Census Data for Deer Creek

Population ...

The most recent Census Estimate<1> was for 2019 and it gave Deer Creek a population of 321 people.

The last Decennial Census<2> was in 2010, which gave Deer Creek a population of 322 people.

The city of Deer Creek is located in Otter Tail County. The 2010 Census gave Otter Tail County; a population of 57,303 people. This means that Deer Creek had 0.56% of the county's total population, making it Otter Tail's 11th most populous community.

At the same time, Minnesota had a population of 5,303,925 people.

Area ...

The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for Deer Creek has a total area of 4.03 square miles [10.4 km²]. Of this total, a small amount of the area is covered by water (0.02 square miles [0 km²]).

Otter Tail County has a land area of 1,972 square miles [5,107.6 km²]. At 4.01 square miles [10.4 km²], Deer Creek has 0.2% of the county's total land area.

• Continue Reading ...
  • When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a city like Deer Creek, they draw a boundary around the area in which they are going to conduct their count - this defines the sampling area (usually a polygon). The shape of the sampling area can be quite complex and it's important to keep in mind that the boundaries of the sampling area may or may not match the recognized boundaries of the city.
  • Things like population, area and housing for Deer Creek reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of Deer Creek might be different, it's best to check with the U.S. Census Bureau to resolve any difference between the two.
  • Not only does the sampling area define boundaries, it also has a GPS location (latitude & longitude) that indicates a point within the sampling area (usually the center of the polygon, known as the centroid). At the time of the 2010 Census, the sampling area was located at:
  • Lat:   46° 23' 25"   (or 46.39°)
  • Lon:   -95° 19' 20"   (or -95.32°)
  • More information on this topic and the changes between the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census can be found in the section for our Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).

Housing Units ...

At the time of the 2010 Census, Deer Creek had 161 Housing Units<3> and with its population of 322 people, this averages 2 people per Housing Unit.

• Continue Reading ...
  • The 2010 Census shows Deer Creek had a land area of 4.01 square miles [10.4 km²]. This translates to 39.95 Housing Units per square mile [15.42 housing units/km²].
  • From the Census of 2000: Deer Creek had 163 Housing Units, a population of 328 people and a land area of 4.02 square miles [10.4 km²]. This gives a density of 2.01 people per Housing Unit and 40.56 Housing Units per square mile [15.66 housing units/km²].
  • Note: Repeating the caution above (under Population Density), be aware that when comparing Housing Units between the 2010 Census and the 2000 Census, there were changes in the sampling area for Deer Creek and you need to be careful when comparing values between the censuses. More information about the nature of these the changes can be found in the section called Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).

Otter Tail County ...

The community of Deer Creek is located in Otter Tail County<4>.

The county had a population of 57,303 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 322 people, Deer Creek represented 0.56% of the county's total.

In addition, where the city of Deer Creek has a population density of 79.9 people per square mile [30.85 people/km²], Otter Tail County averages 29.06 people per square mile [11.22 people/km²].

For more information, please visit our Census Page for Otter Tail County.

Census-to-Census Observations ...

Introduction ...

When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for Deer Creek, they start by specifying the boundaries of the area to be counted. This area (or sampling area) is a polygon and its shape can be quite complex - it may or may not match the geographical boundaries of Deer Creek. It's important to note that from one Census to the next, the shape and location of the polygon can change.

• Continue Reading ...
  • Although we don't have specific information about the shape of the polygon for Deer Creek or how it changed has over time, there is some information that can give us some hints. For example, since the shape of the sampling area is directly related to the shape of the polygon, any change to area probably indicates a new shape for the polygon.
  • If you need precision or details about the methodology of the Census, you should visit the U.S. Census Bureau for a definitive answer.

Location ...

While generally coinciding with the GPS location (latitude/longitude) of Deer Creek, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for Deer Creek.

• Continue Reading ...
  • For the 2010 Census, the location was given as:
  • Lat:   46.390553°   (or 46°23'25" N)
  • Lon:   -95.322447°   (or -95°19'20" W)
  • For the 2000 Census, the location given was:
  • Lat:   46.391137°   (or 46°23'28" N)
  • Lon:   -95.320748°   (or -95°19'14" W)
  • The difference indicates that the U.S. Census Bureau moved the location of the polygon for the 2010 Census 477.4 feet to the southwest<5> of the location that was used in the 2000 Census.
  • The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) have assigned a unique GNIS identifier (#2394488) to Deer Creek. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of Deer Creek. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
  • Lat:   46.390917°   (or 46°23'27" N)
  • Lon:   -95.321741°   (or -95°19'18" W)
  • The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 221.7 feet to the southwest<6> of the point given by the GNIS for Deer Creek. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for Deer Creek.

Miscellaneous Information for Deer Creek ...

The Federal government has assigned various identifying codes to each community, county and state. At one time or another, the US Census Bureau has used one (or more) of the following identifiers when referring to either Otter Tail County or the city of Deer Creek:

• The GNIS Codes ...
  • The current system of identification is called the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). The following GNIS codes relate to Deer Creek:
  • GNIS ID for Deer Creek: 2394488
  • GNIS ID for Otter Tail County: 659501
  • GNIS ID for State of Minnesota: 662849

• The FIPS Codes ...
  • An earlier (and largely obsolete) identification method was called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS):
  • State Code: 27 (Minnesota)
  • County Code: 111 (Otter Tail County)
  • Place Code: 15184 (Deer Creek)
  • State & County Code: 27/111 (Minnesota / Otter Tail County)
  • State & Place Code: 27/15184 (Minnesota / Deer Creek)

• Misc. Census Codes ...
  • Deer Creek is located in Census Region #2 (the Midwest Region) and Division #4 (the West North-Central Division).

• The US Postal Service ZIP Code ...
  • While some people have used a ZIP code to identify a community, the purpose of the ZIP code was to make mail delivery more efficient by grouping addresses together. Although the ZIP Code doesn't specifically identify a city like Deer Creek, it does identify addresses that are in (or near) Deer Creek. It's important to remember that the boundaries of a ZIP Code can be changed, re-assigned or overlapped with other ZIP Codes.
  • The ZIP code for Deer Creek:56527<7>

• Census ZCTA Codes ...
  • The US Census Bureau created statistical entities that they call ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) and these ZCTAs are frequently confused with the ZIP codes that come from the US Postal Service (USPS).
  • ZCTAs were first created for the 2000 Census and at that time, they were based upon the USPS ZIP codes. While largely covering the same areas, the boundaries of a ZCTA do not necessarily match the boundaries of a postal ZIP code with the same number. For example, while a postal ZIP code can cross a county or state line, a Census ZCTA can not. They should be treated as separate entities with no correlation between them.

For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for Deer Creek.

Off-the-Road Links ...

Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Deer Creek. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.

The official website for Otter Tail County: www.co.otter-tail.mn.us/

The official website for State of Minnesota: https://mn.gov/

The official website of the U.S. Census Bureau

The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)

The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)