Jobs, pay and daily life in Mankato, 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.
Mankato is a city in Minnesota with 45,473 residents. The median household earns $66,873 a year and the median rent is $1,132 a month, which is 20.3% of the median household income. It is part of the Mankato, MN metropolitan area, where BLS counts 56,180 jobs.
How Mankato compares. Among the 80 largest places in Minnesota, Mankato is #22 by population, #76 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #71 for remote work (#1 = most), #11 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Blue Earth County, is #24 of 87 counties for average pay ($56,997).
Mankato has 45,473 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.8% of the population of Minnesota. It covers 20 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,287 people per square mile. The median age is 26.5, 32% younger than the state median (26.5 against 38.8).
The median gross rent is $1,132 a month (rent plus utilities), 12% below the state median ($1,132 against $1,280). Over a year that is 20.3% 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 $261,700, which is 3.9 times the median household income ($66,873); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 50.0% of households own their home, 31% below the state average (50.0% against 72.2%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Mankato, MN metropolitan area has 56,180 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $49,530 a year, about the same as the national median ($49,530 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (5,980 jobs, median $49,430); food preparation and serving related (5,500 jobs, median $31,730); healthcare support (4,900 jobs, median $40,290). The area is most specialised in food preparation and serving related (1.1 times) and office and administrative support (0.9 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are office and administrative support ($49,430) and food preparation and serving related ($31,730). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Blue Earth County was 4.0%. 69.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Blue Earth County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 73.3% drive alone, 1.9% use public transit, 3.3% walk, 7.8% work from home. 4.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 53% below the state average (4.9% against 10.5%).
35.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 11% below the state share (35.1% against 39.4%). 7.4% of residents were born outside the United States, 14% below the state share (7.4% against 8.7%). The poverty rate is 20.6%, 122% above the state rate (20.6% against 9.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 74°F (23.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 16°F (-9.1°C). About 815 mm (32 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (127 mm) and Jan the driest (18 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: North Mankato (3 miles, rent 14% lower); New Ulm (26 miles, rent 15% lower); Faribault (36 miles, rent 5% lower); Owatonna (37 miles, rent 6% lower). Rent differences are against Mankato; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Minnesota (792) →State guide: MinnesotaCountry guideBlue Earth 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.
Open federal jobs in Minnesota →
These figures are for the whole Mankato, MN metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $49,530 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.9% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 30.6% |
| Retail trade | 15.8% |
| Manufacturing | 14.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.8% |
| Other services | 3.7% |
| Construction | 3.6% |
| Public administration | 2.8% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.8% |
| Information | 1.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Mankato lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Le Sueur County, Nicollet County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Earth County | 69,871 | $5,641 million | $80,730 | 41,255 | 2,150 | $56,997 | +2.5% | 4.0% | 40,641 |
| Le Sueur County | 29,113 | $1,243 million | $42,702 | 8,667 | 790 | $54,749 | +1.7% | 4.0% | 16,266 |
| Nicollet County | 34,411 | $1,983 million | $57,618 | 14,609 | 849 | $56,235 | -2.7% | 3.8% | 19,999 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 9,632 | 26.8% | $61,789 | 1.63 |
| Retail trade | 5,602 | 15.6% | $34,160 | 1.36 |
| Manufacturing | 4,348 | 12.1% | $75,936 | 1.28 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,084 | 11.4% | $21,164 | 1.09 |
| Construction | 1,941 | 5.4% | $78,259 | 0.90 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,546 | 4.3% | $40,933 | 1.24 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,457 | 4.1% | $54,147 | 0.83 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,236 | 3.4% | $92,850 | 0.74 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,211 | 3.4% | $92,336 | 0.42 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,059 | 3.0% | $76,749 | 0.65 |
| Administrative and waste services | 935 | 2.6% | $41,569 | 0.39 |
| Real estate and rental | 875 | 2.4% | $42,395 | 1.37 |
| Educational services | 605 | 1.7% | $37,235 | 0.71 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 538 | 1.5% | $18,922 | 0.78 |
| Information | 493 | 1.4% | $71,729 | 0.64 |
| Utilities | 183 | 0.5% | $116,049 | 1.17 |
| Management of companies | 134 | 0.4% | $115,941 | 0.19 |
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 | 73.3% |
| Public transit | 1.9% |
| Walk | 3.3% |
| Work from home | 7.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,873 |
| Income per person | $33,811 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,132 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.3% |
| Median home value | $261,700 |
| Homeowners | 50.0% |
| Poverty rate | 20.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 91.0 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $49,530 |
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 | 26.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 35.1% |
| Born abroad | 7.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 69.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -9.1 | 16 | 18 |
| Feb | -7.4 | 19 | 27 |
| Mar | 0.5 | 33 | 45 |
| Apr | 7.8 | 46 | 81 |
| May | 14.5 | 58 | 108 |
| Jun | 20.4 | 69 | 127 |
| Jul | 23.2 | 74 | 95 |
| Aug | 21.6 | 71 | 94 |
| Sep | 17.2 | 63 | 91 |
| Oct | 8.6 | 47 | 62 |
| Nov | 1.3 | 34 | 33 |
| Dec | -5.9 | 21 | 34 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Mankato | MN | 3 mi | 14,211 | $80,791 | $973 |
| New Ulm | MN | 26 mi | 14,056 | $64,449 | $962 |
| Faribault | MN | 36 mi | 24,631 | $61,449 | $1,074 |
| Owatonna | MN | 37 mi | 26,498 | $80,750 | $1,067 |
| Northfield | MN | 44 mi | 20,742 | $84,895 | $1,103 |
| Prior Lake | MN | 47 mi | 28,016 | $134,255 | $1,654 |
| Albert Lea | MN | 47 mi | 18,330 | $64,603 | $857 |
| Chaska | MN | 48 mi | 28,706 | $110,956 | $1,553 |
| Shakopee | MN | 48 mi | 46,012 | $107,223 | $1,531 |
| Lakeville | MN | 50 mi | 74,354 | $139,041 | $1,806 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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45,473 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,132 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.3% of the median household income.
$66,873 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.0% (BLS county, Blue Earth County (latest month 2026M09)).
Minnesota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.