Southern Minnesota anchor where farm country meets a college town
The Mankato media market spans the agriculturally dominant Minnesota River valley while absorbing a measurable student and university-staff population from Minnesota State Mankato, producing a suburban-rural mix that shifts competitive margins in statewide races.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Earth | 70K | R+1.2 | 17,558 | 18,001 | 36,442 | 10.6% |
| Blue Earth | 66K | R+1.2 | 17,558 | 18,001 | 36,442 | 10.6% |
| Blue Earth | 60K | R+1.2 | 17,558 | 18,001 | 36,442 | 10.6% |
| Blue Earth | 56K | R+1.2 | 17,558 | 18,001 | 36,442 | 10.6% |
| Nicollet | 34K | R+0.5 | 9,441 | 9,540 | 19,417 | 5.6% |
| Nicollet | 33K | R+0.5 | 9,441 | 9,540 | 19,417 | 5.6% |
| Nicollet | 32K | R+0.5 | 9,441 | 9,540 | 19,417 | 5.6% |
| Nicollet | 30K | R+0.5 | 9,441 | 9,540 | 19,417 | 5.6% |
| Brown | 27K | R+35.0 | 4,576 | 9,692 | 14,598 | 4.2% |
| Brown | 26K | R+35.0 | 4,576 | 9,692 | 14,598 | 4.2% |
| Brown | 26K | R+35.0 | 4,576 | 9,692 | 14,598 | 4.2% |
| Brown | 25K | R+35.0 | 4,576 | 9,692 | 14,598 | 4.2% |
| Martin | 22K | R+39.6 | 3,171 | 7,442 | 10,796 | 3.1% |
| Martin | 20K | R+39.6 | 3,171 | 7,442 | 10,796 | 3.1% |
| Martin | 20K | R+39.6 | 3,171 | 7,442 | 10,796 | 3.1% |
| Martin | 20K | R+39.6 | 3,171 | 7,442 | 10,796 | 3.1% |
| Watonwan | 12K | R+27.6 | 1,723 | 3,087 | 4,933 | 1.4% |
| Watonwan | 11K | R+27.6 | 1,723 | 3,087 | 4,933 | 1.4% |
| Watonwan | 11K | R+27.6 | 1,723 | 3,087 | 4,933 | 1.4% |
| Watonwan | 11K | R+27.6 | 1,723 | 3,087 | 4,933 | 1.4% |
| Group | Mankato | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 90.2% | 57.4% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(12) | 4.8% | 19.3% |
▶Black / African American(12) | 1.9% | 12.2% |
Multiracial / Other | 1.5% | 4.0% |
▶Asian(6) | 1.4% | 6.0% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(7) | 0.4% | 0.9% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.3% | 0.9% |
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24.1% | 38.4% | — | — | |
| 20.0% | 31.8% | — | — | |
| 16.9% | 27.0% | — | — | |
| 1.8% | 2.9% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 0.5% | 0.8% | — | — |
Non-religiousPopulation | 37.2% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Mankato media market? 611,559 residents across 20 counties.
27% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 6pp below the national average. Places with similar education levels vote R+3 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| President vs Senate | R+13.1 | D+1.7 | 14.8pp |