Goodhue County

Goodhue County is located in southeastern Minnesota along the Mississippi River, bordering Wisconsin to the east. Established in 1853 and named for James M. Goodhue, an early Minnesota journalist, the county developed around river commerce and agriculture and remains part of the state’s Driftless Area transition zone. It is mid-sized by Minnesota standards, with a population of roughly 47,000 residents. The county seat is Red Wing, the largest community and a regional service center. Goodhue County’s landscape includes wooded bluffs, river valleys, and extensive farmland, reflecting a largely rural character with small cities and townships. Agriculture remains a core land use, while manufacturing, health care, and local services contribute to employment, particularly in and around Red Wing. Cultural identity is shaped by river-town history, outdoor recreation on the Mississippi, and longstanding rural communities.

Goodhue County is in southeastern Minnesota along the Mississippi River corridor, roughly between the Twin Cities metro and the Rochester area. The county seat is Red Wing; local administrative information is available via the Goodhue County official website.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (Goodhue County, Minnesota), Goodhue County had:

• Population (2020): 46,340
• Population (2023 estimate): 47,433

Age & Gender

According to the U.S. Census Bureau data platform (data.census.gov) (ACS 5-year demographic profiles), the county’s age distribution and sex composition are reported in standard Census age brackets and by male/female shares. A single definitive age-by-category and male/female percentage table is not directly presented within QuickFacts; county-level breakdowns are available through ACS profile tables on data.census.gov.

Racial & Ethnic Composition

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (Goodhue County, Minnesota), the county’s racial and Hispanic/Latino composition is reported as percentages for categories including (but not limited to) White, Black or African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, Two or More Races, and Hispanic or Latino (of any race). For the most current county percentages in each category, use the QuickFacts race and Hispanic origin fields for Goodhue County.

Household & Housing Data

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (Goodhue County, Minnesota), county-level household and housing indicators are provided for measures including:

• Number of households
• Persons per household
• Owner-occupied housing rate
• Median value of owner-occupied housing units
• Median selected monthly owner costs (with mortgage / without mortgage)
• Median gross rent
• Building permits (housing units authorized)

For the underlying table definitions and full housing/household datasets, the authoritative source is the U.S. Census Bureau’s data.census.gov (American Community Survey tables and profiles).

Goodhue County’s mix of small cities (e.g., Red Wing) and low-density rural townships shapes digital communication: service quality and subscription rates vary with distance from population centers and available wired infrastructure.

Direct county-level email-usage statistics are not routinely published, so email access trends are summarized using proxies such as household broadband subscriptions, computer availability, and age structure from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS). Higher broadband and computer access generally correspond to higher capacity for regular email use.

Digital access indicators

ACS tables on computer and internet subscriptions (county geography) provide the primary indicators for likely email access in Goodhue County via data.census.gov. These measures capture at-home access rather than workplace or mobile-only email use.

Age and gender distribution

County age composition from the ACS (including older-adult shares) is relevant because email adoption and frequency tend to be lower among older cohorts than among working-age adults. Gender distribution is typically near-balanced and is not a primary driver compared with age and connectivity.

Connectivity and infrastructure limitations

Broadband availability constraints—especially in rural areas—are documented in Minnesota broadband mapping and planning resources such as the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (Broadband), which affects reliable email access and attachment-heavy use.

Goodhue County is in southeastern Minnesota along the Mississippi River, with Red Wing as the county seat. The county includes a mix of small cities, townships, and agricultural land, with river bluffs and valleys near the Mississippi that can affect radio propagation in localized areas. Compared with the Twin Cities metro, Goodhue County has lower population density and larger distances between population centers, conditions that generally make it more expensive to build dense cellular networks and can contribute to coverage gaps or weaker indoor signal in some areas.

Key definitions used in this overview

• Network availability (coverage): Where mobile providers report 4G/5G service is technically available.
• Adoption (use): Whether households/individuals actually subscribe to mobile service, use smartphones, or rely on mobile data for internet access.

County-level statistics for “mobile penetration” (mobile subscriptions per person) are not typically published in a consistent way for U.S. counties. The indicators below rely on publicly available sources that report at county scale (primarily the U.S. Census Bureau for adoption indicators and federal/state broadband mapping for availability).

Mobile penetration or access indicators (adoption)

Household internet adoption measures are available at county level; they are not the same as cellular coverage.

• Household “cellular data plan” as an internet subscription. The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) includes a county-level measure of whether a household has an internet subscription that includes a cellular data plan (often used as a proxy for mobile internet access at home). This indicates adoption/usage, not coverage. Source tables are available through Census.gov data tables (ACS) (search for Goodhue County, MN and “Internet subscription” / “cellular data plan”).
• Smartphone-only or mobile-dependent households. ACS tables also support analysis of households with internet subscriptions that may rely on cellular data rather than fixed broadband. These figures capture household adoption patterns and may reflect affordability, housing type, and the presence/absence of fixed options. County extraction is available via Census.gov.

Limitations:

• ACS “cellular data plan” is measured at the household level and does not directly count individual mobile subscriptions, prepaid plans, or multiple devices per person.
• County-level “mobile penetration” in the telecommunications-industry sense (SIMs/subscriptions per capita) is not consistently published for U.S. counties in open datasets.

Mobile internet usage patterns (availability vs adoption)

Network availability: 4G LTE and 5G

• FCC mobile broadband coverage maps (availability): The FCC collects provider-reported mobile broadband coverage and publishes it through the National Broadband Map. This is the primary nationwide source for where 4G LTE and 5G are reported available at specific locations. Coverage can be viewed and queried for Goodhue County via the FCC National Broadband Map.
• Minnesota statewide mapping and program context: Minnesota maintains broadband resources and mapping that provide state context on served/underserved areas and infrastructure planning. See the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Broadband Office for statewide materials that can be paired with FCC mobile availability to interpret regional connectivity patterns.

What availability data represents:

• FCC mobile availability reflects provider submissions and modeled signal predictions. It indicates where service is expected to be usable outdoors and/or indoors based on provider reporting and FCC methodologies, not guaranteed performance at every point.

Common county-level availability pattern (data-dependent):

• In counties with one small city and extensive rural area (a common structure in southeastern Minnesota), reported 5G is typically most continuous along major highways and around population centers, with more variable 5G coverage in low-density areas; 4G LTE is usually broader. The FCC map provides the definitive, location-specific view for Goodhue County without inferring beyond published coverage layers.

Adoption and usage: how residents actually connect

• ACS household internet subscriptions (adoption): ACS provides county-level estimates of internet subscription types (cable/fiber/DSL/satellite/cellular). These estimates reflect actual household subscriptions and can show how frequently cellular plans are used as a home internet substitute or complement. Use Census.gov to obtain Goodhue County estimates and margins of error.
• No standard county dataset on “4G vs 5G usage share.” Public datasets generally map availability, not how much traffic in the county is carried on 4G vs 5G. Actual radio technology utilization varies by device capability, plan, tower upgrades, and local loading, and is typically proprietary to carriers.

Common device types (smartphones vs other devices)

• County-level device-type detail is limited in public datasets. The ACS does not directly publish “smartphone vs feature phone” ownership at county level. As a result, a precise county breakdown of device types is not available from standard federal county tables.
• Practical proxies available at county level:
  • Cellular data plan subscription in ACS serves as an indirect indicator of smartphone/mobile broadband use in households (because most cellular data access is via smartphones or hotspots), but it does not distinguish smartphones from tablets/hotspots.
  • Computer ownership and broadband subscription types in ACS can be used to assess whether households rely primarily on mobile-only access versus multi-device home networks. This is accessible through Census.gov.

Limitations:
Carrier or market-research datasets that measure smartphone share exist but are not generally published with county granularity in open form.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage

Geographic factors affecting connectivity (availability)

• Settlement pattern and density: Goodhue County’s combination of a principal city (Red Wing) and dispersed rural townships tends to concentrate tower density and backhaul investment near population centers and transportation corridors, with more variable signal strength and capacity in sparsely populated areas.
• Topography: Mississippi River bluffs and valleys can create localized shadowing and variability in signal, particularly for higher-frequency 5G bands that have shorter propagation and are more sensitive to terrain and clutter.
• Land use: Agricultural and open areas can support longer-range macro coverage, while wooded or hilly sections can reduce reliable indoor signal.

Primary sources for evaluating these factors alongside coverage include the FCC National Broadband Map for service footprints and the county’s geographic context via Goodhue County’s official website (transportation, communities, and planning references).

Demographic and socioeconomic factors affecting adoption (use)

• Income and affordability: Mobile-only internet reliance is often associated in ACS analyses with affordability constraints or the lack of a fixed broadband option. County-level subscription types and computer ownership from the ACS provide a way to observe how prevalent cellular-based subscriptions are relative to fixed connections in Goodhue County (see Census.gov).
• Age structure: Older populations tend to have lower smartphone adoption and lower internet subscription rates in many survey series, but publicly available county tables typically report overall household subscription rather than age-specific smartphone ownership at county scale. County demographic profiles and ACS age distributions are available through Census.gov.
• Commuting and work patterns: Areas with commuting ties to larger employment centers may show higher demand for continuous mobile coverage along corridors and higher smartphone reliance for navigation and communication; usage intensity measures are not published at county scale in open federal datasets.

Clear distinction: availability vs adoption in Goodhue County

• Availability (network): Best measured through provider-reported coverage layers in the FCC National Broadband Map (4G LTE and 5G by location).
• Adoption (households): Best measured through the ACS “internet subscription” tables on Census.gov, including the share of households with a cellular data plan and the distribution of subscription types (cellular vs fixed).

Data limitations at county scale

• No standardized public county dataset provides:
  • Mobile subscriptions per capita (true “mobile penetration”) in a carrier/accounting sense
  • Actual 4G vs 5G traffic share or average time-on-network by technology
  • Smartphone vs feature phone ownership rates at county level

Public, county-resolvable measurement is strongest for household adoption (ACS) and reported coverage availability (FCC mapping), and weakest for device mix and actual usage by radio technology.

Goodhue County is in southeastern Minnesota along the Mississippi River, anchored by the cities of Red Wing (county seat) and Lake City, with smaller communities such as Cannon Falls and Zumbrota. The county’s mix of river-valley tourism, manufacturing, and commuting ties to the Twin Cities region aligns its social media environment more closely with broader Minnesota and U.S. usage patterns than with a single urban-center profile.

User statistics (penetration and active use)

• County-specific social media penetration is not published in major public datasets in a way that cleanly reports “percent of residents active on social platforms” for Goodhue County alone. Most reliable measurement is available at national or statewide scale.
• Benchmarks commonly used to contextualize county-level use:
  • U.S. adult social media use: About 7-in-10 U.S. adults (≈70%) report using social media, according to Pew Research Center’s Social Media Use in 2023.
  • Broadband and smartphone access (key enablers of social media use) are typically measured via the U.S. Census Bureau; county-level access levels are often referenced using American Community Survey (ACS) tables on internet subscriptions and devices.

Age group trends (who uses social media most)

Reliable age-pattern findings are consistent across Minnesota counties and nationally:

• Highest usage: Adults 18–29 have the highest social media use rates in national surveys.
• Mid-level usage: Adults 30–49 remain high users, often with strong engagement on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
• Lower usage but substantial reach: Adults 50–64 and 65+ participate at lower rates than younger groups but still represent a large audience on platforms such as Facebook and YouTube.
• Source benchmark: Pew Research Center (2023) summarizes usage by age and platform.

Gender breakdown

• Overall social media use by gender is generally similar at the U.S. level, with more pronounced gender differences appearing by platform (for example, Pinterest tends to skew more female; Reddit tends to skew more male).
• Platform-by-platform gender differences are summarized in national research such as Pew Research Center’s platform tables.

Most-used platforms (percentages from reputable surveys)

County-level platform shares are not reported in public, standardized datasets, so the most defensible percentages for Goodhue County are U.S. benchmarks commonly used for local planning contexts:

• YouTube: 83% of U.S. adults
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• TikTok: 33%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• WhatsApp: 29%
• Snapchat: 27%
• X (formerly Twitter): 22%
• Reddit: 22%
  Source: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2023.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

• Video consumption is dominant across age groups, supporting high reach for YouTube and short-form video discovery on TikTok and Instagram Reels (consistent with YouTube’s top penetration in Pew’s findings).
• Facebook remains a primary “community infrastructure” platform, commonly used for local groups, events, municipal updates, school activities, and marketplace-style exchanges; this aligns with Facebook’s broad penetration and relatively older-skewing audience in national surveys (Pew Research Center).
• Younger adults show stronger concentration on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, with higher daily-use intensity reported for some platforms in national research; this typically translates into more frequent short sessions and higher messaging/story consumption rather than long-form posting.
• Platform selection often reflects local life patterns common in mixed urban–rural counties: event-driven engagement (community festivals, school sports), local commerce (buy/sell groups), and visual promotion tied to tourism and outdoor recreation, which tends to favor Facebook and Instagram formats.

Goodhue County family-related public records include vital records (birth and death) and some court-related family matters. Birth and death certificates are created and maintained by the county’s local registrar through the Goodhue County Recorder, with certified copies issued under Minnesota vital records rules. Adoption records are generally handled through the court system and state vital records; adoption files and original birth records are typically restricted and not treated as open public records.

Public-facing databases for family/associate research commonly include property and recorded-document indexes and court calendars/filings, rather than searchable birth/death registries. The county provides access points through the Goodhue County Recorder for recorded documents and vital-record services information, and the Goodhue County Court Administration for local court administration contacts and hours. Minnesota court case access is provided through the statewide Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system.

Access is available in-person at the appropriate county office for certified vital records and for assistance with recorded documents; online access is typically available for statewide court records (MCRO) and some recorded-document/property search tools linked from county pages.

Privacy and restrictions: Minnesota limits access to birth records for a set period and restricts issuance to eligible requesters; adoption records and many family court records may be confidential or partially nonpublic.

Record types maintained in Goodhue County

• Marriage records (licenses/certificates): Goodhue County maintains marriage license and certificate records for marriages licensed in the county. Minnesota counties act as the primary local issuer and recorder of marriage license data.
• Divorce records (decrees/judgments): Divorce case records, including the final Judgment and Decree, are maintained as court records in the county where the divorce was filed (Goodhue County District Court for cases filed in Goodhue County).
• Annulment records: Annulments are handled as civil court actions in Minnesota and are maintained as court records (Goodhue County District Court for cases filed in Goodhue County). Final orders/judgments establish the disposition.

Where records are filed and how access works

Marriage records

• Filed/maintained by: Goodhue County government offices responsible for vital records functions (marriage licensing/recording). The county records the marriage and transmits data into statewide vital records systems used for certified copies.
• Access methods:
  • Goodhue County: Requests for certified copies are handled through the county’s vital records/marriage records function.
  • State of Minnesota: Certified copies are also available through the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Office of Vital Records, which maintains statewide vital records and issues certified copies under state law.
    Reference: Minnesota Department of Health — Vital Records

Divorce and annulment records

• Filed/maintained by: Goodhue County District Court (Minnesota Judicial Branch), as case records. Case documents are part of the official court file, and the court administrator is the legal custodian at the county level.
• Access methods:
  • Court access: Court records are accessible through the court’s public access terminals and by record request through the court administrator, subject to rules on public access and confidential information.
  • Online index access: The Minnesota Judicial Branch provides online access to limited case information (register of actions and party/case indexes for many case types), subject to restrictions and omissions required by law and court rules.
    Reference: Minnesota Judicial Branch — Access Case Records

Typical information contained in the records

Marriage license/certificate records (typical fields)

• Full names of the parties
• Dates of birth/ages at time of application
• Places of residence
• Date of marriage and place of marriage (city/county)
• Officiant information and certification/return details
• Names of witnesses (commonly recorded on the certificate/return)
• File/license number and date the license was issued/recorded

Divorce decree (Judgment and Decree) (typical contents)

• Court caption (court, county, judicial district), case number, party names
• Date of entry of judgment and findings/orders
• Determinations on dissolution of marriage and legal status
• Parenting time and legal/physical custody determinations (when applicable)
• Child support and medical support provisions (when applicable)
• Spousal maintenance determinations (when applicable)
• Division of marital property and debt, including real estate provisions
• Name change orders (when requested and granted)

Annulment orders/judgments (typical contents)

• Court caption, case number, party names
• Findings regarding statutory grounds and validity of the marriage
• Orders regarding legal status of the marriage
• Related determinations that may address children, support, and property in accordance with Minnesota law and the specific pleadings/orders in the case

Privacy, confidentiality, and legal restrictions

• Marriage records: Minnesota treats marriage records as vital records and issues certified copies through county vital records offices and MDH under state vital records statutes and rules. Access to certified copies is controlled by state requirements for identification, fees, and authorized purposes; noncertified informational copies and the level of detail released can be limited by law and administrative practice.
• Divorce and annulment court records: Court records are generally public in Minnesota, but access is restricted for:
  • Confidential identifiers and sensitive data (e.g., Social Security numbers, certain financial account numbers), which are protected by court rules and data practices requirements.
  • Sealed or confidential case types/records: Certain filings, exhibits, or entire case files can be sealed by court order or made confidential by statute or court rule.
  • Protected party information: Addresses or other contact information may be restricted in cases involving protective orders or safety concerns, and specific family court documents can contain nonpublic data subject to redaction or limited access rules.
• Statewide governance: Public access to Minnesota court records is governed by the Minnesota Judicial Branch rules and policies on public access, which determine what is available online versus only at courthouse terminals, and what must be redacted or withheld.
  Reference: Minnesota Judicial Branch — Access Case Records

Goodhue County is in southeastern Minnesota along the Mississippi River, anchored by Red Wing and including smaller cities such as Cannon Falls, Zumbrota, and Lake City, plus extensive rural townships. The county’s settlement pattern is a mix of small-city neighborhoods, river- and bluff-adjacent communities, and agricultural land, with many residents commuting to regional job centers in the Twin Cities metro and Rochester area. Key community institutions include multiple independent public school districts and employers in manufacturing, health care, education, retail, and public administration.

Education Indicators

Public schools (count and names)

Goodhue County is served by multiple independent public school districts. A single consolidated count of “public schools in the county” varies by source and boundary definitions (district geography crosses county lines). The most consistently referenced in-county districts are:

• Red Wing Public Schools (ISD 256)
• Cannon Falls Area Schools (ISD 252)
• Zumbrota-Mazeppa Schools (ISD 2805)
• Lake City Public Schools (ISD 813)
• Kenyon-Wanamingo Schools (ISD 2172)
• Pine Island Public Schools (ISD 255)
• Goodhue Public School (ISD 253)

School-level names (elementary/middle/high) differ by district and change over time; the district directories and school listings in the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Data Center are the most reliable current reference for official school names and sites (district and school profiles): Minnesota Department of Education Data Center.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratio: Countywide ratios are typically summarized at the district level in Minnesota. District student–teacher ratios in this part of Minnesota commonly fall in the mid-teens-to-low-20s depending on grade span and district size; the most current official ratios are reported in MDE district/school profiles: MDE district and school profiles.
  Proxy note: A single countywide ratio is not consistently published across federal and state dashboards; district-level figures are the standard proxy for county education conditions.
• Graduation rate: Minnesota reports 4-year cohort graduation rates by district and high school. Goodhue County districts generally report graduation rates around the Minnesota average (typically high-80s to low-90s%), with variation by district and student subgroup. The most recent official graduation-rate values are available via MDE’s graduation and dropout reporting: MDE Graduation and Dropout Data.

Adult education levels (highest attainment)

Adult educational attainment is most consistently measured by the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) for the population age 25+. In Goodhue County, ACS profiles typically show:

• A large majority of adults with high school completion or higher
• A substantial minority with a bachelor’s degree or higher, generally below the statewide Minnesota level (Minnesota overall tends to be higher due to Twin Cities concentration)
  The most recent official county estimates are available through the Census Bureau’s county profile tools (ACS 5-year is the standard for counties): U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov) — Goodhue County educational attainment.

Notable programs (STEM, vocational, AP)

• Career and technical education (CTE)/vocational coursework is widely offered across southeastern Minnesota districts, typically including skilled trades, agriculture-related coursework, business/marketing, health sciences, and technology pathways. District participation and concentrator measures are reported through Minnesota’s CTE reporting and local district course catalogs (district-level reporting varies).
• Advanced Placement (AP), College in the Schools (CIS), and dual-enrollment options (including PSEO) are common in Minnesota high schools; availability is district- and campus-specific and is best verified through each district’s secondary program-of-studies pages and MDE course/program reporting. Minnesota’s statewide dual-credit framework is summarized here: MDE Dual Credit (including PSEO) overview.

Availability note: A county-level inventory of specific AP courses, STEM academies, or vocational labs is not published as a single standardized dataset; district catalogs and MDE program reporting are the most reliable proxies.

School safety measures and counseling resources

Minnesota public schools commonly implement safety and student-support measures that include:

• Emergency operations planning and coordination with local law enforcement and emergency management (school/district plans vary; public summaries are often limited for security reasons)
• Behavioral threat assessment practices and student support teams in many districts
• Student counseling services (school counselors, social workers, psychologists) and multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) frameworks used statewide
  State guidance and requirements are summarized through MDE’s safe and supportive schools resources: MDE Safe and Supportive Schools.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent)

The official local unemployment rate is published through the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) and Minnesota’s labor market information systems. Goodhue County’s unemployment rate is typically low relative to U.S. levels, consistent with southeastern Minnesota patterns in recent years. The most recent annual and monthly values are available here:

• BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS)
• Minnesota DEED Local Unemployment Statistics

Data note: A single “most recent year” numeric value is time-sensitive; LAUS updates monthly, and annual averages are finalized after the calendar year.

Major industries and employment sectors

Based on standard county industry profiles for southeastern Minnesota, the largest employment sectors typically include:

• Health care and social assistance
• Manufacturing (often including advanced manufacturing and food-related production in the region)
• Retail trade
• Educational services (K–12 and postsecondary employment in the commuting region)
• Accommodation and food services
• Public administration Industry employment and payroll patterns are summarized through Minnesota DEED’s regional/county industry tools: Minnesota DEED industry and employment data tools.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Occupational employment in Goodhue County generally aligns with a mixed small-city/rural economy, with higher shares in:

• Production and transportation/material moving (manufacturing/logistics-related)
• Office and administrative support
• Sales
• Management
• Healthcare practitioners/support
• Education/training/library County occupational staffing patterns are typically presented using model-based estimates (staffing patterns and commuting sheds) rather than direct counts; DEED and BLS occupational data provide the most consistent reference frameworks: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and Minnesota DEED data portal.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

ACS commuting metrics indicate that Goodhue County has:

• A predominantly drive-alone commuting profile, with smaller shares carpooling and limited public transit commuting outside specific city-to-city routes
• A mean commute time broadly consistent with exurban/rural counties tied to metro labor markets (commonly around the upper-20s to low-30s minutes in similar southeastern Minnesota counties; the official Goodhue County mean is available in ACS tables) The most recent official commute-time and means-of-transportation values are available via ACS on data.census.gov: ACS commuting (mean travel time to work) for Goodhue County.

Local employment vs out-of-county work

Goodhue County functions as part of a larger regional labor shed, with notable commuting to:

• Dakota County / Twin Cities metro (northwest)
• Olmsted County (Rochester area) and other southeastern Minnesota counties (south/southeast corridors) The best standardized source for resident-vs-worker flows is the Census “OnTheMap” LEHD tool (residence and workplace area characteristics): U.S. Census OnTheMap (LEHD) commuting flows.
  Proxy note: A single “percent working outside the county” is not consistently reported in one county dashboard; LEHD flow tables provide the definitive counts and shares by work destination.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership and rental share

ACS tenure estimates for Goodhue County typically show a high homeownership rate (commonly around three-quarters of occupied units) and a smaller rental share (often around one-quarter), reflecting the county’s single-family and small-town housing stock. The most recent tenure percentages are available from ACS housing tables: ACS housing tenure for Goodhue County.

Median property values and recent trends

• Median home value (owner-occupied): ACS provides the official median value estimate for Goodhue County; values in the county generally track below the Twin Cities core counties but have experienced appreciation since 2020 consistent with statewide and national trends.
• Recent trend proxy: For short-run market movements (sale prices and listings), regional MLS-based reports are commonly used, but those are not standardized government statistics. The most defensible “official” trend line at the county level is ACS median value across successive 5-year periods, supplemented by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) house price index at broader geographies.
  Official county median value: ACS median home value (Goodhue County).
  Broader price index context: FHFA House Price Index.

Typical rent prices

ACS reports median gross rent for Goodhue County. Rents generally fall below metro-core levels but have increased in recent years. Official median gross rent is available via ACS: ACS median gross rent for Goodhue County.

Types of housing

Goodhue County’s housing mix is characterized by:

• Predominantly single-family detached homes in cities and townships
• Apartments and small multifamily concentrated in Red Wing and other city centers
• Rural lots and farmsteads, including acreage homes and seasonal/recreational properties nearer the Mississippi River corridor ACS structure-type distributions (single-family vs multifamily) are available in county housing characteristic tables: ACS housing structure type for Goodhue County.

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools or amenities)

• Red Wing generally has the most concentrated access to amenities (hospital/clinics, retail corridors, civic services) and clustered school campuses relative to outlying townships.
• Cannon Falls, Zumbrota, Lake City, Kenyon, Wanamingo, and Pine Island function as small-city nodes where most housing is within short driving distance of schools, parks, and local retail, with lower-density residential areas transitioning quickly to rural land.
• Rural townships often have longer drive times to schools, groceries, and services, reflecting dispersed settlement patterns.

Data note: “Distance to schools/amenities” is not published as a single county statistic; settlement patterns and municipal boundaries serve as the standard descriptive proxy.

Property tax overview (rate and typical homeowner cost)

Minnesota property taxes are based on taxable market value, local levies, and classification (homestead vs non-homestead). For Goodhue County:

• Effective tax rate and typical tax paid vary substantially by city/township, school district levy, and property classification.
• Official county property tax summaries and levy information are available through the Minnesota Department of Revenue (property tax statistics and local levies) and the county assessor/treasurer materials.
  Statewide property tax framework and statistics: Minnesota Department of Revenue — property tax.
  Proxy note: A single county “average rate” is not a stable figure because rates differ by taxing district and property class; median/average tax paid is best derived from Department of Revenue tables or county levy summaries rather than a single flat percentage.