| Breckenridge, Minnesota | |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Pushpin Map: | Minnesota#USA |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within Minnesota##Location within the United States |
| Pushpin Relief: | 1 |
| Pushpin Label: | Breckenridge |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Minnesota |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Wilkin |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Russ Wilson |
| Leader Title1: | City manager |
| Leader Name1: | Sydney Wiertzema |
| Leader Title2: | Councilmembers |
| Leader Name2: | Beth Meyer Evie Fox Reed Johnson James Jawaski Chris Vedder Scott Wermerskirchen |
| Established Title: | Platted |
| Established Date: | 1857 |
| Established Title1: | Incorporated |
| Established Date1: | 1908 |
| Named For: | John Cabell Breckinridge |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [2] |
| Area Total Km2: | 6.724 |
| Area Land Km2: | 6.724 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.000 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 2.596 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 2.596 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.000 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Est: | 3331 |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2023 |
| Population Total: | 3430 |
| Population Density Km2: | 495.40 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 1283.08 |
| Population Urban: | 11290[3] |
| Population Metro: | 22864 (US: 490th) |
| Timezone: | Central (CST) |
| Utc Offset: | –6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | –5 |
| Elevation M: | 293 |
| Elevation Ft: | 961 |
| Coordinates: | 46.2662°N -96.585°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP Code |
| Postal Code: | 56520 |
| Area Code: | 218 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 27-07462 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 2393405 |
| Blank2 Name: | Highways |
| Blank2 Info: | MN 9, MN 75, MN 210 |
| Blank3 Name: | Sales tax |
| Blank3 Info: | 6.875%[4] |
Breckenridge is a city and county seat of Wilkin County, Minnesota, United States.[5] The population was 3,430 at the 2020 census.[6]
Breckenridge's twin city is Wahpeton, North Dakota. It is part of the Wahpeton, ND—MN Micropolitan Statistical Area. The Bois de Sioux River and the Otter Tail River join at Breckenridge and Wahpeton to form the Red River of the North.
Breckenridge was platted in 1857, and named for John Cabell Breckinridge, a U.S. senator from Kentucky and the 14th Vice President of the United States. Breckenridge was also staunchly pro-slavery and was a Major General in the Confederate Army.[7] A post office has been in operation at Breckenridge since 1857.[8] Breckenridge was incorporated in 1908. The city contains one property listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 1928 Wilkin County Courthouse.[9]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.596sqmi, all land.[2]
U.S. Route 75 and Minnesota State Highways 9 and 210 are three of the main routes in the city. Additionally, the city was situated on the Twin Cities to Seattle main line of the Great Northern Railway. As a result, the Breckenridge station was served by numerous passenger trains through the years until 1979. The city continues to see freight rail traffic on the now BNSF line.
As of the 2022 American Community Survey, there are 1,441 estimated households in Breckenridge with an average of 2.3 persons per household. The city has a median household income of $57,094. Approximately 20.7% of the city's population lives at or below the poverty line. Breckenridge has an estimated 64.8% employment rate, with 26.2% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 91.7% holding a high school diploma.
The top nine reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were German (43.1%), Norwegian (23.0%), Polish (7.2%), Irish (6.5%), English (5.8%), French (except Basque) (1.9%), Italian (0.3%), Scottish (0.0%), and Subsaharan African (0.0%).
The median age in the city was 41.3 years.
| White alone (NH) | 3,427 | 3,196 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 3,037 | 96.29% | 94.39% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 88.54% | |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 5 | 6 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 30 | 0.14% | 0.18% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 0.87% | |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 20 | 43 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 64 | 0.56% | 1.27% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 1.87% | |
| Asian alone (NH) | 6 | 14 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 8 | 0.17% | 0.41% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 0.23% | |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 1 | 0 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 1 | 0.03% | 0.00% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 0.03% | |
| Other race alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 4 | 0.00% | 0.00% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 0.12% | |
| Mixed race or multiracial (NH) | 39 | 41 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 150 | 1.10% | 1.21% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 4.37% | |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 61 | 86 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 136 | 1.71% | 2.54% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 3.97% | |
| Total | 3,559 | 3,386 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 3,430 | 100.00% | 100.00% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 100.00% |
As of the 2010 census, there were 3,386 people, 1,445 households, and 861 families living in the city. The population density was 1376.4PD/sqmi. There were 1,635 housing units at an average density of 664.6/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.28% White, 0.21% African American, 1.39% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 1.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.54% of the population.
There were 1,445 households, of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.4% were non-families. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.91.
The median age in the city was 43.3 years. The demographic breakdown of the city is as follows: 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.8% were from 45 to 64; and 21.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.0% male and 51.0% female.
As of the 2000 census, there were 3,559 people, 1,438 households, and 911 families living in the city. The population density was 1516.4PD/sqmi. There were 1,582 housing units at an average density of 674PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 97.61% White, 0.14% African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.71% of the population.
There were 1,438 households, out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.8% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,054, and the median income for a family was $47,500. Males had a median income of $31,869 versus $21,328 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,059. About 7.3% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.