St. Cloud, in Benton, MN, is a vibrant small city in central Minnesota, located along the upper Mississippi River. It is the largest population center in central Minnesota. Compared to the rest of the country, St. Cloud's cost of living is 16.2% lower than the U.S. average. You can own a home for less in St. Cloud with our median home value well below the national average. Downtown St. Cloud offers local shopping experiences, a wide variety of dining and drinking options, and an art scene that was recently voted one of the top 20 in the nation. Many of St. Cloud’s residents are college educated and work in healthcare, retail, and science and technology. Learn more about St. Cloud below.
As of 2026 the population of St. Cloud is 71,344. The population is expected to grow to 72,833 by 2031 - a growth rate of 0.41%.
The median age of St. Cloud residents is 34.
The diversity index of St. Cloud is 58.1, meaning that there is a 58% chance that any two people selected out of 100 residents will be of different race or ethnicity from one another.
The average household income in St. Cloud is $85,083 and projected to be $93,879 in 2031. Per capita income is $34,696, projected to be $38,598 in 2031. 2.64% of households – 1,880 – have an income of $200,000 or higher. Average net worth is $719,706 and the average disposable income is $62,817.
There are 30,606 housing units in St. Cloud; 14,348 are owner-occupied, 14,504 are rented, and 1,754 are vacant. The average home value is $326,264, with 3,081 homes built in 2010 or later, and 3,446 built in 1939 or earlier.
There are 2,876 businesses in St. Cloud, employing 55,837 workers and pulling from a labor force of 35,580 age 16 and above. 10,832 workers commute into St. Cloud from outside the county or state. Key industries for the area include:
24,676 residents both live and work in/around St. Cloud. The average travel time is 19.8 minutes. 5.39% people have a commute of less than 5 minutes while 3.77% commute 90 minutes or more each way. Of commuters, 25,568 drive alone, 3,740 carpool, and 724 take public transportation. 2,278 use other modes of transport such as motorcycle, bicycle, walking, etc. 3,028 residents work from home.
12,263 members of the workforce hold a high school diploma or GED. 5,674 have associates degrees, 9,759 have bachelor’s degrees, and 4,694 hold a graduate or professional degree.
Source: ESRI, 2026-08-31
