| Official Name: | City of Staples |
| Settlement Type: | City |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Minnesota |
| Subdivision Type2: | Counties |
| Subdivision Name2: | Todd, Wadena |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Ron Murray |
| Leader Title1: | City Administrator |
| Leader Name1: | Jerel Nelsen |
| Leader Title2: | Economic Development |
| Leader Name2: | Melissa Wyman |
| Leader Title3: | Police Chief |
| Leader Name3: | Melissa Birkholtz |
| Leader Title4: | Fire Chief |
| Leader Name4: | Cole Yungbauer |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 1889 |
| Established Title1: | Incorporated |
| Established Date1: | 1906 |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 12.34 |
| Area Land Km2: | 12.33 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.01 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 4.77 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 4.76 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.01 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Est: | 2998 |
| Pop Est As Of: | 2021 |
| Population Total: | 2989 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 627.81 |
| Population Density Km2: | 242.39 |
| Timezone: | CST |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Elevation Ft: | 1273 |
| Coordinates: | 46.3692°N -94.8019°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 56479 |
| Area Code: | 218 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 27-62446[2] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 2395955 |
Staples is a city in Todd and Wadena counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 2,989 at the 2020 census.[3]
Staples developed around a sawmill.[4] The settlement was originally called Staples Mill, and under the latter name was platted in 1889, and named for Samuel and Isaac Staples, businessmen in the lumber industry.[5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.68sqmi; 4.67sqmi is land and 0.01sqmi is water.[6]
U.S. Route 10 and Minnesota State Highway 210 are two of the main routes in the city. The Empire Builder, an Amtrak route connecting Chicago with Seattle and Portland, Oregon, stops at the train station in Staples.
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,981 people, 1,222 households, and 696 families living in the city. The population density was 638.3PD/sqmi. There were 1,469 housing units at an average density of 314.6/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 95.9% White, 0.5% African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population.
There were 1,222 households, of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.0% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.0% were non-families. 37.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.94.
The median age in the city was 38.8 years. 24.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 10% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.8% were from 25 to 44; 22.5% were from 45 to 64; and 21.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,104 people, 1,278 households, and 732 families living in the city. The population density was 684.5sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 1,436 housing units at an average density of 316.7sp=usNaNsp=us. The racial makeup of the city was 97.49% White, 0.26% African American, 0.81% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.23% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population. 33.5% were of German, 12.5% Norwegian, 6.4% American, 6.0% Irish and 5.9% Swedish ancestry.
There were 1,278 households, out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 35.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.2% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,208, and the median income for a family was $33,472. Males had a median income of $26,481 versus $18,407 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,244. About 15.4% of families and 20.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.
The Amtrak station sees more than 5,000 riders a year get on or off the daily Empire Builder service.[18] The west bound train from Chicago and St Paul arrives an hour or two after midnight, heading toward Fargo and Seattle/Portland. East bound Empire Builders from Fargo arrive about 4 a.m. heading toward a daylight arrival in St Paul and an afternoon arrival in Chicago.
The official weekly newspaper of Staples is the Staples World, with a circulation of 2,400.