Starbuck was platted in the spring of 1882, as a village on the Northern Pacific railway, adjoining Lake Minnewaska. The growth and settlement of Pope County were greatly retarded for many years by the lack of railway and shipping facilities, which obliged the settlers to go long distances into adjoining counties, to market their products. Reportedly the town was named after Stabekk in Bærum in Akershus county, Norway. But Geographical Names of Manitoba says that the village of Starbuck, Manitoba, is thought to have been named after the town in Minnesota by a contractor working for the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885, and that Starbuck, Minnesota, was named after William H. Starbuck of New York, who financed the Little Falls and Dakota Railroad. Some also believe the town's name comes from the oxen used to build the railroad through the town, whose names were Star and Buck.
As of the census of 2010, there were 1,302 people, 576 households, and 328 families living in the city. The population density was. There were 671 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the city was 97.3% White, 0.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.8% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.3% of the population. There were 576 households of which 22.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couplesliving together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.1% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.75. The median age in the city was 45.8 years. 19.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 25.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.8% male and 51.2% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,314 people, 565 households, and 328 families living in the city. The population density was 834.0 people per square mile. There were 633 housing units at an average density of 401.8 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 99.01% White, 0.23% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.46% of the population. There were 565 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 38.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 25.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.84. In the city, the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 30.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,235, and the median income for a family was $40,875. Males had a median income of $30,865 versus $21,184 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,030. About 7.9% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.5% of those under age 18 and 23.6% of those age 65 or over.
