Jobs, pay and daily life in Bemidji, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Bemidji is a city in Minnesota with 15,569 residents. The median household earns $55,405 a year and the median rent is $1,067 a month, which is 23.1% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Bemidji compares. Among the 80 largest places in Minnesota, Bemidji is #72 by population, #80 for household income (#1 = highest), #79 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #77 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Beltrami County, is #41 of 87 counties for average pay ($54,299).
Bemidji has 15,569 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Minnesota. It covers 17 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 893 people per square mile. The median age is 30.0, 23% younger than the state median (30.0 against 38.8).
The median gross rent is $1,067 a month (rent plus utilities), 17% below the state median ($1,067 against $1,280). Over a year that is 23.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $198,300, which is 3.6 times the median household income ($55,405); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 43.1% of households own their home, 40% below the state average (43.1% against 72.2%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Beltrami County was 4.8%. 63.9% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Beltrami County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 76.3% drive alone, 0.8% use public transit, 4.9% walk, 5.9% work from home. 9.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 11% below the state average (9.3% against 10.5%).
32.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 18% below the state share (32.5% against 39.4%). 2.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 74% below the state share (2.3% against 8.7%). The poverty rate is 21.3%, 129% above the state rate (21.3% against 9.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 71°F (21.5°C), and the coolest is Jan at 7°F (-14.1°C). About 622 mm (24 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (103 mm) and Jan the driest (16 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Brainerd (85 miles, rent 22% lower); Hibbing (91 miles, rent 22% lower); Moorhead (97 miles, rent 3% lower); Fergus Falls (100 miles, rent 15% lower). Rent differences are against Bemidji; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Minnesota (792) →State guide: MinnesotaCountry guideBeltrami CountyMinnesota rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 792 federal postings open in Minnesota (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 32.4% |
| Retail trade | 16.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 15.1% |
| Public administration | 6.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.8% |
| Construction | 5.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.2% |
| Manufacturing | 3.1% |
| Other services | 3.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.4% |
| Information | 2.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Bemidji lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beltrami County | 46,512 | $2,519 million | $54,160 | 20,746 | 1,326 | $54,299 | +1.2% | 4.8% | 22,618 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 4,324 | 28.3% | $63,690 | 1.45 |
| Retail trade | 2,955 | 19.3% | $33,511 | 1.43 |
| Accommodation and food services | 2,077 | 13.6% | $20,211 | 1.10 |
| Construction | 1,285 | 8.4% | $74,873 | 1.18 |
| Manufacturing | 901 | 5.9% | $57,309 | 0.53 |
| Wholesale trade | 544 | 3.6% | $57,975 | 0.67 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 481 | 3.1% | $69,330 | 0.55 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 480 | 3.1% | $40,029 | 0.77 |
| Finance and insurance | 428 | 2.8% | $68,739 | 0.51 |
| Educational services | 417 | 2.7% | $37,663 | 0.97 |
| Professional and technical services | 406 | 2.7% | $61,865 | 0.28 |
| Information | 342 | 2.2% | $62,763 | 0.88 |
| Administrative and waste services | 224 | 1.5% | $34,666 | 0.18 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 176 | 1.2% | $16,275 | 0.50 |
| Utilities | 124 | 0.8% | $102,439 | 1.57 |
| Real estate and rental | 94 | 0.6% | $38,447 | 0.29 |
| Management of companies | 21 | 0.1% | $107,139 | 0.06 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 76.3% |
| Public transit | 0.8% |
| Walk | 4.9% |
| Work from home | 5.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 9.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,405 |
| Income per person | $31,542 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,067 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 23.1% |
| Median home value | $198,300 |
| Homeowners | 43.1% |
| Poverty rate | 21.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 9.85%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 30.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 32.5% |
| Born abroad | 2.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 63.9% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -14.1 | 7 | 16 |
| Feb | -12.4 | 10 | 16 |
| Mar | -3.3 | 26 | 30 |
| Apr | 4.7 | 40 | 48 |
| May | 11.8 | 53 | 77 |
| Jun | 17.9 | 64 | 103 |
| Jul | 21.5 | 71 | 80 |
| Aug | 20.1 | 68 | 69 |
| Sep | 14.8 | 59 | 71 |
| Oct | 5.7 | 42 | 66 |
| Nov | -2.2 | 28 | 23 |
| Dec | -10.3 | 13 | 23 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brainerd | MN | 85 mi | 14,468 | $56,111 | $827 |
| Hibbing | MN | 91 mi | 16,057 | $55,789 | $833 |
| Moorhead | MN | 97 mi | 45,036 | $72,761 | $1,033 |
| Fergus Falls | MN | 100 mi | 14,181 | $56,162 | $911 |
| Fargo | ND | 101 mi | 131,627 | $66,998 | $946 |
| West Fargo | ND | 104 mi | 40,094 | $90,665 | $1,111 |
| Grand Forks | ND | 107 mi | 59,042 | $63,627 | $980 |
| Horace | ND | 108 mi | 4,588 | $138,578 | $2,146 |
| Alexandria | MN | 114 mi | 14,735 | $61,374 | $934 |
| Mayville | ND | 114 mi | 1,976 | $55,735 | $854 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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15,569 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,067 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 23.1% of the median household income.
$55,405 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.8% (BLS county, Beltrami County (latest month 2026M09)).
Minnesota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.