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Elk River, MN

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Elk River, MN

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Demographics

Predominantly WhiteSimpson's Diversity Index: 32
Population26,367
Foreign Born1.9%
Population Density623people per mi²
Median Age37.3 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
GrowingSince 2010, this city's population has grown with relatively minor shifts in racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A-
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

113/100

13% above national average

A-

The Real Cost of Living in Elk River, Minnesota

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $20k$38k
Comfortable $66k$97k
Luxury $159k+$247k+
Elite (Top 5%) $188k+$291k+
Affordability Ratio

103%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A+
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean90%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
22
Positive
16
Poor
1
Negative
4

Groceries

0 within 10 miles

12.6mi

Gas

0 within 10 miles

Hospital

3 within 20 miles

12.3mi

Airport

Buffalo Municipal Airport – CFE

17.3mi

Post Office

USPS — Anoka, MN

11.2mi

Critical Amenities

Country Clubs

Nearest private club or country club.

Golf4Nearest 4.3 mi
Camping20Nearest 9 mi
Marina3Nearest 0.6 mi
Winery0 
Ice Rink0Nearest 13.8 mi
Gun Range3Nearest 4.1 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
B-
Good

An upper-middle-class area. Household wealth, education levels, and homeownership run ahead of national benchmarks.

Median HHI
$99k+4.0%
32% above US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$1M
54% above US avg
College Educated
30.8%
12% below US avg
WFH
14.1%
1% below US avg
Homeownership
80.0%
22% above US avg
Median Home
$338k
20% above US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
A+
Very Safe

Lower crime rates than 92% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
8.0
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
−41.2%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr−26.9%
Homicide
0.00 / 1k Residents100% below state avg
Robbery
0.04 / 1k Residents90% below state avg
Aggravated Assault
0.43 / 1k Residents71% below state avg

Property Crime

5yr−55.6%
Burglary
1.28 / 1k Residents20% below state avg
Larceny-Theft
5.67 / 1k Residents48% below state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
0.14 / 1k Residents91% below state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: R+10Leans Conservative

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for Elk River, Minnesota
Dem Rep
30%40%50%60%2000200420082012201620202024

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
C+
Moderate

Moderate friction. Expect trade-offs in some aspect of personal liberty and independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
D-
Poor12.1% of income
Property Rights
C+
FairIJ Grade C+
Firearm Rights
C+
FairFPC Grade C+
Homeschooling
D-
PoorHigh regulation

Energy independence: Importer (20% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
A-
OpenFarm sales legal
Gambling Laws
D+
RestrictedTribal · Poker · Betting
Marijuana Laws
A+
Fully LegalRecreational

Homesteading

Hardiness Zone4B~-22°F min
Growing Season166 days203 frost-free
Annual Rainfall32.5"
Elevation902 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
C+
Exposed

Meaningful friction. Expect exposure to either population pressure, blast zones, or natural disaster risk. Consider buying a retreat property.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
C
Weak27 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
C-
Weak623/sq mi
Fallout Danger
B
Fair13 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
C
WeakInland Flooding
Border / Coast
A+
Greatborder 223 mi · coast 1000 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$30.8M/yrfor the county

Key Distances

Nearest Major CityMinneapolis430k people are 27 mi away
Nearest Major AirportNo hub airport within 50 mi
Distance to State Capital33 miSaint Paul, MN
Nearest Prison23 mi1 within 25 mi

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-19T08:35:51.000Z

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