Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Located in Minnesota, Otter Tail County has a population of 60,475 residents and a median age of 46.2 years, making it the #889 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 8.7%. The median home value is $273,000, and the median household income is $72,255, which is 4% below the national median.
Demographics
Otter Tail County has a population of 60,475, making it the #889 most populous county in the US. The median age is 46.2 years, which is 18.8% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Otter Tail County is $72,255, ranking #1,029 out of 3,222 counties — 3.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 8.7% and unemployment stands at 4.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Otter Tail County is $273,000 (-3.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $868/mo and the homeownership rate is 79.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Otter Tail County, 28.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 16.0% below the national average, ranking #898 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Otter Tail County is 78.9 years. 17.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.6% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
19.7% of adults in Otter Tail County smoke , 38.2% are obese , and 24.6% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 8.9 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Otter Tail County is 2.7 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 20.3 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 10.4 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
12.1% of children in Otter Tail County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 4.7 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 11.8 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Otter Tail County is 80.8%. The mean commute time is 22.8 min, which is 17.5% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Otter Tail County voted Republican with a margin of 34.2%. The vote was 32.1% Dem / 66.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.7 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a total population of 60,475, making it the 889th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Otter Tail County is 46.2 years, which is 18.8% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Otter Tail County is $72,255, which ranks #1,029 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 3.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 8.7%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.8%.
The median home value in Otter Tail County is $273,000, 3.2% below the national median. Renters in Otter Tail County pay a median gross rent of $868 per month. The homeownership rate is 79.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Otter Tail County, 28.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 16.0% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 22.8 min.
Otter Tail County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 90.5% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (4.0%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
All data for Otter Tail County, Minnesota comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.