Small-town market profile · Minnesota
New Ulm, MN area market data
How the New Ulm area compares with other small-town markets for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 25,517
- −1.5% since 2020
- Households
- 11,027
- Median household income
- $69,378
- +13.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $191,200
- Jobs located here
- 13,020
- Highest market score
- 67
- Restaurants and cafes, #99 of 538 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the New Ulm area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the New Ulm 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
The New Ulm area has an estimated 25,517 people and 11,027 households. Population estimates put the population change in the New Ulm area from 2020 to 2025 at −1.5%, against +3.1% for the U.S. Median household income in the New Ulm area is $69,378, 14% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 13.5%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the New Ulm area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 116, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (61).
Of the business types scored in the New Ulm area, restaurants and cafes (67), coffee shops and cafes (65) and sit-down restaurants (65) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For restaurants and cafes, that ranks #99 of 538 scored small-town markets.
The New Ulm area is made up of one county, Brown County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for insurance agencies (86% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate agents and brokers (61% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the New Ulm area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the New Ulm 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants and cafes | 67 | #99 of 538 | 84 | 76.2 | $477K | 129 | 42 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 65 | #99 of 529 | 6 | 5.4 | $6.7M | 180 | 5 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 65 | #109 of 538 | 41 | 37.2 | $978K | 147 | 19 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 65 | #127 of 538 | 50 | 45.3 | $293K | 192 | 27 |
| Pet businesses | 64 | #103 of 527 | 11 | 10.0 | $785K | 89 | 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 64 | #123 of 526 | 8 | 7.3 | $1.8M | 186 | 7 |
| Pizza | 62 | #139 of 520 | 8 | 7.3 | $5M | 99 | 17 |
| Gas stations | 59 | #172 of 536 | 14 | 12.7 | $2.2M | 94 | 12 |
| Convenience stores | 59 | #190 of 529 | 9 | 8.2 | $7.2M | 91 | Under 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 57 | #212 of 538 | 23 | 20.9 | $2.8M | 83 | 6 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 54 | #193 of 481 | 5 | 4.5 | $2.6M | 153 | 13 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 54 | #219 of 538 | 38 | 34.5 | $272K | 128 | 8 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 54 | #236 of 536 | 12 | 10.9 | $1.7M | 133 | 7 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 53 | #214 of 533 | 13 | 11.8 | Index only | 209 | Under 3 |
| Hair salons | 52 | #253 of 538 | 23 | 20.9 | $449K | 104 | 5 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 52 | #264 of 537 | 17 | 15.4 | $2.4M | 77 | 17 |
| Real estate | 51 | #250 of 536 | 17 | 15.4 | Index only | 201 | Under 3 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 51 | #258 of 536 | 20 | 18.1 | $1M | 115 | 7 |
| Spas and skin care | 50 | #247 of 504 | 9 | 8.2 | $1.1M | 131 | Under 3 |
| Funeral homes | 47 | #189 of 365 | 5 | 4.5 | $401K | 59 | 4 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 45 | #235 of 387 | 5 | 4.5 | $1.7M | 68 | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | 40 | #297 of 431 | 7 | 6.3 | $1.7M | 70 | 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 39 | #263 of 378 | 5 | 4.5 | $1.7M | 85 | 3 |
| Grocery stores | 34 | #401 of 506 | 10 | 9.1 | $6.5M | 69 | 6 |
| Auto repair shops | 34 | #425 of 538 | 32 | 29.0 | $382K | 86 | 22 |
| Car washes and detailing | 29 | #386 of 441 | 8 | 7.3 | $1.5M | 61 | 3 |
| Auto repair and car care | 27 | #469 of 538 | 62 | 56.2 | $197K | 73 | 29 |
| Home repair trades | 27 | #489 of 526 | 16 | 14.5 | $1.8M | 73 | 31 |
| Chiropractors | 26 | #398 of 426 | 10 | 9.1 | $1.5M | 61 | 8 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 25 | #352 of 387 | 7 | 6.3 | $1.7M | 57 | 7 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 25 | #493 of 535 | 19 | 17.2 | $450K | 68 | 9 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 23 | #459 of 476 | 10 | 9.1 | $2.8M | 60 | 14 |
| Gyms | 22 | #476 of 506 | 13 | 11.8 | $658K | 51 | 6 |
| Insurance agencies | 11 | #528 of 537 | 32 | 29.0 | $597K | 48 | 24 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.6 | $7.1M | 59 | 14 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.6 | $3.2M | 110 | 8 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.6 | $5.1M | 41 | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.6 | $3.7M | 117 | 4 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.7 | $13.4M | 323 | 5 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.7 | $3.4M | 183 | Under 3 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.7 | $2.9M | 106 | 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.8 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.8 | $5.2M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.8 | $6.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.8 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.8 | $14.2M | Too few | 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $12.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $14.7M | Too few | 4 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $14.7M | Too few | 4 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.9 | $8.6M | Too few | 6 |
| Child care and preschools | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 6 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 5 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the New Ulm 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 | $12.2M | $1,109 | 116 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $31.4M | $2,848 | 110 |
| Food away from home | $40.1M | $3,636 | 89 |
| Groceries | $64.6M | $5,856 | 93 |
| Personal care products and services | $10.3M | $937 | 93 |
| Child care and other personal services | $3.9M | $352 | 61 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $8.6M | $776 | 79 |
| Medical and dental services | $14.7M | $1,330 | 103 |
| Pets | $8.6M | $783 | 86 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $20.3M | $1,844 | 90 |
| Vehicle insurance | $19.1M | $1,731 | 88 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $28.4M | $2,580 | 85 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $12.8M | $1,165 | 82 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $148.2M | $13,437 | 81 |
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 New Ulm area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 25,517−1.5% since 2020
- Households
- 11,027
- Median age
- 42.8
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 79%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.0
- Land area
- 611 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 42
- Median household income
- $69,378+13.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $86,644
- Median home value
- $191,200
- Jobs located here
- 13,020
- Daytime population
- 27,131Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the New Ulm 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 New Ulm 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 New Ulm area 1
- Brown County, MN25,800 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 New Ulm, MN area growing?
Population estimates put the New Ulm area at 25,517 people in 2025, down 1.5% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 11,027 households. Median household income rose 13.5% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the New Ulm, MN area spend?
Households in the New Ulm area spend about $148.2M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $64.6M on groceries and $40.1M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the New Ulm area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 116, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (61).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the New Ulm, MN area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the New Ulm area are for restaurants and cafes (67), coffee shops and cafes (65) and sit-down restaurants (65). The New Ulm area ranks #99 of 538 scored small-town markets for restaurants and cafes.
How does the New Ulm, MN area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the New Ulm area is $69,378 a year, 14% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 1.5% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $191,200, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the New Ulm area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for insurance agencies (86% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate agents and brokers (61% 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. 34 of the 56 business types have a score in the New Ulm 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 New Ulm 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 New Ulm 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 New Ulm 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.