Map the Block › Places › Minnesota › Stearns County
Stearns County, Minnesota in numbers: crime, income, hazards
FBI reports put Stearns County at 2.4 violent crimes per 1,000 people a year over 2021-2025, close to the rate for Minnesota (2.7). Households here have a median income of $77,066 and the unemployment rate was 4.8% in August 2026. Population: about 160,865 (Census, 2020-2024).
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Stearns County?
Over 2021-2025, the county's police agencies sent the FBI reports of about 434 violent and 3,732 property crimes per year. The violent rate, 2.4 per 1,000 people, is close to the Minnesota rate (2.7); nationally it is 3.7. Property crime ran at 20.9 per 1,000, against 17.5 statewide. Most violent crimes here are aggravated assaults (69%). CDC death records show about 3 homicide deaths a year in the county (2.2 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Stearns County | Per 1,000 | Minnesota per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 434 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 4 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 88 | 0.49 | 0.40 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 41 | 0.23 | 0.52 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 301 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 3,732 | 20.9 | 17.5 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 318 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 3,172 | 17.8 | 13.1 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 242 | 1.4 | 2.4 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (12 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Stearns County?
Half of households in Stearns County make more than $77,066 and half make less; across Minnesota the midpoint is $89,062. Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $273,400, and the median rent is $1,068 a month. 9.5% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 7.9%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.8% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 4,152 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Stearns County | Minnesota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 160,865 | 5,739,445 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $77,066 | $89,062 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $273,400 | $329,300 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,068 | $1,280 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 4.1% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 12.9% | 9.3% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 9.5% | 7.9% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 28.8% | 39.4% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 67.9% | 72.2% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 35.1 | 38.8 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 90.6% | 91.6% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 4.9% | 4.7% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Stearns County?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk for Stearns County as “Relatively Moderate”. Among the hazards we show, the highest-rated are tornadoes (Relatively High). The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists 1 active Superfund site (final or proposed) in Stearns County: Waite Park Wells. 1 other site has finished cleanup and been taken off the list. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
The National Inventory of Dams lists 1 high-hazard dam in Stearns County. None is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory; 1 is rated Satisfactory or Fair. The tallest is Sartell (46 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
22 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 325,753 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Stearns County was covered by 1 federal major disaster declaration from 2016 through 2025 (Severe Storm 1), not counting COVID-19. In 2024, 0 of 366 monitored days had an air quality index of “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse (EPA). Of 33 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 1 (highest). NHTSA counted 12 traffic deaths in the county in 2024.
Is there road construction in Stearns County?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 6 highway work zones in Stearns County (5 active that day). Listed roads include I-94 and MN 55. 5 are on interstates. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Stearns County?
Federal school lists show 72 public and 22 private schools in the county. 7 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 26 fire or EMS stations and 13 police or sheriff stations.
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Stearns County
Gun shops
9 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Stearns County, plus 22 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). On the ATF list: Alexander Defense (Saint Cloud), Archery Country INC (Waite Park), Fleet Farm (Waite Park), Oberman Auctions (Saint Cloud), Scheels All Sports INC (Saint Cloud), Tactical Advantage (Waite Park), Tactical Advantage LLC (Waite Park), The Guns And Gear Store (Waite Park) and 1 more.
Liquor stores
28 liquor stores are on the map in Stearns County: Bottoms Up Bottle Shop (Belgrade), Brinky's Liquor (Richmond), Cash Wise Liquor, Coborn's Liquor, Coborn's Liquor (Melrose), Coborn's Liquor (Sartell), Coborn's Liquor Store (St Cloud), Coborns Liquor (Sartell) and 20 more. Minnesota has no complete public liquor licence list we can use, so this count also draws on OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps and may miss some stores or include closed ones.
Planned Parenthood
There is no Planned Parenthood health center in Stearns County on the map.
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official; partial in some states); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Stearns County?
Stearns County averaged 434 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 2.4 per 1,000 residents, close to the Minnesota rate (2.7). The property-crime rate was 20.9 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Stearns County?
$77,066 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $89,062 for Minnesota and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Stearns County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.8% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 4,152 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Stearns County?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the overall natural-hazard risk for Stearns County as “Relatively Moderate”. Among the hazards we show, the highest-rated are tornadoes (Relatively High).
Are there Superfund sites in Stearns County?
EPA lists 1 active Superfund site (final or proposed) in Stearns County: Waite Park Wells. 1 other site has finished cleanup and been taken off the list.
Is there road construction in Stearns County right now?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 6 highway work zones in Stearns County (5 active that day). Listed roads include I-94 and MN 55. 5 are on interstates.
How many nursing homes are in Stearns County?
7 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Stearns County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | 41,593 | 1.1 | $74,410 |
| Douglas County | 39,575 | 1.4 | $79,043 |
| Kandiyohi County | 44,079 | 2.6 | $76,592 |
| Meeker County | 23,468 | 1.2 | $75,446 |
| Morrison County | 34,249 | 1.1 | $69,446 |
| Pope County | 11,418 | 0.73 | $76,220 |
| Sherburne County | 100,560 | 0.77 | $105,466 |
| Todd County | 25,575 | 1.3 | $67,662 |
| Wright County | 148,269 | 0.62 | $107,209 |
Cities in Stearns County with their own page: St. Cloud.
More: Minnesota statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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