COUNTY REPORT MN

Carlton County, Minnesota

11 ZIP codes · Avg score 66/100 · Grade C · Updated

ZipCheckup grade for Carlton County: C.

A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.

Although much of Carlton County meets baseline standards, some of its 11 ZIP codes show violations that merit closer attention.

How Carlton County Compares

Carlton County66/100
Minnesota avg68/100
National avg73/100

How Carlton County Compares

C
County Grade
66/100
Avg Safety Score
11
ZIP Codes
5
Water Systems

Carlton County scores 2 points below the Minnesota state average (68/100) and 7 points below the national average (73/100).

Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData Last verified:

C
County Grade
66
Avg Safety Score
11
ZIP Codes
Best ZIP: 55720 (66/100)
Lowest ZIP: 55720 (66/100)
$219K
Median Home Value
$1,445
Avg Remediation (66% of home value)

ZIP Code Risk Map

Water Quality Map: Carlton County, Minnesota

Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.

A B C D F

Key Risk Factors

Health risk index: 13.3 (asthma 10.5%, diabetes 11.7%)

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,611, driven primarily by energy_code_gap

57.1% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)

County Health Indicators vs National Average

Asthma 10.5% (national: 8.9%)
Diabetes 11.7% (national: 10.5%)
Obesity 38.8% (national: 32.4%)

Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Infrastructure Overview

1974
Median Build Year
57.1%
Pre-1978 Housing
41/100
Infrastructure Stress Indicator
64%
ZIPs with High Infrastructure Stress
Low
Lead Pipe Risk

Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINS infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.

Compound Risk Breakdown

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,611

Energy Code Gap $417/yr
Sea Level Rise $400/yr
Flood $333/yr

Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).

Housing Age Distribution

16,725 housing units in Carlton County

Pre-1940 18%
1940–1959 16%
1960–1979 24%
1980–1999 22%
2000+ 20%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).

Water Safety Affordability

How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Carlton County

$219K
Median Home Value
$1,445
Est. Remediation Cost
0.7%
of Home Value
Remediation as % of home value low burden

Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Carlton County, representing a small fraction of property value.

Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.

Health Outcomes vs National Average

CDC PLACES data for Carlton County residents

Asthma 10.5% (US avg: 8.9%)
Diabetes 11.7% (US avg: 11%)
Obesity 38.8% (US avg: 32.4%)

Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Water systems serving Carlton County

5 community water systems serving Carlton County.

Systems with the most violations in Carlton County

2 water systems with recorded EPA violations.

  • Moose Lake
    Serves ~1,782 people 13 violations
  • Scanlon
    Serves ~1,003 people 3 violations
    C

All ZIP Codes in Carlton County

11 ZIP codes tracked in Carlton County.

# ZIP Code City Safety Score Grade Violations Home Value
1 55720 Cloquet 66 C 3 $213K
2 55707 Barnum $230K
3 55718 Carlton 0 $288K
4 55726 Cromwell $219K
5 55733 Esko $301K
6 55749 Holyoke $217K
7 55757 Kettle River $212K
8 55767 Moose Lake 13 $227K
9 55780 Sawyer $184K
10 55797 Wrenshall $241K
11 55798 Wright $216K

Recommended Buyer Guides for Carlton County

Eight risk categories drive the selection - PFAS exceedance, lead above EPA action level, pre-1978 housing share, EPA Radon Zone 1, flood-top-risk, wildfire-top-risk, multi-contaminant load, and a baseline fallback - and each category maps to a specific buyer-guide track that surfaces when the county data hits its threshold for that hazard signal.

Overview

Carlton County in Minnesota covers 11 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of C (66/100) across 1 scored records.

2 of 3 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.

← Back to Minnesota Home Safety Profile

Data Sources

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water safe in Carlton County?
Carlton County receives a grade of C. Some ZIP codes have recorded violations and residents in affected areas may want to test their water.
How many water systems serve Carlton County?
Carlton County is served by 5 public water systems that supply drinking water to residents across 11 ZIP codes.
What is the biggest environmental risk in Carlton County?
The primary environmental risk factor in Carlton County is energy_code_gap. This contributes to an estimated additional annual cost of $1,611 per homeowner.
How old are homes in Carlton County?
The median home build year in Carlton County is 1974. 57.1% of homes were built before 1978, which means they may contain lead-based paint and older plumbing materials.
How does Carlton County compare to Minnesota?
Carlton County has an average Home Safety Score of 66/100 under model 4.0.0, which is below the Minnesota state average of 68/100.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (2026). Carlton County, MN: HSS 66/100; 16 Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/county/minnesota/carlton/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-county-minnesota-carlton,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Carlton County, MN: HSS 66/100; 16 Violations}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/county/minnesota/carlton/}
}

Page version: August 2026.

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