Small-town market profile · Minnesota
Owatonna, MN area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Owatonna area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 37,464
- +0.2% since 2020
- Households
- 15,138
- Median household income
- $84,196
- +29.7% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $245,400
- Jobs located here
- 18,785
- Highest market score
- 76
- Martial arts and dance studios, #21 of 378 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Owatonna area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Owatonna 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 37,464 people live in the Owatonna area, in 15,138 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Owatonna area from 2020 to 2025 at +0.2%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Owatonna area is $84,196 a year, 4% above the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 29.7% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Owatonna area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 122, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (73).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Owatonna area are for martial arts and dance studios (76), gas stations (76) and restaurants and cafes (76). The Owatonna area ranks #21 of 378 scored small-town markets for martial arts and dance studios.
The Owatonna area is made up of one county, Steele County. For its number of households, the Owatonna area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for clothing and shoe stores (96% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for medical and dental practices (40% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Owatonna area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Owatonna 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martial arts and dance studios | 76 | #21 of 378 | 5 | 3.3 | $2.8M | 139 | Under 3 |
| Gas stations | 76 | #45 of 536 | 7 | 4.6 | $6.4M | 268 | 16 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 76 | #46 of 538 | 131 | 86.5 | $466K | 126 | 57 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 74 | #57 of 538 | 77 | 50.9 | $287K | 188 | 35 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 73 | #54 of 538 | 65 | 42.9 | $939K | 142 | 26 |
| Convenience stores | 73 | #62 of 529 | 12 | 7.9 | $7.8M | 99 | Under 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 71 | #68 of 538 | 30 | 19.8 | $3.1M | 92 | 8 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 67 | #84 of 529 | 14 | 9.2 | $4.4M | 118 | 6 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 66 | #82 of 476 | 10 | 6.6 | $4.2M | 88 | 8 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 66 | #86 of 507 | 13 | 8.6 | $4.7M | 113 | 6 |
| Veterinarians | 66 | #88 of 398 | 5 | 3.3 | $2.7M | 97 | 5 |
| Spas and skin care | 65 | #102 of 504 | 12 | 7.9 | $1.3M | 147 | Under 3 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 64 | #106 of 535 | 18 | 11.9 | $779K | 118 | 6 |
| Hair salons | 62 | #129 of 538 | 30 | 19.8 | $515K | 120 | 9 |
| Auto repair shops | 62 | #140 of 538 | 31 | 20.5 | $570K | 128 | 24 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 62 | #164 of 537 | 24 | 15.9 | $2.5M | 83 | 25 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 61 | #130 of 538 | 51 | 33.7 | $303K | 142 | 15 |
| Nail salons | 60 | #125 of 387 | 5 | 3.3 | $3.1M | 185 | 4 |
| Pizza | 60 | #157 of 520 | 16 | 10.6 | $3.8M | 75 | 25 |
| Gyms | 59 | #157 of 506 | 10 | 6.6 | $1.4M | 108 | 6 |
| Home repair trades | 59 | #158 of 526 | 21 | 13.9 | $2M | 82 | 16 |
| Grocery stores | 56 | #201 of 506 | 10 | 6.6 | $9.3M | 101 | 8 |
| Funeral homes | 55 | #146 of 365 | 6 | 4.0 | $411K | 61 | 4 |
| Auto repair and car care | 55 | #218 of 538 | 67 | 44.3 | $264K | 98 | 29 |
| Child care and preschools | 47 | #262 of 454 | 13 | 8.6 | $492K | 49 | 6 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 47 | #306 of 533 | 31 | 20.5 | Index only | 128 | 8 |
| Electricians | 45 | #188 of 295 | 9 | 5.9 | $4.6M | 39 | 8 |
| Car washes and detailing | 45 | #263 of 441 | 11 | 7.3 | $1.6M | 64 | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | 44 | #138 of 220 | 6 | 4.0 | $2.2M | 49 | Under 3 |
| Property management | 43 | #116 of 180 | 6 | 4.0 | Index only | 65 | 4 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 42 | #342 of 536 | 48 | 31.7 | $637K | 50 | 9 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 42 | #347 of 536 | 62 | 41.0 | $493K | 56 | 9 |
| Chiropractors | 41 | #284 of 426 | 12 | 7.9 | $1.8M | 77 | 10 |
| Real estate | 38 | #416 of 536 | 46 | 30.4 | Index only | 109 | 18 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 37 | #302 of 387 | 10 | 6.6 | $1.3M | 52 | 5 |
| Pet businesses | 36 | #425 of 527 | 28 | 18.5 | $474K | 54 | 10 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 34 | #414 of 526 | 26 | 17.2 | $849K | 86 | 19 |
| House cleaning | 32 | #118 of 142 | 6 | 4.0 | $3.2M | 50 | 9 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 32 | #147 of 177 | 7 | 4.6 | Index only | 79 | 4 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 30 | #349 of 399 | 13 | 8.6 | $1.5M | 50 | 17 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 29 | #436 of 481 | 19 | 12.6 | $1M | 60 | 26 |
| Insurance agencies | 19 | #499 of 537 | 42 | 27.7 | $645K | 51 | 26 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.6 | $3.9M | 205 | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.6 | $4.4M | 143 | 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.6 | $7.6M | 61 | Under 3 |
| Tire shops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.6 | $4.4M | 177 | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.0 | $7.4M | 306 | 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.0 | $4.7M | 115 | 6 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $15.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $8.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $11M | Too few | 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.3 | $20.9M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 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 Owatonna 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 | $17.7M | $1,168 | 122 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $44.7M | $2,954 | 114 |
| Food away from home | $61M | $4,033 | 99 |
| Groceries | $93.4M | $6,172 | 98 |
| Personal care products and services | $15.5M | $1,021 | 102 |
| Child care and other personal services | $6.4M | $423 | 73 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $14M | $926 | 94 |
| Medical and dental services | $22.1M | $1,458 | 113 |
| Pets | $13.3M | $876 | 96 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $30.6M | $2,018 | 98 |
| Vehicle insurance | $27.1M | $1,789 | 91 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $41.8M | $2,759 | 91 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $19.1M | $1,259 | 89 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $216.5M | $14,301 | 86 |
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 Owatonna area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 37,464+0.2% since 2020
- Households
- 15,138
- Median age
- 40.6
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 79%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.0
- Land area
- 430 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 87
- Median household income
- $84,196+29.7% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $101,587
- Median home value
- $245,400
- Jobs located here
- 18,785
- Daytime population
- 38,229Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Owatonna 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 Owatonna 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 Owatonna area 1
- Steele County, MN37,439 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 Owatonna, MN area growing?
Population estimates put the Owatonna area at 37,464 people in 2025, up 0.2% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 15,138 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 29.7%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Owatonna, MN area spend?
Households in the Owatonna area spend about $216.5M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $93.4M on groceries and $61M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Owatonna area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 122, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (73).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Owatonna, MN area?
Of the business types scored in the Owatonna area, martial arts and dance studios (76), gas stations (76) and restaurants and cafes (76) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For martial arts and dance studios, that ranks #21 of 378 scored small-town markets.
How does the Owatonna, MN area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Owatonna area is $84,196, 4% above 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 $245,400, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for clothing and shoe stores (96% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for medical and dental practices (40% 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. 42 of the 56 business types have a score in the Owatonna 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 Owatonna 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 Owatonna 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 Owatonna 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.