Small-town market profile · Minnesota
Willmar, MN area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Willmar area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 44,720
- +2.3% since 2020
- Households
- 17,603
- Median household income
- $76,592
- +27.0% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $243,200
- Jobs located here
- 24,957
- Highest market score
- 82
- Sit-down restaurants, #14 of 538 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Willmar area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Willmar 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 44,720 people live in the Willmar area, in 17,603 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of the Willmar area grew 2.3%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Willmar area is $76,592 a year, 5% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 27.0% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Willmar area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 121, 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 Willmar area are for sit-down restaurants (82), restaurants and cafes (81) and barbershops (80). The Willmar area ranks #14 of 538 scored small-town markets for sit-down restaurants.
The Willmar area is made up of one county, Kandiyohi County. For its number of households, the Willmar area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for convenience stores (70% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for medical and dental practices (32% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Willmar area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Willmar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurants | 82 | #14 of 538 | 77 | 43.7 | $884K | 133 | 24 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 81 | #25 of 538 | 144 | 81.8 | $473K | 127 | 66 |
| Barbershops | 80 | #32 of 377 | 6 | 3.4 | $2.9M | 154 | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 78 | #23 of 400 | 7 | 4.0 | $3.5M | 113 | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 77 | #14 of 378 | 5 | 2.8 | $3M | 151 | 3 |
| Tire shops | 77 | #39 of 431 | 7 | 4.0 | $2.9M | 116 | 3 |
| Pet businesses | 75 | #32 of 527 | 22 | 12.5 | $671K | 76 | 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 75 | #44 of 441 | 7 | 4.0 | $2.9M | 115 | 3 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 75 | #49 of 538 | 101 | 57.4 | $246K | 161 | 41 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 74 | #62 of 537 | 22 | 12.5 | $3.1M | 101 | 29 |
| Gas stations | 73 | #60 of 536 | 19 | 10.8 | $2.7M | 114 | 21 |
| Veterinarians | 70 | #66 of 398 | 8 | 4.5 | $1.8M | 68 | 3 |
| Nail salons | 69 | #69 of 387 | 5 | 2.8 | $3.5M | 208 | 4 |
| Spas and skin care | 67 | #84 of 504 | 15 | 8.5 | $1.2M | 132 | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 64 | #105 of 507 | 13 | 7.4 | $5.2M | 126 | 11 |
| Hair salons | 64 | #110 of 538 | 36 | 20.5 | $483K | 112 | 10 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 63 | #109 of 538 | 62 | 35.2 | $280K | 132 | 16 |
| Funeral homes | 62 | #104 of 365 | 5 | 2.8 | $577K | 85 | 7 |
| Child care and preschools | 60 | #152 of 454 | 9 | 5.1 | $765K | 76 | 8 |
| Pizza | 60 | #158 of 520 | 20 | 11.4 | $3.4M | 67 | 29 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 59 | #197 of 536 | 42 | 23.9 | $816K | 93 | 10 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 58 | #184 of 529 | 18 | 10.2 | $3.8M | 102 | 11 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 58 | #207 of 538 | 49 | 27.8 | $2.2M | 64 | 10 |
| Grocery stores | 57 | #197 of 506 | 14 | 8.0 | $7.6M | 82 | 8 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 56 | #71 of 177 | 5 | 2.8 | Index only | 126 | Under 3 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 55 | #213 of 535 | 25 | 14.2 | $609K | 92 | 8 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 55 | #233 of 536 | 34 | 19.3 | $1M | 79 | 10 |
| Convenience stores | 54 | #249 of 529 | 24 | 13.6 | $4.4M | 56 | Under 3 |
| Property management | 53 | #82 of 180 | 5 | 2.8 | Index only | 89 | 6 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 53 | #162 of 387 | 7 | 4.0 | $2.9M | 94 | 14 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 53 | #232 of 526 | 21 | 11.9 | $1.2M | 120 | 16 |
| Auto repair and car care | 49 | #282 of 538 | 86 | 48.9 | $237K | 88 | 46 |
| Gyms | 48 | #282 of 506 | 18 | 10.2 | $846K | 65 | 5 |
| Auto repair shops | 46 | #325 of 538 | 53 | 30.1 | $384K | 86 | 35 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 45 | #289 of 476 | 14 | 8.0 | $3.4M | 71 | 20 |
| Chiropractors | 43 | #272 of 426 | 15 | 8.5 | $1.7M | 69 | 11 |
| Home repair trades | 41 | #366 of 526 | 26 | 14.8 | $1.8M | 75 | 52 |
| Electricians | 39 | #214 of 295 | 8 | 4.5 | $5.9M | 50 | 29 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 37 | #435 of 533 | 51 | 29.0 | Index only | 88 | 15 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 35 | #309 of 399 | 13 | 7.4 | $1.7M | 57 | 20 |
| Real estate | 35 | #459 of 536 | 64 | 36.4 | Index only | 89 | 29 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 32 | #417 of 481 | 19 | 10.8 | $1.1M | 68 | 42 |
| Insurance agencies | 25 | #466 of 537 | 36 | 20.5 | $872K | 69 | 36 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $5.4M | 84 | 22 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $3.7M | 145 | Under 3 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $6.2M | 348 | 9 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $11.9M | 141 | 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.7 | Index only | 31 | 4 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.7 | $4.9M | 109 | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.7 | $8.3M | 344 | 5 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.1 | $17.1M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.1 | $10.8M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.1 | $7.6M | Too few | 5 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $34.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.6 | $20.3M | Too few | 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 Willmar 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 | $20.3M | $1,156 | 121 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $51.7M | $2,936 | 113 |
| Food away from home | $68.1M | $3,867 | 95 |
| Groceries | $106.5M | $6,048 | 96 |
| Personal care products and services | $17.4M | $988 | 98 |
| Child care and other personal services | $6.9M | $391 | 67 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $15.2M | $865 | 88 |
| Medical and dental services | $24.8M | $1,409 | 109 |
| Pets | $14.8M | $838 | 92 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $34.3M | $1,947 | 95 |
| Vehicle insurance | $31.4M | $1,783 | 91 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $47.5M | $2,701 | 90 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $21.5M | $1,223 | 87 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $246M | $13,976 | 84 |
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 Willmar area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 44,720+2.3% since 2020
- Households
- 17,603
- Median age
- 39.7
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 73%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.0
- Land area
- 797 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 55
- Median household income
- $76,592+27.0% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $96,382
- Median home value
- $243,200
- Jobs located here
- 24,957
- Daytime population
- 46,873Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Willmar 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 Willmar 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 Willmar area 1
- Kandiyohi County, MN44,079 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 Willmar, MN area growing?
Population estimates put the Willmar area at 44,720 people in 2025, up 2.3% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 17,603 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 27.0%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Willmar, MN area spend?
Households in the Willmar area spend about $246M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $106.5M on groceries and $68.1M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Willmar area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 121, 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 Willmar, MN area?
Of the business types scored in the Willmar area, sit-down restaurants (82), restaurants and cafes (81) and barbershops (80) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For sit-down restaurants, that ranks #14 of 538 scored small-town markets.
How does the Willmar, MN area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Willmar area is $76,592, 5% 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 $243,200, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for convenience stores (70% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for medical and dental practices (32% 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. 43 of the 56 business types have a score in the Willmar 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 Willmar 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 Willmar 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 Willmar 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.