Department of Numbers

St. Louis County Minnesota Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in St. Louis County MN was $775 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in St. Louis County was $810 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 St. Louis County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for St. Louis County rental vacancy rates, St. Louis County rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in St. Louis County.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in St. Louis County Minnesota (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Minnesota Median Gross Rent $1,016 +2.94% +6.39%
St. Louis County MN Median Gross Rent $775 -2.02% +3.61%

St. Louis County MN Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for St. Louis County peaked in real terms in 2018 at $791 and is now $16 (2.02%) lower. Average gross rent for St. Louis County peaked in real terms in 2018 at $830 and is now $20 (2.41%) lower.

Real Gross Rent: St. Louis County MN Median, St. Louis County MN Average, Minnesota Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for St. Louis County

Date US
Median
Minnesota
Median
St. Louis County MN
Median
St. Louis County MN
Average
2019 $1,097 $1,016 $775 $810
2018 $1,077 $987 $791 $830
2017 $1,043 $968 $777 $808
2016 $1,027 $955 $748 $786
2015 $1,017 $942 $725 $764
2014 $986 $907 $785 $775
2013 $953 $876 $678 $742
2012 $940 $865 $698 $715
2011 $941 $850 $694 $724
2010 $955 $854 $694 $742
2009 $960 $863 $729 $791

more history ...

St. Louis County Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for St. Louis County Minnesota was 8.00% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in St. Louis County Minnesota

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Minnesota 4.76% +0.21% +0.75%
St. Louis County MN 8.00% +2.57% +0.18%

Trends in St. Louis County MN Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in St. Louis County peaked in 2006 at 8.08%. Since then it has fallen by 0.08% to 8.00%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2008 post peak low of 2.50%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 5.50%.

Rental Vacancy Rate: St. Louis County MN, Minnesota, US

Rental vacancy rate in Minnesota

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for St. Louis County

Date US Minnesota St. Louis County MN
2019 5.97% 4.76% 8.00%
2018 6.15% 4.55% 5.43%
2017 6.18% 4.31% 7.96%
2016 5.89% 4.01% 7.82%
2015 5.85% 4.35% 6.29%
2014 6.32% 4.53% 3.40%
2013 6.49% 3.94% 3.94%
2012 6.77% 4.10% 4.58%
2011 7.40% 5.37% 5.12%
2010 8.17% 5.96% 3.50%
2009 8.43% 5.97% 4.42%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for St. Louis County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For St. Louis County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 15.39% in 2019 according to the ACS.

St. Louis County Minnesota Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Minnesota 16.34% -0.19% -0.34%
St. Louis County MN 15.39% -2.02% -1.81%

Trends in St. Louis County MN Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median St. Louis County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2014 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 17.84%. Since then it has fallen by 2.45% to 15.39%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: St. Louis County MN, Minnesota, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in St. Louis County Minnesota

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in St. Louis County Minnesota

Date US Minnesota St. Louis County MN
2019 20.03% 16.34% 15.39%
2018 20.50% 16.54% 17.41%
2017 20.13% 16.48% 17.11%
2016 20.43% 16.68% 17.20%
2015 20.63% 16.78% 16.35%
2014 20.89% 16.77% 17.84%
2013 20.78% 16.45% 16.84%
2012 20.65% 16.56% 16.83%
2011 20.70% 16.58% 17.36%
2010 20.50% 16.53% 17.83%
2009 20.12% 16.33% 17.71%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in St. Louis County Minnesota

You can calculate the renter fraction in St. Louis County in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in St. Louis County as a fraction of total St. Louis County households. In 2019 27.83% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

St. Louis County Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Minnesota 28.08% -0.47% -0.62%
St. Louis County MN 27.83% -2.00% -2.12%

Trends in the St. Louis County MN Renter Fraction

The St. Louis County household renter fraction peaked in in 2009 at 30.65% and is now 2.82% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: St. Louis County MN, Minnesota, US

Fraction of renters in St. Louis County

History of St. Louis County Renter Fraction

Date US Minnesota St. Louis County MN
2019 35.89% 28.08% 27.83%
2018 36.05% 28.55% 29.83%
2017 36.13% 28.43% 29.10%
2016 36.88% 28.70% 29.95%
2015 36.97% 29.06% 28.18%
2014 36.90% 28.31% 29.22%
2013 36.50% 28.45% 29.01%
2012 36.09% 28.56% 29.52%
2011 35.42% 27.24% 28.48%
2010 34.65% 26.98% 29.35%
2009 34.13% 26.29% 30.65%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.