Wright County, Minnesota

Last updated

Wright County
County
Vacant Wright County Government Center, Buffalo, MN-01.jpg
Wright County Government Center, Buffalo, MN (2024)
Map of Minnesota highlighting Wright County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota in United States.svg
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°11′N93°58′W / 45.18°N 93.97°W / 45.18; -93.97
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Minnesota.svg  Minnesota
FoundedFebruary 20, 1855 [1]
Named after Silas Wright
Seat Buffalo
Largest city Otsego
Area
 • Total
714 sq mi (1,850 km2)
 • Land661 sq mi (1,710 km2)
 • Water53 sq mi (140 km2)  7.4%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
141,337
 • Estimate 
(2024)
154,593 Increase2.svg
 • Density233.9/sq mi (90.3/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 6th
Website www.co.wright.mn.us

Wright County is a county in the East Central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 141,337 at the 2020 census, then growing to an estimated 154,593 in 2024. [2] Its county seat is Buffalo. [3] The county was founded in 1855. Wright County is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area. In terms of population, Wright County is the tenth-largest county in Minnesota and the fastest growing.

Contents

History

The county was established in 1855, and was named for New York politician Silas Wright. [4] The first county seat was Monticello; in 1868 the county seat was changed to Buffalo. Most of the area's first settlers were of German and Swedish origin. The county's population in 1860 was 3,729; in 1875, it was 13,775. [5]

The 1998 thriller A Simple Plan was set in Wright County, though it does not mention a specific town.

Geography

Soils of Wright County Wright Co Pie Chart No Text Version.pdf
Soils of Wright County

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has an area of 714 square miles (1,850 km2), of which 661 square miles (1,710 km2) is land and 53 square miles (140 km2) (7.4%) is water. [7] The terrain is undulating and contains numerous small lakes. The county is bounded on the northeast by the Mississippi River. [5] Wright is one of 17 Minnesota savanna region counties with more savanna soils than either prairie or forest soils, and one of only two Minnesota counties where savanna soils make up more than 75% of the county area (the other is Hennepin County).

Soils of Lake Maria State Park Lake Maria State Park New Wiki Version.JPG
Soils of Lake Maria State Park

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1860 3,729—
1870 9,457153.6%
1880 18,10491.4%
1890 24,16433.5%
1900 29,15720.7%
1910 28,082−3.7%
1920 28,6852.1%
1930 27,119−5.5%
1940 27,5501.6%
1950 27,7160.6%
1960 29,9358.0%
1970 38,93330.1%
1980 58,68150.7%
1990 68,71017.1%
2000 89,98631.0%
2010 124,70038.6%
2020 141,33713.3%
2024 (est.)154,593 [8] 9.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [9]
1790–1960 [10] 1900–1990 [11]
1990–2000 [12] 2010–2020 [2]

2020 census

Wright County, Minnesota - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / EthnicityPop 2010 [13] Pop 2020 [14] % 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)116,786126,03193.65%89.17%
Black or African American alone (NH)1,2862,6051.03%1.84%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)3973310.32%0.23%
Asian alone (NH)1,4591,8771.17%1.34%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)42350.03%0.03%
Some Other Race alone (NH)775080.06%0.35%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)1,6015,2531.28%3.72%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)3,0524,6972.45%3.32%
Total124,700141,337100.00%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

The ethnic makeup of the county, according to the 2010 United States census, was the following:

2000

2022 US Census population pyramid for Wright County, from ACS 5-year estimates WrightCountyMn2022PopPyr.png
2022 US Census population pyramid for Wright County, from ACS 5-year estimates

As of the census of 2000, there were 89,986 people, 31,465 households, and 23,913 families in the county. The population density was 136 inhabitants per square mile (53/km2). There were 34,355 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile (20/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.85% White, 0.26% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 1.10% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 42.3% were of German, 11.9% Norwegian, 7.4% Swedish and 6.6% Irish ancestry.

There were 31465 households, out of which 42.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.50% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.00% were non-families. 18.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.26.

The county population contained 31.10% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 32.60% from 25 to 44, 19.90% from 45 to 64, and 8.80% over age 64. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 101.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $53,945, and the median income for a family was $60,940. Males had a median income of $40,630 versus $28,201 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,844. About 3.60% of families and 4.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.50% of those under age 18 and 7.40% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Townships

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated communities

Ghost town

Largest cities in Wright County

2020 RankCity2010 Census2020 CensusPercent Increase
1 Otsego 13,57119,966+47.12%
2 St. Michael 16,39918,235+11.20%
3 Buffalo 15,45318,168+17.57%
4 Monticello 12,75914,455+13.29%
5 Albertville 7,0447,896+12.10%
6 Delano 5,4646,484+18.67%
7 Rockford 4,3164,515+4.61%
8 Annandale 3,2283,517+8.95%
9 Hanover 2,9383,507+19.37%
10 Montrose 2,8473,317+16.51%
11 Cokato 2,6942,747+1.97%

Government and politics

United States presidential election results for Wright County, Minnesota [15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
2024 57,21163.54%30,88334.30%1,9472.16%
2020 51,97363.05%28,43034.49%2,0232.45%
2016 43,27462.16%20,33429.21%6,0108.63%
2012 40,46659.67%25,74137.96%1,6092.37%
2008 37,77957.61%26,34340.17%1,4562.22%
2004 36,17660.77%22,61837.99%7401.24%
2000 23,86155.02%16,76238.65%2,7436.33%
1996 13,22437.92%15,54244.57%6,10817.51%
1992 11,65033.13%12,46535.45%11,04531.41%
1988 14,98750.73%14,17747.99%3791.28%
1984 15,39954.82%12,48644.45%2050.73%
1980 12,29345.54%12,38345.88%2,3158.58%
1976 9,31439.69%13,37957.02%7713.29%
1972 9,99651.56%8,69544.85%6953.59%
1968 6,32140.13%8,79355.82%6394.06%
1964 5,47638.60%8,68761.24%220.16%
1960 7,18052.57%6,45247.24%260.19%
1956 7,25759.42%4,94440.48%120.10%
1952 8,08964.59%4,37334.92%620.50%
1948 5,58949.47%5,52348.89%1851.64%
1944 6,96164.99%3,67834.34%720.67%
1940 8,29767.04%3,99332.26%870.70%
1936 4,08736.01%5,36347.25%1,90116.75%
1932 3,40631.45%7,20566.53%2192.02%
1928 6,01156.57%4,48342.19%1321.24%
1924 4,34947.52%5676.20%4,23546.28%
1920 7,01379.51%1,29914.73%5085.76%
1916 2,68352.24%2,26244.04%1913.72%
1912 83719.42%1,33330.94%2,13949.64%
1908 2,82063.48%1,39631.43%2265.09%
1904 3,18375.04%86020.27%1994.69%
1900 3,15360.72%1,88836.36%1522.93%
1896 3,31259.37%2,17238.93%951.70%
1892 2,27148.56%1,82939.11%57712.34%
1888 2,87753.73%2,13339.83%3456.44%
1884 2,38357.49%1,60938.82%1533.69%
1880 2,11061.57%1,31738.43%00.00%
1876 1,48253.21%1,28045.96%230.83%
1872 1,13554.99%92945.01%00.00%
1868 98561.26%62338.74%00.00%
1864 52859.73%35640.27%00.00%
1860 57274.87%18824.61%40.52%
County Board of Commissioners [16]
PositionNameDistrictNext Election
CommissionerTina DiedrickDistrict 12026
CommissionerDarek VetschDistrict 22024
CommissionerJeanne HollandDistrict 32026
CommissionerNadine SchoenDistrict 42024
CommissionerMichael KaczmarekDistrict 52024
State Legislature (2018-2020)
PositionNameAffiliationDistrict
Senate Andrew Mathews [17] Republican District 15
Senate Scott Newman [18] Republican District 18
Senate Bruce Anderson [19] Republican District 29
Senate Mary Kiffmeyer [20] Republican District 30
House of Representatives Shane Mekeland [21] Republican District 15B
House of Representatives Dean Erdahl [22] Republican District 18A
House of Representatives Joe McDonald [23] Republican District 29A
House of Representatives Marion O'Neill [24] Republican District 29B
House of Representatives Eric Lucero [25] Republican District 30B
U.S. Congress (2018-2020)
PositionNameAffiliationDistrict
House of Representatives Tom Emmer [26] Republican 6th
Senate Amy Klobuchar [27] Democrat N/A
Senate Tina Smith [28] Democrat N/A

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ↑ Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p.  586.
  5. 1 2 Ripley, George; Dana, Charles A., eds. (1879). "Wright. I. A central county of Minnesota"  . The American Cyclopædia .
  6. ↑ Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp. 49–52. ISBN   978-0-615-50320-2.
  7. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023" . Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  9. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 25, 2014.
  12. ↑ "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 25, 2014.
  13. ↑ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Wright County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau .
  14. ↑ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Wright County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau .
  15. ↑ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.
  16. ↑ "Board of Commissioners | Wright County, MN - Official Website". www.co.wright.mn.us. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  17. ↑ "MN State Senate". www.senate.mn. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  18. ↑ "MN State Senate". www.senate.mn. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  19. ↑ "MN State Senate". www.senate.mn. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  20. ↑ "MN State Senate". www.senate.mn. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Rep. Shane Mekeland (15B) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Rep. Dean Urdahl (18A) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Rep. Joe McDonald (29A) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Rep. Marion O'Neill (29B) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Rep. Eric Lucero (30B) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Congressman Tom Emmer". Congressman Tom Emmer. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  27. ↑ "U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar". www.klobuchar.senate.gov. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  28. ↑ "Home". Senator Tina Smith. Retrieved June 24, 2020.

45°11′N93°58′W / 45.18°N 93.97°W / 45.18; -93.97

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