.4Cottonwood County: 4.2 %Cottonwood County4.2Grant County: 4.2 %Grant County4.2Traverse County: 4.2 %Traverse County4.2Freeborn County: 4.1 %Freeborn County4.1Wilkin County: 4 %Wilkin County4Clay County: 4 %Clay County4Dakota County: 4 %Dakota County4Benton County: 3.9 %Benton County3.9Anoka County: 3.8 %Anoka County3.8Steele County: 3.8 %Steele County3.8
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Mahnomen County9.1
2Clearwater County8
3Wadena County7.1
4Cass County6.7
5Itasca County6.6
6Pine County6.2
7Watonwan County5.9
8Mille Lacs County5.8
9Norman County5.7
10Aitkin County5.6
11Beltrami County5.5
12Martin County5.4
13Chippewa County5.4
14Koochiching County5.3
15Lake of the Woods County5.2
16Rice County5.2
17Carlton County5
18St. Louis County4.9
19Stearns County4.8
20Ramsey County4.8
21Crow Wing County4.7
22Isanti County4.5
23Morrison County4.5
24Kanabec County4.5
25Faribault County4.4
26Polk County4.4
26Roseau County4.4
28Otter Tail County4.4
29Hubbard County4.4
30Hennepin County4.4
31Cottonwood County4.2
32Grant County4.2
33Traverse County4.2
34Freeborn County4.1
35Wilkin County4
36Clay County4
37Dakota County4
38Benton County3.9
39Anoka County3.8
39Steele County3.8
41Todd County3.8
42Wabasha County3.8
43Waseca County3.8
44Le Sueur County3.7
45Goodhue County3.7
46Becker County3.6
47Chisago County3.5
47Yellow Medicine County3.5
49Swift County3.4
50Kittson County3.4
51Fillmore County3.4
52Renville County3.4
53Sibley County3.4
54Blue Earth County3.4
54Lake County3.4
56Kandiyohi County3.4
56Lyon County3.4
58McLeod County3.3
59Washington County3.3
60Olmsted County3.2
61Douglas County3.2
62Scott County3.2
63Jackson County3.1
64Pipestone County3.1
65Carver County3
66Mower County3
67Pennington County3
68Marshall County2.9
69Nobles County2.8
70Brown County2.8
71Murray County2.8
72Dodge County2.7
73Winona County2.7
74Sherburne County2.7
75Wright County2.4
76Big Stone County2.4
76Meeker County2.4
78Lac qui Parle County2.4
79Rock County2.2
80Lincoln County2.1
81Redwood County2.1
82Red Lake County2
83Stevens County1.9
84Nicollet County1.9
85Cook County1.8
86Houston County1.6
87Pope County1.2

Other periods

About this ranking

Unemployed civilians aged 16 and over as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

An average over five years of survey responses, so it moves slowly. The official monthly and annual rates for states and counties are unemployment_rate, from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Minnesota by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Minnesota by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/minnesota-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Minnesota by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/minnesota-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Minnesota by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/minnesota-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_minnesota_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Minnesota by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/minnesota-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Minnesota by unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/minnesota-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/unemployment-rate-acs/minnesota-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Mahnomen County, with 9.1% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Pope County, with 1.2% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: unemployed as a percentage of the civilian labor force aged 16 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Unemployment rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in Minnesota: more rankings