Ramsey County, Minnesota

Last updated

Ramsey County
County
Saint Paul City Hall.jpg
Ramsey County Courthouse
Map of Minnesota highlighting Ramsey County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota in United States.svg
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°01′N93°06′W / 45.02°N 93.1°W / 45.02; -93.1
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Minnesota.svg  Minnesota
FoundedOctober 27, 1849 [1]
Named for Alexander Ramsey
Seat Saint Paul
Largest citySaint Paul
Area
 • Total
170 sq mi (400 km2)
 • Land152 sq mi (390 km2)
 • Water18 sq mi (50 km2)  11%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
552,352
 • Estimate 
(2023)
536,075 Decrease2.svg
 • Density3,200/sq mi (1,300/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts 4th, 5th
Website www.ramseycounty.us

Ramsey County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 552,352, [2] making it Minnesota's second-most populous county. Its county seat and largest city is Saint Paul, [3] the state capital and the twin city of Minneapolis. The county was founded in 1849 and is named for Alexander Ramsey, the first governor of the Minnesota Territory. [4] Ramsey County is part of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is Minnesota's smallest and most densely populated county, as well as one of the most densely populated counties in the United States. [5]

Contents

History

With the establishment of the Minnesota Territory in 1849, nine counties, including Ramsey County, were created. In 1849, Ramsey County included all of what later became the present-day counties of Ramsey, Anoka, Isanti, and Kanabec; and parts of Washington, Pine, Carlton, Aitkin, Mille Lacs, and Hennepin. One of Ramsey County's early settlers was Heman Gibbs, whose farm is now the Gibbs Museum of Pioneer and Dakotah Life (Gibbs Farm [6] ) in Falcon Heights. Ramsey County remained largely farmland until small villages began to appear in the late 19th century, with the incorporation of North St. Paul in 1887, New Brighton in 1891, and White Bear Lake in 1921. [7]

Government and politics

Ramsey County is overwhelmingly Democratic in presidential elections, not having voted for a Republican presidential nominee since 1924. In 2020, Democratic nominee Joe Biden received the largest share of the vote for any candidate in the county's history, with over 71%.

County sheriff

The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office was established in the old Minnesota Territory in 1849. [8] The current sheriff is Bob Fletcher, who was elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022. The Ramsey County Sheriff is elected to a four-year term in an election concurrent with the federal midterm elections.

The sheriff's office provides patrol and investigation for communities without local police forces and is available as backup for all communities. In addition to enforcing the law, the office provides town police services under contract to Arden Hills, Falcon Heights, Little Canada, North Oaks, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights, and White Bear Township. [8]

The Ramsey County Sheriff's office provides a number of unique services as mandated by law. This includes detention for court and other court services, safety, rescue, and law enforcement on the waterways. The office provides safety classes and coordinates community volunteer efforts. It is responsible for the county jail, more officially the Adult Detention Center, which can hold 500 prisoners and has a staff of about 150.

CommunityLaw EnforcementFire ProtectionAmbulance
Arden HillsRamsey County SheriffLake Johanna FireAllina Medical Transport
Falcon HeightsRamsey County SheriffSaint Paul FireSaint Paul Fire
Gem LakeWhite Bear Lake PoliceWhite Bear Lake FireWhite Bear Lake Fire
LauderdaleSaint Anthony PoliceSaint Paul FireSaint Paul Fire
Little CanadaRamsey County SheriffLittle Canada Fire & RescueAllina Medical Transport
MaplewoodMaplewood PoliceMaplewood FireMaplewood Fire
Minnesota State FairgroundsMinnesota State Fair PoliceSaint Paul FireSaint Paul Fire
Mounds ViewMounds View PoliceSBM FireAllina Medical Transport
New BrightonNew Brighton Police DivisionNew Brighton Fire DivisionAllina Medical Transport
North OaksRamsey County SheriffLake Johanna FireAllina Medical Transport
North Saint PaulNorth Saint Paul PoliceNorth Saint Paul FireLakeview Emergency Medical
RosevilleRoseville PoliceRoseville FireAllina Medical Transport
Saint AnthonySaint Anthony PoliceSaint Anthony FireHennepin EMS
Saint PaulSaint Paul PoliceSaint Paul FireSaint Paul Fire
ShoreviewRamsey County SheriffLake Johanna FireAllina Medical Transport
University of Minnesota-St. PaulUniversity PoliceSaint Paul FireSaint Paul Fire
Vadnais HeightsRamsey County SheriffVadnais Heights FireAllina Medical Transport
White Bear LakeWhite Bear Lake PoliceWhite Bear Lake FireWhite Bear Lake Fire
White Bear TownshipRamsey County SheriffWhite Bear Lake FireWhite Bear Lake Fire

County Attorney

The Ramsey County Attorney prosecutes felony crimes committed within the jurisdiction of Ramsey County. The current County Attorney is John Choi, who was elected in 2010 and reelected in 2014, 2018, and 2022.

County Commissioners

The county commission elects a chair who presides at meetings. Commissioners as of January 3, 2023, are:

DistrictCommissionerIn office sinceCurrent term expires
on December 31 of
1stNicole Joy Frethem20192024
2ndMary Jo McGuire20132024
3rdTrista MatasCastillo (chair)20192026
4thRena Moran20222026
5thRafael Ortega19952026
6thMai Chong Xiong20222026
7thVictoria Reinhardt19972024
United States presidential election results for Ramsey County, Minnesota [9] [10]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
2024 75,28427.08%195,16870.20%7,5732.72%
2020 77,37626.14%211,62071.50%6,9812.36%
2016 70,89425.95%177,73865.07%24,5118.97%
2012 86,80031.13%184,93866.33%7,0842.54%
2008 88,94232.06%182,97465.96%5,4701.97%
2004 97,09635.62%171,84663.04%3,6351.33%
2000 87,66935.89%138,47056.69%18,1397.43%
1996 66,95429.34%133,87858.66%27,38112.00%
1992 68,20627.08%130,93251.97%52,77720.95%
1988 88,73637.78%143,76761.20%2,3931.02%
1984 95,66739.95%141,62359.15%2,1530.90%
1980 78,86033.88%124,77453.61%29,11012.51%
1976 86,48037.92%133,68258.62%7,9053.47%
1972 95,71645.59%108,39251.63%5,8432.78%
1968 64,06832.75%122,56862.64%9,0204.61%
1964 56,89829.70%133,94869.91%7460.39%
1960 77,40841.50%108,46458.15%6550.35%
1956 80,70147.74%87,78451.93%5540.33%
1952 76,09344.40%93,78354.73%1,4940.87%
1948 48,14234.17%88,52862.84%4,2172.99%
1944 53,05239.67%78,75958.89%1,9331.45%
1940 57,09341.32%78,99057.17%2,0821.51%
1936 30,55323.37%86,28666.00%13,88910.62%
1932 38,58935.74%66,12861.24%3,2633.02%
1928 53,05447.84%56,80751.22%1,0490.95%
1924 39,56647.66%8,40710.13%35,04642.21%
1920 40,20458.62%21,11030.78%7,27310.60%
1916 13,31735.08%22,29158.72%2,3536.20%
1912 4,10912.70%12,43138.43%15,81048.87%
1908 16,55654.64%11,61338.33%2,1317.03%
1904 18,26970.22%5,86022.52%1,8897.26%
1900 15,38456.26%10,93139.97%1,0303.77%
1896 17,52257.66%12,04839.65%8172.69%
1892 11,30741.99%12,81747.60%2,80210.41%

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has an area of 170 square miles (440 km2), of which 152 square miles (390 km2) is land and 18 square miles (47 km2) (11%) is water. [11] It is Minnesota's smallest county by area. It has been considered completely urbanized since the 1990 United States Census. [12]

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Transportation

Rail

Ramsey County is a major freight hub along BNSF's Northern Transcon route and is also served by Union Pacific and Canadian Pacific. [13]

Amtrak offers daily intercity passenger rail service on the Empire Builder from Union Depot in Saint Paul. [14] Light rail service is provided by Metro, a light rail and bus rapid transit system operated by Metro Transit that connects several communities in Ramsey and Hennepin Counties. [15] The Metro Green Line connects Union Depot to Target Field station in Minneapolis, in neighboring Hennepin County.

Road

Ramsey County is served by several interstate highways, including Interstate 35 and Interstate 94. I-35 has two routes through Ramsey County. I-35E enters the county from Dakota County to the south and proceeds north through Saint Paul, where it intersects I-94, then continues north to Little Canada, where it runs east concurrently with I-694 for several miles before turning north through North Oaks to Washington County. I-35W crosses from Minneapolis to the west through Saint Anthony before turning north through New Brighton, where it intersects I-694, and then to Anoka County, where it goes on to rejoin I-35E in Washington County. [16]

Near the western edge of the county, I-94 enters from Minneapolis where it runs almost parallel to University Avenue until it meets I-35E in Saint Paul and continues east to Washington County. I-494 passes through the southeast corner of the county between Dakota and Washington Counties. From Anoka County in the west, I-694 takes a path through New Brighton, where it meets I-35W, to the junction with I-35E in Little Canada and finally to Washington County in the east. [16]

Ramsey County is also accessible by several U.S. Highways, in particular US 10, US 52, and US 61. US 10 enters from Washington County in the south and continues north to meet I-94 just east of Saint Paul where it turns west to run concurrently with I-94, I-35E, I-694, and finally I-35W before continuing northwest to Anoka County. US 52 runs from South Saint Paul in Dakota County north to downtown Saint Paul where it meets I-94 and turns west to run concurrently with it all the way to the North Dakota border. From the south, US 61 runs concurrently with US 10 and then I-94 until it continues northeast on surface streets through the East Side of Saint Paul. From Saint Paul, US 61 continues north through Maplewood and White Bear Lake before crossing the border into Washington County. [16]

In addition to these federal highways, Ramsey County is served by several Minnesota State Highways, including MN 36 and MN 51, which are divided highways for much of their length. [16]

The county also has jurisdiction over 264.108 miles of County State Aid Highways as well as 21,031 miles of county roads and 59 bridges maintained and monitored by the county's Public Works Department. [17]

Major highways

Air

The primary airport serving Ramsey County is Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, in neighboring Hennepin County. The only airport in Ramsey County is Saint Paul Downtown Airport, a smaller commercial airport with three runways primarily used for general aviation and military operations. [18]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850 2,227—
1860 12,150445.6%
1870 23,08590.0%
1880 45,89098.8%
1890 139,796204.6%
1900 170,55422.0%
1910 223,67531.1%
1920 244,5549.3%
1930 286,72117.2%
1940 309,9358.1%
1950 355,33214.6%
1960 422,52518.9%
1970 476,25512.7%
1980 459,784−3.5%
1990 485,7655.7%
2000 511,0355.2%
2010 508,640−0.5%
2020 552,3528.6%
2023 (est.)536,075 [19] −2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census [20]
1790-1960 [21] 1900-1990 [22]
1990-2000 [23] 2010-2020 [24]
2022 US Census population pyramid for Ramsey County, from ACS 5-year estimates RamseyCountyMn2022PopPyr.png
2022 US Census population pyramid for Ramsey County, from ACS 5-year estimates

2020 census

Ramsey County, Minnesota - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / EthnicityPop 2010 [25] Pop 2020 [26] % 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)340,194320,47766.89%58.02%
Black or African American alone (NH)54,83570,10110.78%12.69%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)3,1432,9140.62%0.53%
Asian alone (NH)59,03385,77511.61%15.53%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)1952140.04%0.04%
Some Other Race alone (NH)7372,3390.15%0.42%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)14,02025,4982.76%4.62%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)36,48345,0347.17%8.15%
Total508,640552,352100.00%100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

2010

As of the 2010 census, there were 508,640 people, 202,691 households, and 117,799 families living in the county. The racial makeup of the county was 70.1% White, 11.0% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 11.7% Asian, 2.9% from other races, and 3.5% from two or more races. 7.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to the 2010–2015 American Community Survey, the largest ancestry groups were German (26.0%), Irish (11.5%), Norwegian (9.9%), and Swedish (7.4%). [27]

2000

At the 2000 census, there were 511,035 people, 201,236 households, and 119,936 families living in the county. The population density was 3,281 inhabitants per square mile (1,267/km2). There were 206,448 housing units at an average density of 1,325 per square mile (512/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 77.37% White, 7.61% Black or African American, 0.83% Native American, 8.77% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.45% from other races, and 2.90% from two or more races. 5.28% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 201,236 households, out of which 29.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.00% were married couples living together, 11.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.40% were non-families. 32.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the county, 25.60% of the population was under the age of 18, 11.30% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 11.60% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,722, and the median income for a family was $57,747. (These figures had risen to $53,141 and $71,485, respectively, as of 2008.) Males had a median income of $39,806 versus $30,814 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,536. About 7.40% of families and 10.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.70% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Townships

Unincorporated communities

Education

School districts include: [29]

Charter schools include:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  2. ↑ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Ramsey County, Minnesota". www.census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ↑ Chicago and North Western Railway Company (1908). A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways. p. 163.
  5. ↑ "Ramsey County". Metro MSP. Minneapolis Regional Chamber Development Foundation. 2008. Archived from the original on July 8, 2008. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Gibbs Farm". Ramsey County Historical Society. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
  7. ↑ Virginia Brainard Kunz. "A Brief History of Ramsey County". Ramsey County Historical Society. Archived from the original on December 30, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  8. 1 2 "About the Sheriff's Office". Ramsey County Sheriff's Office. July 14, 2015. Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  9. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  10. ↑ The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 12,426 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 2,942 votes, Prohibition candidate Eugene Chafin received 275 votes, and Socialist Labor candidate Arthur Reimer received 167 votes.
  11. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Ramsey County Public Works: A System of Thoroughfares, Highways, Streets and Other Public Ways". Ramsey County. Archived from the original on September 4, 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Twin Cities Area Freight Railroad Map" (PDF). Minnesota Department of Transportation. September 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 31, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Empire Builder". Amtrak. Archived from the original on December 31, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Twin Cities Metropolitan Area Transit System Map". Metro Transit. Archived from the original on December 31, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  16. 1 2 3 4 "Ramsey County Highway Map" (PDF). Minnesota Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 30, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Ramsey County Public Works Department 2017 - 2021 Transportation Improvement Plan" (PDF). Ramsey County Public Works Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 30, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  18. ↑ FAA Airport Form 5010 for STP PDF , effective December 7, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023" . Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  20. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  24. ↑ "2020 Population and Housing State Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  25. ↑ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Ramsey County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau .
  26. ↑ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Ramsey County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau .
  27. ↑ "2015 American Community Survey". Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 Map of Ramsey County, Minn (Map). Alfred Theodore Andreas. 1874. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  29. ↑ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Ramsey County, MN" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2022. - Text list

45°01′N93°06′W / 45.02°N 93.10°W / 45.02; -93.10

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