In 2005, the Census Bureau estimated the median age in Houston County, Minnesota to be 41.1 years old. The median in Houston is greater than the median age in the State of Minnesota of 36.7. Since 2000, the area has experienced an increase in the median, when the median age was 39.0 years old. With 22.8 percent of the population in 2005 being comprised of children and youth younger than 18, Houston can be described as having a medium-low proportion of youths. The 18 to 64 years old population group has a medium-low presence of the population, with 60.8 percent of the population within the age category. People 65 years old and older make up 16.3 percent of the population in the area. When compared to other counties throughout the United States, this represents a medium-high percent of the population.

Houston County, Minnesota had an estimated population of 19,941 for the year 2005. The total population has increased, since the 2000 total population of 19,753. This growth shows an increase of 1 percent. Houston ranks 40 of 87 counties in terms of population growth in Minnesota and the county ranks 1,667 of 3,141 counties by growth in county population in the United States.

Houston County, Minnesota has a population that is made up of 97.7 percent White, 0.5 percent African American, 0.4 percent Asian, and 0.7 percent Hispanic. The area population base can be described as having a very modest level of diversity in terms of race and ethnicity, with 1.6 percent of minorities in the 2005 population base. This is less than the State of Minnesota percent of 11.2. Since 2000, Houston has increased the level of diversity when 1.4 percent of the total population were minorities.

Since 2000, a low amount of people migrated to Houston from outside the country. The immigration into Houston accounts for 0.1 percent of all immigration into Minnesota. This level of international migration can be considered low when comparing levels of immigration per population in 2005.

When measuring the total land area, Houston spans a total of 558 square miles. The county has a low average population density of 36 persons per square mile, in 2005. Similar counties, in terms of density, in the US include: -- more densely populated -- Howard, TX (36 per sq. mile ), Twin Falls, ID (36 per sq. mile ), Hale, TX (36 per sq. mile ), -- less densely populated -- Newton, IN (36 per sq. mile ), Humboldt, CA (36 per sq. mile ), Stoddard, MO (36 per sq. mile ).

Datasource: Population Estimates Program, U.S. Bureau of the Census.