The Town Files

Swift County, Minnesota

9,748 people. The median home is worth $161,400 (typical Minnesota town: $301,800) and the median household earns $60,412.

Towns in Swift County

Towns in Swift County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Benson3,480$156,000$52,82139.7
Appleton1,392$77,000$43,95846.5
Kerkhoven805$166,000$72,81338.7

People and housing

Swift CountyTypical Minnesota town
Median home value$161,400$301,800
Median rent$920$991
Median household income$60,412$87,375
Median age41.842.7
Bachelor's degree or higher24.2%26.2%
Below the poverty line12.0%6.9%

Jobs and pay

3,737 jobs in 2024, average pay $55,905 a year.

Largest industries in Swift CountyManufacturing825 jobs · $71,321Wholesale trade384 jobs · $91,809Retail276 jobs · $27,756Hotels & restaurants208 jobs · $15,532Construction165 jobs · $56,001Other services109 jobs · $40,312
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Swift County0%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023 3.1%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 433 storm events in Swift County from 1996 to 2026, with 1 deaths.

Storm events in Swift County by type since 1996Hail77Flood10Tornado39Blizzard43High Wind15Heavy Snow11Funnel Cloud15Winter Storm64Winter Weather13Cold/Wind Chill9
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Swift County has been included in 19 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
July 19, 2023FloodDR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding
August 9, 2022Severe StormDR-4666: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding
July 8, 2022Severe StormDR-4658: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding
April 7, 2020BiologicalDR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3453: Covid-19
June 12, 2019FloodDR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).