List of counties in Minnesota

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There are 87 counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. There are also several historical counties.

On October 27, 1849, nine counties were established: Benton, Dahkotah, Itasca, Ramsey, Mahkahta, Pembina, Wabasha, Washington, and Wahnata. Six of these names still exist. With the foundation of Kittson County on March 9, 1878, Pembina County no longer existed. ^[1] When Minnesota was organized as a state, 57 of the present 87 counties were established. The last county to be created was Lake of the Woods County in 1923. ^[2]

The names of many of the counties allude to the long history of exploration. Over ten counties are named for Native American groups residing in parts of what is now Minnesota. Another fifteen counties are named after physical geographic features, and the remainder for politicians.

The FIPS county code is the five-digit Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code which uniquely identifies counties and county equivalents in the United States. The three-digit number is unique to each individual county within a state, but to be unique within the entire United States, it must be prefixed by the state code. This means that, for example, the number 001 is shared by Aitkin County, Minnesota, Adams County, Wisconsin, and Adair County, Iowa. To uniquely identify Aitkin County, Minnesota, one must use the state code of 27 plus the county code of 001; therefore, the unique nationwide identifier for Aitkin County, Minnesota is 27001. The links in the column FIPS County Code are to the Census Bureau Info page for that county. ^[3]

List

County	FIPS code [3]	County seat [4]	Est. [1] [4]	Origin [5] [6] [7]	Etymology	Population [8]	Area [4] [8]	Map
AitkinCounty	001	Aitkin	1857	Pine County, Ramsey County	William Alexander Aitken (1785–1851), early fur trader with Ojibwe Indians	16,102	1,819.30 sq mi (4,712 km2)
AnokaCounty	003	Anoka	1857	Ramsey County	Dakota word meaning "both sides"	372,441	423.61 sq mi (1,097 km2)
BeckerCounty	005	Detroit Lakes	1858	Cass County, Pembina County	George Loomis Becker, former state senator and third mayor of Saint Paul (1856–1857)	35,283	1,310.42 sq mi (3,394 km2)
BeltramiCounty	007	Bemidji	1866	Unorganized Territory, Itasca County, Pembina County, Polk County	Giacomo Beltrami, Italian explorer who explored the northern reaches of Mississippi River in 1823.	46,718	2,505.27 sq mi (6,489 km2)
BentonCounty	009	Foley	1849	One of nine original counties; formed from residual St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory.	Thomas Hart Benton (1782–1858), former United States Senator from Missouri (1821–1851)	41,600	408.28 sq mi (1,057 km2)
Big StoneCounty	011	Ortonville	1862	Pierce County	Big Stone Lake, a lake located in the county	5,105	496.95 sq mi (1,287 km2)
Blue EarthCounty	013	Mankato	1853	Unorganized Territory, Dakota County	Blue Earth River, a river that flows through Minnesota	70,006	752.36 sq mi (1,949 km2)
BrownCounty	015	New Ulm	1855	Blue Earth County	Joseph Renshaw Brown (1805–1870), member of Minnesota territorial legislature (1854–55) and prominent pioneer	25,628	610.86 sq mi (1,582 km2)
CarltonCounty	017	Carlton	1857	Pine County, Saint Louis County	Rueben B. Carlton (1812–1863), early settler and state senator (1857–1858)	36,825	860.33 sq mi (2,228 km2)
CarverCounty	019	Chaska	1855	Hennepin County, Sibley County	Jonathan Carver (1710–1790), early explorer and cartographer of the Mississippi river.	111,057	357.04 sq mi (925 km2)
CassCounty	021	Walker	1851	Dakota County, Pembina County, Mankahto County, Wahnata County	Lewis Cass (1782–1866), senator from Michigan (1845–1857) and United States Secretary of State (1831–1836)	31,446	2,017.60 sq mi (5,226 km2)
ChippewaCounty	023	Montevideo	1870	Pierce County, Davis County	Chippewa River, a river that flows through Minnesota	12,172	582.80 sq mi (1,509 km2)
ChisagoCounty	025	Center City	1851	Washington County, Ramsey County	Chisago Lake, a lake located in the county	58,535	417.63 sq mi (1,082 km2)
ClayCounty	027	Moorhead	1862	Pembina County	Henry Clay (1777–1852), Kentucky statesman and ninth secretary of state of the United States (1825–1829)	66,258	1,045.24 sq mi (2,707 km2)
ClearwaterCounty	029	Bagley	1902	Beltrami County	Clearwater River and lake, both features located in the state	8,644	994.71 sq mi (2,576 km2)
CookCounty	031	Grand Marais	1874	Lake County	Named for Civil War veteran Major Michael Cook of Faribault, who was also a territorial and state senator 1857–62	5,639	1,450.60 sq mi (3,757 km2)
CottonwoodCounty	033	Windom	1857	Brown County	Cottonwood River	11,319	639.99 sq mi (1,658 km2)
Crow WingCounty	035	Brainerd	1857	Ramsey County	Crow Wing River	68,304	996.57 sq mi (2,581 km2)
DakotaCounty	037	Hastings	1849	One of nine original counties.	From the Dakota language, after a local tribe Dakota, meaning "Allies"	447,440	569.58 sq mi (1,475 km2)
DodgeCounty	039	Mantorville	1855	Rice County, Unorganized Territory	Henry Dodge (1782–1867), twice governor of Wisconsin. [9]	21,088	439.50 sq mi (1,138 km2)
DouglasCounty	041	Alexandria	1858	Cass County, Pembina County	Stephen Arnold Douglas (1813–1861), former United States Senator from Illinois (1847–1861)	39,953	634.32 sq mi (1,643 km2)
FaribaultCounty	043	Blue Earth	1855	Blue Earth County	Jean-Baptiste Faribault (1775–1860), early settler and fur trader	13,873	713.63 sq mi (1,848 km2)
FillmoreCounty	045	Preston	1853	Wabasha County	Millard Fillmore (1800–1874), thirteenth president of the United States (1850–1853)	21,522	861.25 sq mi (2,231 km2)
FreebornCounty	047	Albert Lea	1855	Blue Earth County, Rice County	William S. Freeborn (1816–1900), member of the Territorial Legislature	30,515	707.64 sq mi (1,833 km2)
GoodhueCounty	049	Red Wing	1853	Wabasha County, Dakota County	James Madison Goodhue, the first newspaper editor in Minnesota. [10]	48,035	758.27 sq mi (1,964 km2)
GrantCounty	051	Elbow Lake	1868	Stevens County, Wilkin County, Traverse County	Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885), eighteenth president of the United States (1869–1877)	6,139	546.41 sq mi (1,415 km2)
HennepinCounty	053	Minneapolis	1852	Dakota County	Father Louis Hennepin (1626–1705), early explorer of the Twin Cities area in the 17th century	1,258,713	556.62 sq mi (1,442 km2)
HoustonCounty	055	Caledonia	1854	Fillmore County	Sam Houston (1793–1863), the second and fourth president of the Republic of Texas and seventh governor of Texas	18,582	558.41 sq mi (1,446 km2)
HubbardCounty	057	Park Rapids	1883	Cass County	Lucius Frederick Hubbard (1836–1913), ninth governor of Minnesota (1882–1887)	22,132	922.46 sq mi (2,389 km2)
IsantiCounty	059	Cambridge	1857	Ramsey County	Division of the Dakotas called the Izatys, meaning [those that] dwell at Knife Lake, after where they resided.	43,182	439.07 sq mi (1,137 km2)
ItascaCounty	061	Grand Rapids	1849	One of nine original counties; formed from residual La Pointe County, Wisconsin Territory.	Lake Itasca, source of the Mississippi River (located in northwestern Minnesota).	45,365	2,665.06 sq mi (6,902 km2)
JacksonCounty	063	Jackson	1857	Brown County	Henry Jackson, member of the first territorial legislature and the first merchant in St. Paul	9,919	701.69 sq mi (1,817 km2)
KanabecCounty	065	Mora	1858	Pine County	From the Ojibwe language Kan-a-bec-o-si-pi (Ginebigo-ziibi), meaning Snake River, which flows through the county	16,602	524.93 sq mi (1,360 km2)
KandiyohiCounty	067	Willmar	1858	Meeker County, Renville County, Pierce County, Davis County, Stearns County	From the Sioux language for "buffalo fish"	43,813	796.06 sq mi (2,062 km2)
KittsonCounty	069	Hallock	1879	Pembina County	Norman Kittson (1814–1888), businessman and mayor of Saint Paul (1858–1859)	4,060	1,097.08 sq mi (2,841 km2)
KoochichingCounty	071	International Falls	1906	Itasca County	From the Ojibwe language Gojijiing (Place of inlets), which was the Cree name for Rainy Lake and Rainy River.	11,751	3,102.36 sq mi (8,035 km2)
Lac qui ParleCounty	073	Madison	1871	Redwood County	French phrase meaning "lake which talks".	6,630	764.87 sq mi (1,981 km2)
LakeCounty	075	Two Harbors	1856	Itasca County	Lake Superior, which forms one of its edges	10,855	2,099.16 sq mi (5,437 km2)
Lake of the WoodsCounty	077	Baudette	1923	Beltrami County	Lake of the Woods, a lake located within the county.	3,778	1,296.70 sq mi (3,358 km2)
Le SueurCounty	079	Le Center	1853	Dakota County	Pierre-Charles Le Sueur (1657–1704), fur trader and early explorer of the Minnesota River Valley	29,255	448.50 sq mi (1,162 km2)
LincolnCounty	081	Ivanhoe	1873	Lyon County	Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), sixteenth president of the United States (1861–1865)	5,521	537.03 sq mi (1,391 km2)
LyonCounty	083	Marshall	1871	Redwood County	Nathaniel Lyon (1818–1861), United States Army general killed during the Civil War	25,427	714.17 sq mi (1,850 km2)
McLeodCounty	085	Glencoe	1856	Carver County, Sibley County	Martin McLeod early pioneer and member of the territorial legislature (1849–1856)	36,785	491.91 sq mi (1,274 km2)
MahnomenCounty	087	Mahnomen	1906	Norman County	Ojibwa word meaning "wild rice".	5,280	556.14 sq mi (1,440 km2)
MarshallCounty	089	Warren	1879	Kittson County	William Rainey Marshall (1825–1896), fifth governor of Minnesota (1866–1870)	8,810	1,772.24 sq mi (4,590 km2)
MartinCounty	091	Fairmont	1857	Faribault County, Brown County	Morgan Lewis Martin (1805–1887), delegate to Congress from Wisconsin Territory	19,657	709.34 sq mi (1,837 km2)
MeekerCounty	093	Litchfield	1856	Davis County	Bradley B. Meeker (1813–1873), Associate Justice of the Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court (1849–1853)	23,490	608.54 sq mi (1,576 km2)
Mille LacsCounty	095	Milaca	1857	Ramsey County	Mille Lacs Lake, a lake located within the county.	27,427	574.47 sq mi (1,488 km2)
MorrisonCounty	097	Little Falls	1856	Benton County	William & Allan Morrison, fur trading brothers [11]	34,250	1,124.50 sq mi (2,912 km2)
MowerCounty	099	Austin	1855	Rice County	John Edward Mower (1815–1879), member of the Minnesota territorial legislature in the 1850s	40,058	711.50 sq mi (1,843 km2)
MurrayCounty	101	Slayton	1857	Brown County	William Pitt Murray (1825–1910), Minnesota statesman and member of the territorial legislature (1852–1855) and 1857	8,049	704.43 sq mi (1,824 km2)
NicolletCounty	103	St. Peter	1853	Dakota County	Joseph Nicolas Nicollet (1786–1843), early explorer and cartographer of the Upper Mississippi River	34,242	452.29 sq mi (1,171 km2)
NoblesCounty	105	Worthington	1857	Brown County	William H. Nobles, member of the Minnesota territorial legislature in 1854 and 1856	21,727	715.39 sq mi (1,853 km2)
NormanCounty	107	Ada	1881	Polk County	Early Norwegian, also known as Norman, settlers.	6,329	876.27 sq mi (2,270 km2)
OlmstedCounty	109	Rochester	1855	Fillmore County, Wabasha County, Rice County	David Olmsted, first mayor of Saint Paul and member of territorial legislature (1849–1850)	164,784	653.01 sq mi (1,691 km2)
Otter TailCounty	111	Fergus Falls	1858	Pembina County, Cass County	Otter Tail Lake, a lake located within the county	60,626	1,979.71 sq mi (5,127 km2)
PenningtonCounty	113	Thief River Falls	1910	Red Lake County	Edmund Pennington (1848-1926), executive of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad	13,714	616.54 sq mi (1,597 km2)
PineCounty	115	Pine City	1856	Chisago County, Ramsey County	Giant forests of Eastern White Pine and Red Pine that flourish in the county	30,197	1,411.04 sq mi (3,655 km2)
PipestoneCounty	117	Pipestone	1857	Brown County	Name of a sacred Dakota quarry of red pipestone found in the county	9,245	465.89 sq mi (1,207 km2)
PolkCounty	119	Crookston	1858	Pembina County	James K. Polk (1795–1849), eleventh president of the United States (1845–1849)	30,412	1,970.37 sq mi (5,103 km2)
PopeCounty	121	Glenwood	1862	Pierce County, Cass County, Unorganized Territory	John Pope (1822–1892), United States Army general during the Dakota War of 1862	11,400	670.14 sq mi (1,736 km2)
RamseyCounty	123	Saint Paul	1849	One of nine original counties; formed from residual St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory.	Alexander Ramsey (1815–1903), first governor of Minnesota Territory (1849–1853)	536,075	155.78 sq mi (403 km2)
Red LakeCounty	125	Red Lake Falls	1896	Polk County	Red Lake River, a river that flows through Minnesota.	3,911	432.43 sq mi (1,120 km2)
RedwoodCounty	127	Redwood Falls	1862	Brown County	Redwood River, a river that flows through Minnesota.	15,288	879.73 sq mi (2,278 km2)
RenvilleCounty	129	Olivia	1855	Nicollet County, Pierce County, Sibley County	Joseph Renville (1779–1846), interpreter for early explorations of the Louisiana Purchase	14,348	982.92 sq mi (2,546 km2)
RiceCounty	131	Faribault	1853	Dakota County, Wabasha County	Henry Mower Rice (1816–1894), former United States Senator from Minnesota (1858–1863)	67,948	497.57 sq mi (1,289 km2)
RockCounty	133	Luverne	1857	Brown County	Large rocky plateau located within the county, known as "the mound."	9,551	482.61 sq mi (1,250 km2)
RoseauCounty	135	Roseau	1894	Kittson County, Beltrami County	Roseau River and Roseau Lake, both of which are located nearby	15,252	1,662.51 sq mi (4,306 km2)
Saint LouisCounty	137	Duluth	1855	Itasca County, Newton	Saint Louis River, a river that flows through Minnesota	200,514	6,225.16 sq mi (16,123 km2)
ScottCounty	139	Shakopee	1853	Dakota County	Winfield Scott (1786–1866), United States Army general who served from (1808–1861)	155,814	356.68 sq mi (924 km2)
SherburneCounty	141	Elk River	1856	Benton County	Moses Sherburne (1813–1873), Associate Justice of the Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court (1853–1857)	102,206	436.30 sq mi (1,130 km2)
SibleyCounty	143	Gaylord	1853	Dakota County	Henry Hastings Sibley (1811–1891), first governor of Minnesota (1858–1860)	15,084	588.65 sq mi (1,525 km2)
StearnsCounty	145	St. Cloud	1855	Cass County, Nicollet County, Pierce County, Sibley County	Charles Thomas Stearns (1814–1888), early settler of St. Cloud and member of the Minnesota territorial legislature (1849–1858)	160,977	1,344.52 sq mi (3,482 km2)
SteeleCounty	147	Owatonna	1855	Rice County, Blue Earth County, Le Sueur County	Franklin Steele (1813–1880), early settler of Minneapolis and developer of Saint Anthony Falls	37,421	429.55 sq mi (1,113 km2)
StevensCounty	149	Morris	1862	Pierce County, Unorganized Territory	Isaac Ingalls Stevens (1818–1862), first governor of Washington Territory (1853–1857)	9,728	562.06 sq mi (1,456 km2)
SwiftCounty	151	Benson	1870	Chippewa County	Henry Adoniram Swift (1823–1869), third governor of Minnesota (1863–1864)	9,719	743.53 sq mi (1,926 km2)
ToddCounty	153	Long Prairie	1855	Cass County	John Blair Smith Todd, commander of Fort Ripley (1849–56); general in the Civil War; delegate in Congress from Dakota Territory (1861 and 1863–65); governor of Dakota Territory (1869–71)	25,667	942.02 sq mi (2,440 km2)
TraverseCounty	155	Wheaton	1862	Pierce County, Unorganized Territory	Lake Traverse, a lake located in the county.	3,136	574.09 sq mi (1,487 km2)
WabashaCounty	157	Wabasha	1849	One of nine original counties.	Named after M'dewakanton Dakota Indian Chief Wabasha III	21,683	525.01 sq mi (1,360 km2)
WadenaCounty	159	Wadena	1858	Cass County, Todd County	Wadena Trading Post, in turn for a Ojibway word meaning "a little round hill".	14,241	535.02 sq mi (1,386 km2)
WasecaCounty	161	Waseca	1857	Steele County	Dakota word meaning "rich and fertile"	18,981	423.25 sq mi (1,096 km2)
WashingtonCounty	163	Stillwater	1849	One of nine original counties; formed from residual St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory.	George Washington (1732–1799), first president of the United States (1789–1797)	278,936	391.70 sq mi (1,014 km2)
WatonwanCounty	165	St. James	1860	Brown County	Watonwan River, a river that flows through Minnesota.	11,077	434.51 sq mi (1,125 km2)
WilkinCounty	167	Breckenridge	1858	Cass County, Pembina County	Alexander Wilkin (1820–1864), Minnesota politician and soldier killed in the Civil War	6,306	751.43 sq mi (1,946 km2)
WinonaCounty	169	Winona	1854	Fillmore County, Wabasha County	Named after Wee-No-Nah, Sister, or Cousin of Chief Wabasha III	49,721	626.30 sq mi (1,622 km2)
WrightCounty	171	Buffalo	1855	Cass County, Sibley County	Silas Wright (1795–1847), former United States Senator from New York (1833–1844)	151,150	660.75 sq mi (1,711 km2)
Yellow MedicineCounty	173	Granite Falls	1871	Redwood County	Yellow Medicine River, a river that flows through Minnesota.	9,467	757.96 sq mi (1,963 km2)

Historical counties

The new Seal of Minnesota contains 98 gold "boxes" around the edge, symbolizing the state's 87 counties and 11 recognized Native American tribes.

Before statehood

• St. Clair County, Indiana Territory (1801–1812) (Transferred to Illinois in 1809)
• St. Charles County, Louisiana Territory (1809–1813) (Transferred to Missouri Territory in 1812)
• Madison County, Illinois Territory (1812–1818) Formed from St. Clair County
• Michilimackinac County, Michigan Territory (1818–1837)
• Crawford County, Michigan Territory (1818–1840) (Transferred to Wisconsin Territory in 1837)
• Chippewa County, Michigan Territory (1827–1837)
• Dubuque County, Michigan Territory (1834–1837)
• Fayette County, Wisconsin Territory (1837–1849)
• St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory (1840–1849)
• La Pointe County, Wisconsin Territory (1845–1849) Formed from St. Croix
• Mahkatah County (1849–1851) (Mahkahto) (One of Original 9 counties) Dissolved to Pembina and Cass
• Wahnata County (1849–1851) (One of Original 9 counties) Dissolved to Pembina and Cass
• Superior County (February 20, 1855 to March 3, 1855) Name changed to Saint Louis, then to Lake
• Newton County (1855–1856) Formed from Itasca County and Un-organized. Name Changed from Doty County, then to Saint Louis County.
• Saint Louis County (1855-1856) Name changed from Superior, then to Lake. Saint Louis name given to former Newton County

After statehood

• Buchanan County (1857–1861) Formed from Pine County, dissolved back to Pine
• Pierce County (1853–1862) Formed from Dakota County
• Davis County (1855–1862) Formed from Cass, Nicollet, and Sibley Counties
• Toombs County (1858–1862) Formed from Pembina, name changed to Andy Johnson
• Monroe County (1858-1860) Merged with Mille Lacs
• Lincoln County (1861–1868) Formed from Renville County
• Lac qui Parle County (1862–1868) Formed from Davis
• Manomin County (1857–1869) Formed from Ramsey County, Merged into Anoka County.
• Monongalia County (1861–1870) Formed from Ramsey, Pierce, and un-organized counties. Dissolved to Kandiyohi County.
• Aiken County (1857–1872) Formed from Pine and Ramsey counties, name changed to Aitkin
• Pembina County (1849–1878) (One of Original 9 counties) Name changed to Kittson
• Breckenridge County (1858–1862) Formed from Pembina, name changed to Clay
• Andy Johnson County (1862–1868) Formerly Toombs, name changed to Wilkin
• Midway County (1857–1858) Area created from Brown county, overlapped Pipestone county. Dissolved in 1858 when the State of Minnesota was formed and the rest of the territory not added to the state became unorganized.

References

1. "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on August 14, 2007. Retrieved September 17, 2007.
2. "Minnesota County History". Association of Minnesota Counties. Archived from the original on August 13, 2007. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
3. "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA. Retrieved April 9, 2007.
4. National Association of Counties. "NACo – Find a county". Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
5. Upham, Warren (1969). Minnesota Geographic Names. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society.
6. "County Name Origins". Association of Minnesota Counties. Archived from the original on May 27, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2008.
7. "Origin of Minnesota County Name". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on November 8, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2008.
8. "Minnesota QuickFacts". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
9. "Dodge County History" (PDF). Dodge County website. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 11, 2008. Retrieved February 17, 2008.
10. "The History of Goodhue County". Goodhue County, Minnesota website. Archived from the original on June 6, 2008. Retrieved February 17, 2008.
11. MCHS – William Morrison – Fur Trader Archived July 23, 2008, at the Wayback Machine

External links

• Map of the Organized Counties of Minnesota, 1850