Small-town market profile · Minnesota
Austin, MN area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Austin area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 40,971
- +2.3% since 2020
- Households
- 15,719
- Median household income
- $73,074
- +34.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $185,200
- Jobs located here
- 15,578
- Highest market score
- 91
- Doctors, dentists and clinics, #2 of 538 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Austin area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Austin area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 40,971 people live in the Austin area, in 15,719 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Austin area from 2020 to 2025 at +2.3%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Austin area is $73,074 a year, 9% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 34.6% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Austin area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 118, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (64).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Austin area are for medical and dental practices (91); restaurants and cafes (88); and clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (87). The Austin area ranks #2 of 538 scored small-town markets for medical and dental practices.
The Austin area is made up of one county, Mower County. For its number of households, the Austin area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for gas stations (46% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for medical and dental practices (64% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Austin area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Austin area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 91 | #2 of 538 | 48 | 30.5 | $450K | 295 | 19 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 88 | #6 of 538 | 94 | 59.8 | $630K | 170 | 48 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 87 | #7 of 536 | 15 | 9.5 | $2M | 227 | 3 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 85 | #3 of 529 | 7 | 4.5 | $8.5M | 228 | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | 84 | #9 of 400 | 5 | 3.2 | $4.3M | 180 | Under 3 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 84 | #10 of 538 | 51 | 32.4 | $1.2M | 175 | 23 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 84 | #15 of 536 | 12 | 7.6 | $2.5M | 197 | 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 83 | #10 of 526 | 11 | 7.0 | $2M | 200 | 8 |
| Pizza | 83 | #10 of 520 | 9 | 5.7 | $6.6M | 129 | 23 |
| Convenience stores | 80 | #23 of 529 | 11 | 7.0 | $8.5M | 108 | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 80 | #25 of 537 | 17 | 10.8 | $3.5M | 114 | 23 |
| Spas and skin care | 79 | #15 of 504 | 9 | 5.7 | $1.7M | 193 | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | 77 | #35 of 431 | 5 | 3.2 | $3.6M | 142 | 3 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 73 | #32 of 538 | 40 | 25.4 | $380K | 179 | 12 |
| Hair salons | 72 | #42 of 538 | 24 | 15.3 | $633K | 147 | 8 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 70 | #58 of 535 | 20 | 12.7 | $655K | 99 | 3 |
| Gyms | 69 | #55 of 506 | 11 | 7.0 | $1.2M | 91 | 3 |
| Child care and preschools | 68 | #93 of 454 | 7 | 4.5 | $841K | 84 | 4 |
| Auto repair and car care | 67 | #109 of 538 | 62 | 39.4 | $287K | 107 | 27 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 66 | #92 of 481 | 10 | 6.4 | $1.9M | 113 | 13 |
| Roofing and gutters | 65 | #58 of 288 | 5 | 3.2 | $8.4M | 99 | Under 3 |
| Pet businesses | 63 | #110 of 527 | 17 | 10.8 | $752K | 86 | 8 |
| Chiropractors | 63 | #114 of 426 | 8 | 5.1 | $2.7M | 113 | 7 |
| Auto repair shops | 63 | #136 of 538 | 39 | 24.8 | $457K | 103 | 19 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 63 | #141 of 538 | 28 | 17.8 | $3.3M | 99 | 15 |
| Funeral homes | 62 | #109 of 365 | 7 | 4.5 | $360K | 53 | 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 61 | #113 of 378 | 7 | 4.5 | $1.9M | 93 | Under 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 60 | #118 of 399 | 8 | 5.1 | $2.4M | 81 | 8 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 60 | #137 of 533 | 25 | 15.9 | Index only | 159 | 7 |
| Real estate | 58 | #156 of 536 | 34 | 21.6 | Index only | 147 | 10 |
| Veterinarians | 55 | #163 of 398 | 7 | 4.5 | $1.8M | 67 | 5 |
| Electricians | 53 | #135 of 295 | 6 | 3.8 | $7M | 58 | 11 |
| Gas stations | 52 | #250 of 536 | 25 | 15.9 | $1.8M | 76 | 24 |
| Pet stores | 51 | #106 of 220 | 5 | 3.2 | $2.6M | 56 | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 50 | #189 of 387 | 7 | 4.5 | $2.5M | 83 | 7 |
| Home repair trades | 48 | #297 of 526 | 24 | 15.3 | $1.7M | 72 | 25 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 47 | #274 of 476 | 13 | 8.3 | $3.2M | 68 | 14 |
| Insurance agencies | 45 | #309 of 537 | 23 | 14.6 | $1.2M | 96 | 15 |
| Grocery stores | 39 | #363 of 506 | 15 | 9.5 | $6.2M | 67 | 14 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.5 | $14.8M | 357 | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.5 | $4.5M | 177 | 4 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.5 | Index only | 139 | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.5 | $3.8M | 227 | Under 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.5 | $5.4M | 303 | 4 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.5 | Index only | 97 | 3 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.9 | $5.1M | 269 | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.9 | $7.2M | 230 | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.9 | $4.3M | 167 | 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $9.4M | Too few | 5 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $15M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $6.5M | Too few | 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $21.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Austin area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $17.8M | $1,134 | 118 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $45.5M | $2,894 | 112 |
| Food away from home | $59.2M | $3,767 | 93 |
| Groceries | $93.7M | $5,962 | 94 |
| Personal care products and services | $15.2M | $967 | 96 |
| Child care and other personal services | $5.9M | $374 | 64 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $13.1M | $833 | 85 |
| Medical and dental services | $21.6M | $1,374 | 107 |
| Pets | $12.8M | $813 | 89 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $30M | $1,907 | 93 |
| Vehicle insurance | $27.7M | $1,761 | 90 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $41.9M | $2,667 | 88 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $18.9M | $1,202 | 85 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $216.4M | $13,770 | 83 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Austin area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 40,971+2.3% since 2020
- Households
- 15,719
- Median age
- 39.6
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 78%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.0
- Land area
- 711 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 57
- Median household income
- $73,074+34.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $93,253
- Median home value
- $185,200
- Jobs located here
- 15,578
- Daytime population
- 36,121Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Austin area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Austin area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Austin area 1
- Mower County, MN40,343 people
Other markets based in Minnesota 12
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area3,713,668 people
- Duluth, MN-WI metro area280,870 people
- Rochester, MN metro area228,522 people
- St. Cloud, MN metro area202,458 people
- Mankato, MN metro area104,282 people
- Brainerd, MN area98,678 people
- Faribault-Northfield, MN area67,917 people
- Fergus Falls, MN area60,475 people
- Winona, MN area49,779 people
- Red Wing, MN area47,943 people
- Bemidji, MN area46,512 people
- Grand Rapids, MN area45,275 people
Questions
How fast is the Austin, MN area growing?
Population estimates put the Austin area at 40,971 people in 2025, up 2.3% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 15,719 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 34.6%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Austin, MN area spend?
Households in the Austin area spend about $216.4M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $93.7M on groceries and $59.2M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Austin area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 118, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (64).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Austin, MN area?
Of the business types scored in the Austin area, medical and dental practices (91); restaurants and cafes (88); and clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (87) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For medical and dental practices, that ranks #2 of 538 scored small-town markets.
How does the Austin, MN area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Austin area is $73,074, 9% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 2.3% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $185,200, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for gas stations (46% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for medical and dental practices (64% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 39 of the 56 business types have a score in the Austin area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Austin area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Minnesota · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Austin area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Austin area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.