Metro area profile · Minnesota
Duluth, MN-WI metro area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Duluth metro area, each scored against other metro areas.
- Population, 2025
- 281,219
- +0.2% since 2020
- Households
- 120,365
- Median household income
- $71,769
- Median home value
- $222,400
- Jobs located here
- 128,505
- Highest market score
- 78
- Primary care and pediatrics, #24 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Duluth metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Duluth metro 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 281,219 people live in the Duluth metro area, in 120,365 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Duluth metro area from 2020 to 2025 at +0.2%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Duluth metro area is $71,769 a year, 11% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Set against the U.S., households in the Duluth metro area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 113, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (67).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Duluth metro area are for primary care and pediatric clinics (78), car washes and detailers (77) and nail salons (72). The Duluth metro area ranks #24 of 387 scored metro areas for primary care and pediatric clinics.
The Duluth metro area takes in 3 counties: St. Louis County, MN; Douglas County, WI; and Carlton County, MN. For its number of households, the Duluth metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for collision repair and body shops (48% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for barbershops (74% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Duluth metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Duluth metro area with other metro areas 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 metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary care and pediatrics | 78 | #24 of 387 | 34 | 2.8 | $4.9M | 274 | 87 |
| Car washes and detailing | 77 | #12 of 387 | 35 | 2.9 | $3.7M | 147 | 9 |
| Nail salons | 72 | #26 of 387 | 22 | 1.8 | $5.3M | 315 | 11 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 71 | #53 of 387 | 883 | 73.4 | $188K | 123 | 259 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 70 | #55 of 387 | 119 | 9.9 | $1.4M | 142 | 88 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 68 | #32 of 387 | 345 | 28.7 | $335K | 158 | 98 |
| Barbershops | 68 | #62 of 387 | 17 | 1.4 | $6.8M | 361 | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 68 | #84 of 387 | 131 | 10.9 | $3.5M | 114 | 162 |
| Pest control | 67 | #58 of 345 | 5 | 0.4 | $28.8M | 281 | 3 |
| Tire shops | 66 | #94 of 386 | 35 | 2.9 | $3.7M | 148 | 17 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 65 | #71 of 387 | 81 | 6.7 | $5.6M | 135 | 55 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 65 | #95 of 387 | 1,086 | 90.2 | $418K | 113 | 437 |
| Spas and skin care | 64 | #61 of 387 | 91 | 7.6 | $1.3M | 145 | 20 |
| Pet stores | 64 | #93 of 382 | 18 | 1.5 | $5.5M | 121 | 5 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 63 | #93 of 387 | 98 | 8.1 | $4.6M | 125 | 47 |
| Hair salons | 61 | #85 of 387 | 208 | 17.3 | $556K | 129 | 66 |
| Veterinarians | 60 | #111 of 384 | 28 | 2.3 | $3.5M | 129 | 28 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 59 | #91 of 347 | 18 | 1.5 | $5.6M | 138 | 30 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 59 | #105 of 373 | 25 | 2.1 | Index only | 169 | 8 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 59 | #114 of 386 | 50 | 4.2 | $3.3M | 106 | 16 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 59 | #132 of 387 | 222 | 18.4 | $1M | 118 | 85 |
| Physical therapy | 58 | #140 of 386 | 76 | 6.3 | $2.2M | 91 | 24 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 57 | #130 of 387 | 510 | 42.4 | $890K | 134 | 228 |
| Pizza | 57 | #133 of 387 | 93 | 7.7 | $4.9M | 96 | 162 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 57 | #134 of 387 | 82 | 6.8 | $1.8M | 104 | 119 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 57 | #157 of 387 | 158 | 13.1 | $1.5M | 115 | 76 |
| Home inspectors | 55 | #92 of 243 | 6 | 0.5 | Index only | 104 | 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 52 | #145 of 290 | 11 | 0.9 | $11.8M | 86 | 9 |
| Auto repair and car care | 52 | #191 of 387 | 448 | 37.2 | $290K | 108 | 188 |
| Real estate | 51 | #173 of 387 | 293 | 24.3 | Index only | 130 | 151 |
| Pet businesses | 51 | #185 of 387 | 114 | 9.5 | $863K | 98 | 60 |
| Grocery stores | 51 | #194 of 387 | 63 | 5.2 | $11.3M | 122 | 47 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 50 | #187 of 385 | 53 | 4.4 | $2.7M | 93 | 76 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 49 | #196 of 387 | 51 | 4.2 | $2M | 98 | 25 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 48 | #194 of 387 | 230 | 19.1 | Index only | 131 | 84 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 48 | #214 of 387 | 235 | 19.5 | $3M | 90 | 48 |
| Chiropractors | 47 | #208 of 386 | 68 | 5.6 | $2.4M | 102 | 37 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 46 | #230 of 387 | 170 | 14.1 | $595K | 90 | 55 |
| House cleaning | 46 | #233 of 375 | 24 | 2.0 | $6M | 94 | 40 |
| Auto repair shops | 45 | #247 of 387 | 277 | 23.0 | $469K | 105 | 150 |
| Property management | 43 | #243 of 374 | 32 | 2.7 | Index only | 93 | 34 |
| Gas stations | 42 | #248 of 387 | 123 | 10.2 | $2.7M | 113 | 142 |
| Gyms | 42 | #266 of 387 | 101 | 8.4 | $1M | 77 | 30 |
| Electricians | 35 | #312 of 383 | 37 | 3.1 | $8.5M | 71 | 60 |
| Funeral homes | 32 | #296 of 377 | 34 | 2.8 | $527K | 78 | 21 |
| Insurance agencies | 32 | #299 of 387 | 182 | 15.1 | $1.1M | 88 | 115 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 31 | #321 of 386 | 51 | 4.2 | $1.9M | 76 | 27 |
| Roofing and gutters | 31 | #326 of 381 | 48 | 4.0 | $6.6M | 78 | 26 |
| Laundromats | 29 | #307 of 364 | 26 | 2.2 | $8.9M | 71 | 9 |
| Child care and preschools | 29 | #340 of 387 | 80 | 6.6 | $584K | 58 | 59 |
| Home repair trades | 29 | #359 of 387 | 180 | 15.0 | $1.7M | 72 | 186 |
| Convenience stores | 28 | #328 of 387 | 129 | 10.7 | $5.5M | 70 | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 26 | #339 of 381 | 55 | 4.6 | $2.4M | 77 | 50 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 26 | #365 of 387 | 95 | 7.9 | $3.3M | 70 | 100 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.2 | $76.8M | 490 | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.2 | $55.3M | 225 | 7 |
Household spending in the Duluth metro 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 | $129.9M | $1,079 | 113 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $330.8M | $2,748 | 106 |
| Food away from home | $453.9M | $3,771 | 93 |
| Groceries | $713.5M | $5,928 | 94 |
| Personal care products and services | $115.7M | $961 | 96 |
| Child care and other personal services | $46.7M | $388 | 67 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $101.1M | $840 | 85 |
| Medical and dental services | $165.9M | $1,378 | 107 |
| Pets | $98.4M | $818 | 90 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $230.4M | $1,914 | 93 |
| Vehicle insurance | $200.2M | $1,663 | 85 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $314.9M | $2,617 | 87 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $143.8M | $1,195 | 85 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $1.6B | $13,673 | 82 |
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 Duluth metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 281,219+0.2% since 2020
- Households
- 120,365
- Median age
- 42.5
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 72%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 8,414 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 33
- Median household income
- $71,769
- Average household income
- $93,302
- Median home value
- $222,400
- Jobs located here
- 128,505
- Daytime population
- 284,674Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Duluth metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. 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 Duluth metro 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 Duluth metro area 3
- St. Louis County, MN200,123 people
- Douglas County, WI44,229 people
- Carlton County, MN36,518 people
Other markets based in Minnesota 12
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area3,713,668 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
- Willmar, MN area44,079 people
Questions
How fast is the Duluth, MN-WI metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Duluth metro area at 281,219 people in 2025, up 0.2% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 120,365 households.
How much do households in the Duluth, MN-WI metro area spend?
Households in the Duluth metro area spend about $1.6B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $713.5M on groceries and $453.9M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Duluth metro area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 113, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (67).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Duluth, MN-WI metro area?
Of the business types scored in the Duluth metro area, primary care and pediatric clinics (78), car washes and detailers (77) and nail salons (72) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For primary care and pediatric clinics, that ranks #24 of 387 scored metro areas.
How does the Duluth, MN-WI metro area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Duluth metro area is $71,769, 11% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 0.2% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $222,400, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for collision repair and body shops (48% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for barbershops (74% 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. 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. 54 of the 56 business types have a score in the Duluth metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Duluth metro 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.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Duluth metro 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 Duluth metro 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.