Roseau County is located in far northwestern Minnesota, bordering Manitoba, Canada to the north and situated west of Lake of the Woods. Established in 1894 and shaped by the Red River Valley and Lake Agassiz plain, the county developed around agriculture, timber, and cross-border trade. It is small in population, with roughly 15,000 residents, and remains predominantly rural, with population centers clustered in small towns and along transportation corridors.

The county’s landscape is characterized by flat to gently rolling farmland, peatlands, forests, and extensive wetlands that support hunting, fishing, and other outdoor traditions common to northern Minnesota. Agriculture and related services are central to the local economy, alongside manufacturing and government employment. Cultural and community life reflects a mix of Scandinavian and other northern European settlement patterns typical of the region. The county seat is Roseau.

Roseau County Local Demographic Profile

Roseau County is located in far northwestern Minnesota along the Canadian border, within the state’s Red River Valley–Lake of the Woods regional context. For local government and planning resources, visit the Roseau County official website.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov), Roseau County had:

  • Total population (2020 Census): 15,331 (Decennial Census, Roseau County, Minnesota)

Age & Gender

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov), the county’s age and sex profile (American Community Survey 5-year estimates) is summarized by:

  • Age distribution: Available in ACS table S0101 (Age and Sex)
  • Gender ratio / sex composition: Available in ACS table S0101 (Age and Sex)

Exact figures for the requested age distribution and gender ratio are published by the U.S. Census Bureau in the tables above for the selected vintage (typically the most recent ACS 5-year release) on data.census.gov.

Racial & Ethnic Composition

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov), Roseau County’s race and Hispanic or Latino origin composition is published in:

  • Decennial Census (2020) race and ethnicity tables for Roseau County (Minnesota)
  • ACS summary tables such as DP05 (ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates) and race/ethnicity-specific profiles on data.census.gov

Exact county-level percentages and counts are available directly in those Census Bureau tables for the chosen reference year.

Household & Housing Data

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov), household and housing characteristics for Roseau County are available in:

  • DP04 (Selected Housing Characteristics) for housing stock, occupancy, tenure, and related measures
  • S1101 (Households and Families) for household type, family composition, and related measures
  • DP05 (ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates) for selected household and housing summary metrics

Exact values (e.g., number of households, average household size, owner- vs. renter-occupied housing, vacancy rates, and housing unit counts) are published in these tables for the selected ACS 5-year period.

Email Usage

Roseau County’s large land area, low population density, and dispersed small communities in northwest Minnesota shape digital communication by making fixed-line broadband buildout costlier and coverage more uneven than in urban counties.

Direct county-level email-use statistics are not generally published; email adoption is typically inferred from proxy indicators such as household broadband subscriptions, computer availability, and age structure. The most comparable local measures are available through the U.S. Census Bureau’s data tools (American Community Survey), which report household computer ownership and internet subscription (including broadband) at the county level.

Age distribution influences email use because older populations tend to adopt digital services differently than younger cohorts; Roseau County’s age profile (available in ACS demographic tables) provides context for likely reliance on email versus mobile-first messaging.

Gender distribution is typically less predictive of email access than connectivity and age; county sex composition is also available via ACS population estimates.

Connectivity constraints are commonly tied to rural last-mile infrastructure and service availability; local planning and infrastructure context is described through Roseau County government resources and statewide broadband mapping from the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development.

Mobile Phone Usage

Roseau County is in far northwestern Minnesota along the Canadian border, with a predominantly rural settlement pattern, extensive agricultural land, forests, and wetlands. The county seat is Roseau, and the county’s low population density and long distances between communities are structural factors that can limit mobile network coverage and capacity compared with metropolitan Minnesota. Official county context and geography are summarized on the Roseau County government website and in federal geographic profiles on Census.gov.

Key distinctions used in this overview

  • Network availability: Where mobile operators provide service (coverage footprints for LTE/5G) and the quality/capacity implied by signal type. Primary public sources are the FCC mobile broadband maps.
  • Adoption/usage: Whether residents actually subscribe to mobile service, have mobile-capable devices, and use mobile internet. Public county-level measures are limited; the most widely cited public adoption indicators at small geographies come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) and from state broadband programs.

Network availability (4G LTE and 5G)

County-level network availability is best assessed using map-based coverage datasets rather than adoption surveys.

  • 4G LTE availability

    • LTE is generally the baseline mobile broadband technology across rural Minnesota, including Roseau County, but the extent and continuity of LTE coverage varies by carrier and by location (especially outside towns and along road corridors).
    • Publicly reviewable carrier-by-carrier LTE coverage in the county is available through the FCC mobile broadband maps (filters allow selection of “4G LTE” and individual providers).

  • 5G availability

    • 5G availability in rural counties often appears as localized coverage in and around population centers and along transportation corridors, with broader-area 5G dependent on spectrum band and tower spacing.
    • The presence of 5G coverage in Roseau County and its geographic footprint is most reliably verified through the FCC mobile broadband maps, which display provider-reported 5G coverage by technology layer.
    • County-level statements about “how much of the county has 5G” are limited by the fact that publicly accessible maps are the primary source and do not directly measure on-the-ground performance (such as speeds during congestion).

  • Performance vs. coverage limitation

    • FCC coverage layers are designed to represent where service is offered, not the experienced speed, indoor coverage reliability, or congestion impacts at peak times. These limitations are described in FCC broadband data documentation linked from the mobile map pages on FCC Broadband Data.

Adoption indicators (household/device access) and limitations

Public, county-specific statistics that directly quantify “mobile penetration” (such as the share of people with a mobile subscription) are not consistently published at the county level in a single standardized dataset. The most comparable public indicators are:

  • ACS “computer and internet use” measures (proxy indicators)

    • The U.S. Census Bureau publishes estimates on internet subscriptions and device availability via the ACS. These tables can indicate:
      • Households with any internet subscription
      • Device types present in the household (desktop/laptop, smartphone, tablet, other)
    • County-level estimates (with margins of error) can be retrieved from Census.gov by searching for Roseau County, MN and “Computer and Internet Use.”
    • Limitation: ACS measures are household-level and do not perfectly equate to “mobile penetration.” They indicate device presence and household internet subscription types rather than individual mobile subscriptions and carrier penetration.

  • State broadband planning context

    • Minnesota’s statewide broadband program tracks availability and broader adoption themes, primarily focused on fixed broadband but often relevant for understanding rural connectivity constraints and reliance on wireless where fixed options are limited. Background and reports are available from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Broadband Office.
    • Limitation: State reports may not publish a complete county-by-county mobile adoption rate; they are more commonly used for fixed broadband availability and program planning.

Mobile internet usage patterns (as observable from public data)

County-level “usage patterns” such as average mobile data consumption, share of residents using mobile-only internet, or commuting-related connectivity behavior are not typically published in a standardized public dataset for individual counties. Publicly supportable patterns for Roseau County can be described in terms of technology availability and rural context:

  • 4G as a foundational layer

    • In rural areas, LTE typically provides the broadest-area mobile broadband coverage and is the most common fallback layer where 5G is absent or inconsistent. Coverage confirmation is via the FCC mobile broadband maps.

  • 5G as a partial overlay

    • 5G coverage, where present, is typically layered on top of existing LTE infrastructure. The publicly verifiable statement for Roseau County is the mapped presence/absence by provider and location, as shown on the FCC mobile broadband maps.
    • Limitation: Public sources do not provide county-level breakdowns of the share of mobile connections actively using 5G vs. LTE at a given time.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

  • Household device availability (ACS-based)

    • The ACS provides the most accessible county-level public indicator for device types, including whether households report having a smartphone and/or other computing devices. These estimates can be accessed on Census.gov under “Computer and Internet Use” tables for Roseau County, MN.
    • Interpretation boundary: ACS device questions indicate whether devices are present in the household, not which devices are used most frequently for internet access, nor whether the smartphone is paired with a paid mobile data plan.

  • Non-phone mobile connectivity

    • Tablets and hotspots are not always separately quantifiable at the county level in public datasets. Where reported, they generally appear as “tablet or other portable wireless computer.” Detailed penetration of mobile hotspots (standalone) is typically available only from proprietary carrier or market research sources.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

  • Rural settlement and tower economics

    • Low population density increases the per-user cost of building and maintaining dense cellular infrastructure, which can lead to wider spacing between towers and more variable signal quality outside towns. This affects network availability and performance, not necessarily willingness to adopt.
    • The county’s dispersed housing pattern and large land area are observable in county and Census profiles on Census.gov.

  • Terrain, land cover, and propagation

    • Forested areas and wetlands can reduce signal strength, especially indoors or at the edges of coverage. Flat agricultural areas can support longer-range propagation, but long distances still require sufficient tower placement for consistent service.
    • Public coverage maps remain the primary standardized way to reflect these effects at a practical level; see the FCC mobile broadband maps.

  • Cross-border and remote-area considerations

    • Border adjacency can influence roaming behavior and carrier network design, but publicly available datasets do not quantify county-specific roaming reliance or cross-border usage patterns.

  • Socioeconomic factors (adoption-side)

    • Device ownership and subscription choices correlate with income, age, and household composition, but county-specific mobile-only reliance and mobile subscription rates are not consistently published as a dedicated county metric. The most defensible county-level proxies remain ACS household device and subscription tables on Census.gov, reported with margins of error.

Summary: what can be stated confidently with public sources

  • Availability: Provider-reported 4G LTE and 5G coverage footprints for Roseau County are publicly viewable and comparable using the FCC mobile broadband maps. These show where service is offered, not measured speed or reliability.
  • Adoption: County-level, standardized public indicators for device presence and household internet subscription types are available via ACS tables on Census.gov, but they do not directly equal “mobile penetration” (subscriptions per person).
  • Patterns and devices: County-specific mobile usage intensity (data consumption, mobile-only rates) and detailed device mix beyond ACS household device categories are generally not available in open, county-resolved datasets; statements should remain limited to what FCC availability layers and ACS household access measures support.

Social Media Trends

Roseau County is in far northwestern Minnesota along the Canadian border, with Roseau as the county seat and nearby communities such as Warroad. The area’s economy is tied to manufacturing, agriculture, and outdoor recreation, and its rural/remote geography (and winter weather) tends to increase reliance on digital channels for news, community updates, and maintaining social ties across distance.

User statistics (penetration / active use)

  • County-specific social media penetration figures are not published in a standardized way by major survey programs; most reliable measures are available at the U.S. and state level rather than by county.
  • National benchmarks commonly used to approximate local adoption:

Age group trends

Based on national survey patterns (commonly used for local planning when county-level survey data are unavailable):

  • Highest use: 18–29 and 30–49 adults have the highest social media adoption rates overall.
  • Middle: 50–64 use is substantial but lower than under-50 groups.
  • Lowest: 65+ use is lowest, though still a meaningful minority and concentrated on certain platforms (notably Facebook).
  • Source: Pew Research Center social media demographics.

Gender breakdown

Nationally, platform use differs by gender more than overall “any social media” use:

Most-used platforms (share of U.S. adults)

These are the most reliable, widely cited platform shares available for benchmarking local areas:

Behavioral trends (engagement and preferences)

  • Facebook remains the primary “community infrastructure” platform in many rural U.S. areas, used for local news, school and sports updates, buy/sell groups, and event coordination; this aligns with Facebook’s older age skew and broad penetration. Source baseline: Pew Research Center.
  • YouTube use is near-universal among adult internet users and is commonly used for how-to content, entertainment, and learning; in rural settings it also functions as a substitute for in-person instruction and local programming. Source: Pew Research Center.
  • Younger adults show higher multi-platform behavior, with comparatively higher use of Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, and higher daily/near-constant checking. Source: Pew Research Center.
  • Local information habits in rural counties are more sensitive to network quality and device-only access, which can concentrate engagement into mobile-first apps and short-form video when speeds are variable. Connectivity reference points: FCC Broadband Data and Minnesota DEED broadband resources.

Family & Associates Records

Roseau County family-related public records include vital records (birth and death) and court records affecting family status (marriage dissolution, guardianship, and adoption case files). In Minnesota, birth and death records are created and registered under the state’s vital records system and are commonly issued through county vital records offices for eligible requesters.

Public-facing databases for family and associate-related records primarily involve court and property systems. Minnesota court case information is available through the Minnesota Judicial Branch Public Access (MPA Remote), which includes many civil, criminal, and family case indexes, while excluding or restricting certain confidential case types. Official land records and recorded documents are available through the Roseau County website (Recorder and related departments), with access commonly supported in person at the courthouse for certified copies and document review.

Records can be accessed online through state-provided portals (court records) and through county/state request processes for certified vital records. In-person access is available at Roseau County offices for recorded documents and local services, and at the courthouse for court administration services.

Privacy restrictions apply to vital records (controlled issuance), adoption records (generally confidential), and portions of family court matters; public access systems may display limited data or redact protected information.

Marriage & Divorce Records

Types of records available

  • Marriage records (licenses/certificates)

    • Roseau County issues marriage licenses through the county vital records function (commonly handled by the Roseau County Recorder or designated vital records office). After the ceremony, the executed license is returned for recording, and the county maintains the local marriage record.
    • Minnesota also maintains statewide marriage data through the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), Office of Vital Records.

  • Divorce records (dissolution of marriage)

    • Divorce cases are filed in Minnesota District Court. For Roseau County, the court file is maintained by the Roseau County District Court (part of the Ninth Judicial District) through the court administrator.
    • Statewide access to case indexes, register of actions, and many documents is provided through the Minnesota Judicial Branch’s Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system.

  • Annulments

    • Annulments are court proceedings (a marriage “declared void/voidable” under Minnesota law). Like divorces, annulment case records are maintained by the Roseau County District Court and are part of the court’s civil/family case files.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

  • Marriage records

    • Filed/maintained locally: Roseau County’s local vital records office (typically the County Recorder).
    • Filed/maintained statewide: MDH Office of Vital Records maintains statewide vital records.
    • Access methods (typical):
      • Request certified/noncertified copies through the county vital records office (in-person, mail, and/or online service options vary by county).
      • Request copies from MDH for eligible requesters and purposes.
    • Reference: Minnesota Department of Health – Vital Records

  • Divorce and annulment records

    • Filed/maintained locally: The Roseau County District Court maintains the official court file, including orders and the judgment and decree (divorce) or annulment orders.
    • Electronic access/indexing:
      • MCRO provides public access to case information and, for some case types and documents, online document images (availability varies by case type, document type, and access restrictions).
    • Reference: Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO)
      Court system overview: Minnesota Judicial Branch

Typical information included in these records

  • Marriage license/certificate records

    • Full names of spouses (including maiden name where recorded)
    • Date and place of marriage (county/city/township; venue as recorded)
    • Ages and/or dates of birth (varies by form and era)
    • Residences at time of application (often city/county/state)
    • Officiant name and authority; date the marriage was solemnized
    • Witness information (when required/recorded)
    • License/application number and filing/recording details

  • Divorce decrees (Judgment and Decree)

    • Names of parties and case number
    • Date of dissolution and findings/orders
    • Legal determinations related to:
      • Division of property and debts
      • Spousal maintenance (alimony), if ordered
      • Child custody/parenting time and child support, when applicable
      • Name change orders, when granted
    • Ancillary documents may exist in the case file (summons/petition, affidavits, financial statements, motions, orders)

  • Annulment orders

    • Names of parties and case number
    • Legal basis for annulment under Minnesota law (as reflected in findings)
    • Court findings and final order declaring the marriage void/voidable
    • Related orders may address children, support, and property depending on the proceeding and facts

Privacy and legal restrictions

  • Marriage records (vital records)

    • Certified copies are generally limited to persons with a direct and tangible interest as defined by Minnesota vital records law and MDH rules, and to persons with legal authorization.
    • Noncertified records or verification products may be available for certain lawful purposes depending on the record type and agency policy.
    • Identification and fees are generally required for copies.

  • Divorce and annulment court records

    • Minnesota court records are generally public, but access is limited for specific document types and for information classified as confidential or sealed by statute, court rule, or court order.
    • Family court files commonly contain data elements that may be restricted (for example, Social Security numbers, financial account identifiers, certain child-related information, and documents sealed by the court).
    • MCRO may display case indexes and register of actions while withholding restricted documents or fields; full access to nonrestricted documents may require access through the courthouse terminals or records request to the court administrator, subject to access rules.

  • Sealing and redaction

    • Courts may seal records or restrict access to particular documents by order. Court rules and policies also require redaction of certain identifiers in filings, and some confidential information is not available to the general public even when a case exists in public indexes.

Education, Employment and Housing

Roseau County is in far northwestern Minnesota along the Canadian border, with Roseau as the county seat and a largely rural settlement pattern anchored by small towns and lake-country townships. The county’s population is small (roughly in the low–mid 10,000s in recent estimates) and is characterized by a mix of agriculture/forestry land use, manufacturing tied to recreational vehicles and related supply chains, and public-sector employment typical of rural counties.

Education Indicators

Public schools (counts and names)

Public K–12 education is provided primarily through multiple independent school districts serving Roseau County communities. A practical inventory of the main public school systems and schools is available through the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) district/school directory and district websites; countywide, the core public high schools serving the county include:

  • Roseau Public Schools (Roseau)
  • Warroad Public Schools (Warroad)
  • Badger School District (Badger)
  • Greenbush-Middle River School (Greenbush / Middle River area)
  • Lake of the Woods School (serving the northern lake region; portions of its service area extend beyond Roseau County)

School-level and district-level listings are maintained in the state’s directory at the Minnesota Department of Education school and district search. (A single “number of public schools in the county” figure is not consistently published as a county aggregate; the directory provides the authoritative count by filtering for districts/schools with Roseau County locations.)

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

  • Student–teacher ratios: District ratios vary by district size and grade configuration; for rural northwestern Minnesota districts, ratios commonly fall in the low-to-mid teens (students per teacher). The most current, district-specific staffing and enrollment figures used to compute ratios are published in MDE datasets and profiles available through the MDE Data & Reports pages.
  • Graduation rates: Minnesota reports 4-year cohort graduation rates by district and school. Roseau County districts generally track near statewide norms for rural districts, with variation year to year driven by small cohort sizes. The most recent official graduation rates are available through MDE’s graduation and dropout reporting and district/school report cards (see the Minnesota Report Card).

(Countywide graduation rates are not always provided as a single consolidated measure across districts; district-level report cards are the standard, most recent source.)

Adult educational attainment

Adult attainment is typically reported via the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) for residents age 25+. For Roseau County, the most recent 5-year ACS profiles generally indicate:

  • A large share with a high school diploma or equivalent (including some college/associate credentials) consistent with rural Minnesota norms.
  • A smaller share with a bachelor’s degree or higher than Minnesota’s statewide average.

The definitive, most recent county estimates for “high school graduate or higher” and “bachelor’s degree or higher” are published in ACS county tables and profiles accessible through data.census.gov (search “Roseau County, MN educational attainment”).

Notable programs (STEM, vocational training, Advanced Placement)

Across rural Minnesota districts, commonly documented offerings include:

  • Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways (construction trades, welding/manufacturing, automotive, business, healthcare-related courses), often supported through regional partnerships and area career centers.
  • College credit options, including Minnesota’s Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) and concurrent enrollment arrangements with regional colleges.
  • Advanced Placement (AP) availability varies by district size; smaller districts more often rely on College in the Schools/concurrent enrollment rather than extensive AP catalogs.

Program specifics are best documented in district course catalogs and the state report card’s program/service indicators (see the Minnesota Report Card for each district).

School safety measures and counseling resources

Minnesota public schools generally employ layered safety practices, including controlled entry procedures, visitor management, emergency operation plans, and coordination with local law enforcement and county emergency management. Student support staffing typically includes school counselors and access to school social workers/psychologists through district staff or shared-service cooperatives, with availability varying by district size. Statewide requirements and guidance for safe learning environments and student support services are reflected in MDE guidance and district safety plans, with high-level references available through Minnesota Department of Education resources.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year available)

The most current official unemployment rates for Roseau County are published by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS program). In recent years, Roseau County has generally exhibited low unemployment by national standards, with seasonality tied to construction, tourism/recreation, and agriculture-related cycles. The latest annual and monthly rates are available via DEED Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).

Major industries and employment sectors

Roseau County’s employment base typically includes:

  • Manufacturing, including recreation/vehicle-related production and associated supply chains (an important regional driver in the northwest border area).
  • Educational services and healthcare/social assistance, reflecting schools, clinics, and long-term care.
  • Retail trade and accommodation/food services, tied to local service needs and seasonal lake/recreation activity.
  • Public administration, including local government and border-adjacent public services.
  • Agriculture, forestry, and related support activities, more prominent than in metro counties.

Industry detail by county (employment levels and wages) is published in DEED regional/county profiles and QCEW products (see DEED QCEW resources).

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

In rural northwestern Minnesota counties, occupational concentration commonly skews toward:

  • Production, transportation, and material moving (manufacturing and logistics)
  • Office and administrative support
  • Sales and related
  • Healthcare support and practitioner roles (regional clinics, long-term care)
  • Construction and extraction (seasonal variability)
  • Education and protective service/public sector

County-level occupation mixes and commuting flows can be referenced through ACS county occupation tables at data.census.gov and DEED regional workforce summaries.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

Roseau County has a predominantly car-commute pattern typical of rural Minnesota, with limited fixed-route transit and longer trip distances for some workers traveling between townships and the primary employment centers (Roseau and Warroad). Mean commute times for rural counties in this region commonly fall around the low-to-mid 20-minute range, with a sizable share commuting under 30 minutes and a smaller but notable share commuting longer distances for specialized employment. The most recent county mean travel time to work and commute mode shares are published in ACS commuting tables on data.census.gov.

Local employment vs. out-of-county work

Rural counties often show a mix of:

  • Local employment in schools, healthcare, retail/services, manufacturing, and county/city government
  • Out-of-county commuting for specialized healthcare, regional education, construction projects, or jobs in adjacent counties

The most defensible measure of in-county vs. out-of-county commuting uses Census LEHD Origin-Destination Employment Statistics. County-to-county worker flow data can be accessed via the Census OnTheMap tool.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

Roseau County’s housing tenure is characteristically high-homeownership relative to metro areas, reflecting single-family stock and rural homesteads/acreages; rentals are concentrated in the main towns and near employment centers. The most recent official homeownership and renter shares are published in the ACS housing tenure tables at data.census.gov (search “Roseau County, MN tenure”).

Median property values and recent trends

Home values in Roseau County are generally below the Minnesota statewide median, with price trends influenced by:

  • Interest-rate cycles
  • Limited inventory in small towns
  • Seasonal/recreational demand near lakes
  • Condition/age of housing stock

The most current median value of owner-occupied housing units is available in ACS, while market trends are tracked by regional REALTOR®/MLS summaries and housing-market analytics; for authoritative county medians, ACS remains the standard reference (data.census.gov).

Typical rent prices

Rents are typically reported as median gross rent in ACS. In rural northwest Minnesota counties, rents tend to be lower than statewide averages, with limited multi-family supply and some competition for units near major employers. The current median gross rent for Roseau County is available via ACS at data.census.gov.

Types of housing

  • Single-family detached homes dominate in towns and rural areas.
  • Manufactured homes and smaller multi-unit buildings appear in some communities.
  • Apartments and duplexes are more common in Roseau and Warroad than in surrounding townships.
  • Rural lots/acreages are common outside city limits, including seasonal/recreational properties in lake areas.

Housing structure type distributions are published in ACS “units in structure” tables (see data.census.gov).

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools/amenities)

Residential clustering is strongest in Roseau and Warroad, where proximity to:

  • District school campuses
  • Clinics and pharmacies
  • Grocery and general retail
  • Civic services (city offices, libraries, parks) reduces travel time for daily needs. Outside the cities, neighborhoods are more dispersed, with amenities accessed by highway corridors and county roads. Formal “neighborhood” delineations are limited in rural counties; city blocks and township locations are the practical geographic units used in public data.

Property tax overview (average rate and typical homeowner cost)

Minnesota property taxes are driven by taxable market value, local levy decisions (county/city/school district), and classification (homestead vs. non-homestead, agricultural, seasonal/recreational). Countywide “average rate” is not typically published as a single standard metric because effective tax rates vary substantially by:

  • City vs. township
  • School district levies
  • Special taxing districts
  • Property class

The most reliable public sources for typical tax burdens include:

  • Minnesota Department of Revenue property tax summaries and levy information (Minnesota property tax overview)
  • Roseau County assessor/treasurer resources for local statements and valuation processes (county site pages vary; local bills provide the definitive effective rate for a parcel)

For a “typical homeowner cost” proxy, the ACS provides median annual real estate taxes paid for owner-occupied homes at the county level (available at data.census.gov), which is the most consistent cross-county measure when local effective rates are not summarized into a single published county figure.

Table of Contents

Other Counties in Minnesota