Carlton County
MN · Pop. 36,457 · Suburban County
Carlton County sits in Minnesota across 861 square miles, home to 36,457 people at 42.3 per square mile. The agricultural economy is rated moderate, built on hay, haylage, oats. A median home price of $232,000 and an effective property tax rate of 1.17% set the cost of entry. The climate sits in USDA hardiness zone 4a with a 116-day growing season, average summer highs of 77.6°F and average winter lows of 4.6°F. Annual rainfall averages 31.8 inches, generally adequate for the region's crops and pasture. Essentia Health Moose Lake is 12.2 miles away and includes an emergency room. Broadband reaches 79.8% of homes. On the hazard side, flood risk is very high, wildfire risk is high, so plan infrastructure and insurance accordingly.
Pros
- A low poverty rate of 11.1% signals a relatively stable local economy.
- A median household income of $80,042 anchors the local economy.
- Essentia Health Moose Lake provides the area's nearest hospital care, 12.2 miles away.
Cons
- Flood risk is very high, so careful parcel siting and flood insurance are essential.
- A 116-day growing season limits crop diversity and calls for season-extension tools.
- Broadband reaches only 79.8% of homes, a real gap for remote work or online sales.
- Average winter lows of 4.6°F demand serious cold-weather infrastructure for livestock and water systems.
At a glance
Carlton County, MN is a challenging place to homestead on the data.
- Homestead score
- 36/100
- Median home price
- $232k
- Property tax
- 1.17%
- Growing season
- 116 days (zone 4a)
- Annual rainfall
- 31.8"
- Broadband
- 79.8%
- Nearest hospital
- Essentia Health Moose Lake, 12.2 mi
Taxes & Cost of Living
Land & Building
Climate & Growing
Natural Disaster Risk
Healthcare
Infrastructure & Community
Business & Employment
Homesteading in Carlton County: FAQ
- What is the growing season like in Carlton County?
- Carlton County is in USDA hardiness zone 4a with a 116-day growing season, average summer highs of 77.6°F, and average winter lows of 4.6°F. The established crops are hay, haylage, oats.
- How affordable is land and property here?
- The median home price is $232,000 and the effective property tax rate is 1.17%. There's no published county per-acre figure, so use recent comparable sales to gauge raw-land value.
- Is broadband internet available?
- Broadband reaches 79.8% of homes, so verify service at a specific parcel before purchasing.
- How close is healthcare?
- Essentia Health Moose Lake is 12.2 miles away and includes an emergency room; there are 2 hospitals in the county.
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More counties in Minnesota
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Data sources
Verified
Figures are sourced from public datasets: U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-year & Gazetteer, USDA NASS Census of Agriculture, USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020), FEMA National Risk Index, FCC Broadband Data Collection, BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, HIFLD Hospitals. Always confirm specifics locally before relying on them. See our methodology for how the homestead score is calculated.
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