Babbitt, Minnesota

Babbitt
City
Location of the city of Babbitt within Saint Louis County, Minnesota
Coordinates: 47°42′31″N91°56′41″W / 47.70861°N 91.94472°W / 47.70861; -91.94472
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Saint Louis
Incorporated	September 12, 1956
Government
•  Mayor	Duane Lossing
Area [1]
• Total	106.90 sq mi (276.87 km2)
• Land	106.09 sq mi (274.77 km2)
• Water	0.81 sq mi (2.10 km2)
Elevation [2]	1,483 ft (452 m)
Population  (2020) [3]
• Total	1,397
• Estimate  (2022) [4]	1,383
• Density	13.99/sq mi (5.40/km2)
Time zone	UTC–6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC–5 (CDT)
ZIP Code	55706
Area code	218
FIPS code	27-03106
GNIS feature ID	0660701 [2]
Sales tax	7.375% [5]
Website	babbitt-mn.com

Babbitt is a city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,397 at the 2020 census. ^[3]

Saint Louis County Highway 21 (CR 21) serves as a main route in the community.

History

The city grew out of the formation of a taconite mine built by Armco and Republic Steel starting in 1944. ^[6] The company town was built near the eastern edge of the Mesabi Iron Range. The city of Silver Bay was built simultaneously along Lake Superior (60 miles to the southeast), and connected by train, for transportation of iron ore to cities along the Great Lakes. Babbitt is named after Judge Kurnal R. Babbitt of New York City. Judge Babbitt, who died on February 15, 1920, was general counsel for and a director of several mining companies. Before removing to New York in 1908, he practiced law in Colorado at Aspen, Cripple Creek and Colorado Springs. ^[7]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 106.72 square miles (276.40 km²); 105.91 square miles (274.31 km²) is land and 0.81 square miles (2.10 km²) is water. ^[8]

Climate data for Babbitt, Minnesota (1991–2020)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	45 (7)	59 (15)	76 (24)	82 (28)	90 (32)	92 (33)	97 (36)	96 (36)	90 (32)	80 (27)	74 (23)	46 (8)	97 (36)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	15.5 (−9.2)	20.9 (−6.2)	34.4 (1.3)	48.0 (8.9)	62.3 (16.8)	72.1 (22.3)	77.0 (25.0)	74.8 (23.8)	65.3 (18.5)	49.9 (9.9)	33.7 (0.9)	20.5 (−6.4)	47.9 (8.8)
Daily mean °F (°C)	4.1 (−15.5)	8.1 (−13.3)	22.0 (−5.6)	36.4 (2.4)	50.4 (10.2)	60.7 (15.9)	65.2 (18.4)	62.8 (17.1)	53.5 (11.9)	40.3 (4.6)	25.7 (−3.5)	11.3 (−11.5)	36.7 (2.6)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	−7.4 (−21.9)	−4.8 (−20.4)	9.7 (−12.4)	24.7 (−4.1)	38.5 (3.6)	49.2 (9.6)	53.3 (11.8)	50.8 (10.4)	41.7 (5.4)	30.7 (−0.7)	17.8 (−7.9)	2.2 (−16.6)	21.4 (−5.9)
Record low °F (°C)	−51 (−46)	−46 (−43)	−38 (−39)	−11 (−24)	17 (−8)	27 (−3)	33 (1)	29 (−2)	20 (−7)	5 (−15)	−15 (−26)	−42 (−41)	−51 (−46)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	1.21 (31)	0.85 (22)	1.04 (26)	2.42 (61)	3.93 (100)	3.76 (96)	4.35 (110)	3.56 (90)	3.27 (83)	2.66 (68)	1.64 (42)	1.14 (29)	29.76 (756)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	17.4 (44)	13.5 (34)	10.1 (26)	11.8 (30)	0.5 (1.3)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	trace	3.3 (8.4)	10.3 (26)	17.0 (43)	83.9 (213)
Source: NOAA [9]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1960	2,587		—
1970	3,076		18.9%
1980	2,435		−20.8%
1990	1,562		−35.9%
2000	1,670		6.9%
2010	1,475		−11.7%
2020	1,397		−5.3%
2022 (est.)	1,383	[4]	−1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [10] 2020 Census [3]

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,475 people, 707 households, and 435 families living in the city. The population density was 13.9 inhabitants per square mile (5.4/km²). There were 818 housing units at an average density of 7.7 per square mile (3.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.1% White, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.1% of the population.

There were 707 households, of which 20.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.5% were non-families. 34.1% 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 2.07 and the average family size was 2.60.

The median age in the city was 51.1 years. 17.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.1% were from 25 to 44; 28.2% were from 45 to 64; and 31.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,670 people, 735 households, and 530 families living in the city. The population density was 15.8 inhabitants per square mile (6.1/km²). There were 801 housing units at an average density of 7.6 per square mile (2.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.86% White, 0.12% African American, 0.30% American Indian, 0.12% Asian, and 0.60% from two or more races. 20.0% were of German, 16.6% Norwegian, 15.1% Finnish, 6.8% Swedish, 5.8% English and 5.2% Irish ancestry.

There were 735 households, out of which 21.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.4% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.67.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.0% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 28.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,229, and the median income for a family was $37,137. Males had a median income of $38,214 versus $24,531 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,853. About 3.6% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.5% of those under the age of 18 and 1.9% of those 65 and older.

Government

2023 mayor and council members

• Mayor Duane Lossing
• Councilor Paul Hoheisel
• Councilor Joseph White
• Councilor Jim Lassi
• Councilor Glenn Anderson
• Clerk-Treasurer Robecca Jaeger

The Babbitt Rabbit

Babbitt is the hometown of William "Buzzy" Schneider. Schneider was a member of the 1976 and 1980 Olympic hockey teams. Known as the "Babbitt Rabbit", Schneider scored the first goal in a 4-3 victory over the Soviet Union in the first game of the gold medal round of the 1980 Winter Olympics hockey tournament. Known as the "Miracle on Ice," the game took place in Lake Placid, New York, and is commonly described by sports historians as the greatest upset in sports history.

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Babbitt, Minnesota
3. "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 13, 2024.
4. "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022". United States Census Bureau. January 13, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
5. "Babbitt (MN) sales tax rate" . Retrieved January 11, 2024.
6. Silver Bay & Babbitt History Archived 2010-07-11 at the Wayback Machine , Retrieved July 7, 2010.
7. Who Was Who in America. Chicago. 1942. p. 40.
8. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
9. "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . Retrieved May 29, 2016.
10. United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing" . Retrieved June 4, 2015.

External links

• City of Babbitt – Official Website