Jobs, pay and daily life in Willmar, 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.
Willmar is a city in Minnesota with 21,378 residents. The median household earns $62,280 a year and the median rent is $910 a month, which is 17.5% 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 Willmar compares. Among the 80 largest places in Minnesota, Willmar is #56 by population, #5 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #5 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #72 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Kandiyohi County, is #60 of 87 counties for average pay ($51,980).
Willmar has 21,378 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of Minnesota. It covers 14 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,502 people per square mile. The median age is 35.5, 9% younger than the state median (35.5 against 38.8).
The median gross rent is $910 a month (rent plus utilities), 29% below the state median ($910 against $1,280). Over a year that is 17.5% 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 $198,400, which is 3.2 times the median household income ($62,280); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 59.4% of households own their home, 18% below the state average (59.4% against 72.2%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Kandiyohi County was 4.3%. 63.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Kandiyohi County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 78.8% drive alone, 0.9% use public transit, 0.4% walk, 8.2% work from home. 4.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 61% below the state average (4.1% against 10.5%).
25.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 36% below the state share (25.3% against 39.4%). 17.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 104% above the state share (17.7% against 8.7%). The poverty rate is 13.1%, 41% above the state rate (13.1% against 9.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 74°F (23.3°C), and the coolest is Jan at 14°F (-10.2°C). About 703 mm (28 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (112 mm) and Jan the driest (13 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: Hutchinson (37 miles, rent 3% higher); St. Cloud (51 miles, rent 10% higher); Sartell (54 miles, rent 40% higher); Alexandria (54 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Willmar; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Minnesota (792) →State guide: MinnesotaCountry guideKandiyohi 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 | 30.0% |
| Retail trade | 12.6% |
| Manufacturing | 11.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.4% |
| Construction | 5.5% |
| Other services | 5.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.8% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.8% |
| Public administration | 3.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.9% |
| Information | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Willmar 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kandiyohi County | 44,079 | $3,138 million | $71,183 | 23,173 | 1,484 | $51,980 | +1.7% | 4.3% | 22,983 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 5,522 | 29.7% | $46,515 | 1.66 |
| Retail trade | 2,926 | 15.8% | $37,143 | 1.26 |
| Manufacturing | 2,651 | 14.3% | $60,466 | 1.39 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,561 | 8.4% | $22,990 | 0.74 |
| Construction | 1,350 | 7.3% | $73,183 | 1.11 |
| Administrative and waste services | 806 | 4.3% | $46,263 | 0.59 |
| Wholesale trade | 742 | 4.0% | $91,033 | 0.81 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 588 | 3.2% | $33,297 | 0.84 |
| Professional and technical services | 560 | 3.0% | $74,844 | 0.35 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 469 | 2.5% | $47,253 | 0.48 |
| Finance and insurance | 437 | 2.4% | $74,563 | 0.46 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 234 | 1.3% | $18,718 | 0.60 |
| Management of companies | 216 | 1.2% | $88,158 | 0.55 |
| Information | 186 | 1.0% | $83,403 | 0.43 |
| Real estate and rental | 145 | 0.8% | $42,376 | 0.40 |
| Educational services | 116 | 0.6% | $38,721 | 0.24 |
| Utilities | 56 | 0.3% | $114,848 | 0.64 |
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 | 78.8% |
| Public transit | 0.9% |
| Walk | 0.4% |
| Work from home | 8.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $62,280 |
| Income per person | $31,826 |
| Median gross rent per month | $910 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.5% |
| Median home value | $198,400 |
| Homeowners | 59.4% |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% |
| 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 | 35.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 86.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 25.3% |
| Born abroad | 17.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 63.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -10.2 | 14 | 13 |
| Feb | -8.5 | 17 | 21 |
| Mar | -0.2 | 32 | 37 |
| Apr | 7.3 | 45 | 68 |
| May | 14.2 | 58 | 91 |
| Jun | 20.2 | 68 | 112 |
| Jul | 23.3 | 74 | 80 |
| Aug | 21.5 | 71 | 93 |
| Sep | 16.9 | 62 | 74 |
| Oct | 8.0 | 46 | 64 |
| Nov | 0.6 | 33 | 25 |
| Dec | -6.9 | 20 | 25 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hutchinson | MN | 37 mi | 14,680 | $72,836 | $940 |
| St. Cloud | MN | 51 mi | 70,629 | $61,374 | $1,003 |
| Sartell | MN | 54 mi | 19,758 | $84,131 | $1,275 |
| Alexandria | MN | 54 mi | 14,735 | $61,374 | $934 |
| Buffalo | MN | 58 mi | 16,499 | $88,820 | $1,182 |
| New Ulm | MN | 63 mi | 14,056 | $64,449 | $962 |
| Monticello | MN | 63 mi | 14,858 | $79,534 | $1,405 |
| St. Michael | MN | 67 mi | 20,010 | $131,274 | $1,483 |
| Otsego | MN | 71 mi | 22,245 | $119,927 | $1,765 |
| Chaska | MN | 74 mi | 28,706 | $110,956 | $1,553 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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21,378 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$910 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.5% of the median household income.
$62,280 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.3% (BLS county, Kandiyohi County (latest month 2026M09)).
Minnesota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.