Alphabetical Listing
| County |
FIPS code |
County seat |
Established |
Origin |
Etymology |
Population |
Area |
Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aitkin County | 001 | Aitkin | 1857 | Pine County, Ramsey County | William Alexander Aitken, early fur trader with Ojibwe Indians | 700416202000000000016,202 | 70031819300000000001,819.30 sq mi (70034712000000000004,712 km2) |
|
| Anoka County | 003 | Anoka | 1857 | Ramsey County | A Dakota word meaning "both sides" | 7005330844000000000330,844 | 7002423610000000000423.61 sq mi (70031097000000000001,097 km2) |
|
| Becker County | 005 | Detroit Lakes | 1858 | Cass County, Pembina County | George Loomis Becker, former state senator and third mayor of Saint Paul | 700432504000000000032,504 | 70031310420000000001,310.42 sq mi (70033394000000000003,394 km2) |
|
| Beltrami County | 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. | 700444442000000000044,442 | 70032505270000000002,505.27 sq mi (70036489000000000006,489 km2) |
|
| Benton County | 009 | Foley | 1849 | One of nine original counties; formed from residual St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory. | Thomas Hart Benton, former United States Senator from Missouri | 700438451000000000038,451 | 7002408289999900000408.28 sq mi (70031057000000000001,057 km2) |
|
| Big Stone County | 011 | Ortonville | 1862 | Pierce County | Big Stone Lake, a lake located in the county | 70035269000000000005,269 | 7002496950000000000496.95 sq mi (70031287000000000001,287 km2) |
|
| Blue Earth County | 013 | Mankato | 1853 | Unorganized Territory, Dakota County | Blue Earth River, a river that flows through Minnesota | 700464013000000000064,013 | 7002752360000000000752.36 sq mi (70031949000000000001,949 km2) |
|
| Brown County | 015 | New Ulm | 1855 | Blue Earth County | Joseph Renshaw Brown, member of Minnesota territorial legislature and prominent pioneer | 700425893000000000025,893 | 7002610860000000000610.86 sq mi (70031582000000000001,582 km2) |
|
| Carlton County | 017 | Carlton | 1857 | Pine County, St. Louis County | Rueben B. Carlton, early settler and state senator | 700435386000000000035,386 | 7002860330000000000860.33 sq mi (70032228000000000002,228 km2) |
|
| Carver County | 019 | Chaska | 1855 | Hennepin County, Sibley County | Jonathan Carver, early explorer and cartographer of the Mississippi river. | 700491042000000000091,042 | 7002357040000000000357.04 sq mi (7002925000000000000925 km2) |
|
| Cass County | 021 | Walker | 1851 | Dakota County, Pembina County, Mankahto County, Wahnata County | Lewis Cass, senator from Michigan and United States Secretary of State | 700428567000000000028,567 | 70032017600000000002,017.60 sq mi (70035226000000000005,226 km2) |
|
| Chippewa County | 023 | Montevideo | 1870 | Pierce County, Davis County | Chippewa River, a river that flows through Minnesota | 700412441000000000012,441 | 7002582790000000000582.80 sq mi (70031509000000000001,509 km2) |
|
| Chisago County | 025 | Center City | 1851 | Washington County, Ramsey County | Chisago Lake, a lake located in the county | 700453887000000000053,887 | 7002417630000000000417.63 sq mi (70031082000000000001,082 km2) |
|
| Clay County | 027 | Moorhead | 1862 | Pembina County | Henry Clay, Kentucky statesman and ninth secretary of state of the United States | 700458999000000000058,999 | 70031045240000000001,045.24 sq mi (70032707000000000002,707 km2) |
|
| Clearwater County | 029 | Bagley | 1902 | Beltrami County | Clearwater River and lake, both features located in the state | 70038695000000000008,695 | 7002994710000000000994.71 sq mi (70032576000000000002,576 km2) |
|
| Cook County | 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 | 70035176000000000005,176 | 70031450600000000001,450.60 sq mi (70033757000000000003,757 km2) |
|
| Cottonwood County | 033 | Windom | 1857 | Brown County | Cottonwood River | 700411687000000000011,687 | 7002639990000000000639.99 sq mi (70031658000000000001,658 km2) |
|
| Crow Wing County | 035 | Brainerd | 1857 | Ramsey County | Crow Wing River | 700462500000000000062,500 | 7002996570000000000996.57 sq mi (70032581000000000002,581 km2) |
|
| Dakota County | 037 | Hastings | 1849 | One of nine original counties. | From the Dakota language, after a local tribe Dakota, meaning "Allies" | 7005398552000000000398,552 | 7002569580000000000569.58 sq mi (70031475000000000001,475 km2) |
|
| Dodge County | 039 | Mantorville | 1855 | Rice County, Unorganized Territory | Henry Dodge (1782–1867), twice governor of Wisconsin. | 700420087000000000020,087 | 7002439500000000000439.50 sq mi (70031138000000000001,138 km2) |
|
| Douglas County | 041 | Alexandria | 1858 | Cass County, Pembina County | Stephen Arnold Douglas, former United States Senator from Illinois | 700436009000000000036,009 | 7002634320000000000634.32 sq mi (70031643000000000001,643 km2) |
|
| Faribault County | 043 | Blue Earth | 1855 | Blue Earth County | Jean-Baptiste Faribault, early settler and fur trader | 700414553000000000014,553 | 7002713630000000000713.63 sq mi (70031848000000000001,848 km2) |
|
| Fillmore County | 045 | Preston | 1853 | Wabasha County | Millard Fillmore, thirteenth president of the United States | 700420866000000000020,866 | 7002861250000000000861.25 sq mi (70032231000000000002,231 km2) |
|
| Freeborn County | 047 | Albert Lea | 1855 | Blue Earth County, Rice County | William S. Freeborn, member of the Territorial Legislature | 700431255000000000031,255 | 7002707640000000000707.64 sq mi (70031833000000000001,833 km2) |
|
| Goodhue County | 049 | Red Wing | 1853 | Wabasha County, Dakota County | James Madison Goodhue, the first newspaper editor in Minnesota. | 700446183000000000046,183 | 7002758270000000000758.27 sq mi (70031964000000000001,964 km2) |
|
| Grant County | 051 | Elbow Lake | 1868 | Stevens County, Wilkin County, Traverse County | Ulysses S. Grant, eighteenth president of the United States | 70036018000000000006,018 | 7002546410000099999546.41 sq mi (70031415000000000001,415 km2) |
|
| Hennepin County | 053 | Minneapolis | 1852 | Dakota County | Father Louis Hennepin, early explorer of the Twin Cities area in the 17th Century | 70061152425000000001,152,425 | 7002556620000000000556.62 sq mi (70031442000000000001,442 km2) |
|
| Houston County | 055 | Caledonia | 1854 | Fillmore County | Sam Houston, the second and fourth president of the Republic of Texas and seventh governor of Texas | 700419027000000000019,027 | 7002558410000099999558.41 sq mi (70031446000000000001,446 km2) |
|
| Hubbard County | 057 | Park Rapids | 1883 | Cass County | Lucius Frederick Hubbard (1836-1913), ninth governor of Minnesota | 700420428000000000020,428 | 7002922460000000000922.46 sq mi (70032389000000000002,389 km2) |
|
| Isanti County | 059 | Cambridge | 1857 | Ramsey County | A division of the Dakotas called the Izatys, meaning dwell at Knife Lake, after where they resided. | 700437816000000000037,816 | 7002439070000000000439.07 sq mi (70031137000000000001,137 km2) |
|
| Itasca County | 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). | 700445058000000000045,058 | 70032665060000000002,665.06 sq mi (70036902000000000006,902 km2) |
|
| Jackson County | 063 | Jackson | 1857 | Brown County | Henry Jackson, member of the first territorial legislature and the first merchant in St. Paul | 700410266000000000010,266 | 7002701690000000000701.69 sq mi (70031817000000000001,817 km2) |
|
| Kanabec County | 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 | 700416239000000000016,239 | 7002524929999999999524.93 sq mi (70031360000000000001,360 km2) |
|
| Kandiyohi County | 067 | Willmar | 1858 | Meeker County, Renville County, Pierce County, Davis County, Stearns County | From the Sioux language for "buffalo fish" | 700442239000000000042,239 | 7002796069999900000796.06 sq mi (70032062000000000002,062 km2) |
|
| Kittson County | 069 | Hallock | 1879 | Pembina County | Norman Kittson, businessman and mayor of Saint Paul | 70034552000000000004,552 | 70031097080000000001,097.08 sq mi (70032841000000000002,841 km2) |
|
| Koochiching County | 071 | International Falls | 1906 | Itasca County | From the Ojibwe language Goojijiing (Place of inlets), which was the Cree name for Rainy Lake and Rainy River. | 700413311000000000013,311 | 70033102360000000003,102.36 sq mi (70038035000000000008,035 km2) |
|
| Lac qui Parle County | 073 | Madison | 1863 | Redwood County | A French phrase meaning "lake which talks". | 70037259000000000007,259 | 7002764870000000000764.87 sq mi (70031981000000000001,981 km2) |
|
| Lake County | 075 | Two Harbors | 1856 | Itasca County | Lake Superior, which forms one of its edges | 700410866000000000010,866 | 70032099159999000002,099.16 sq mi (70035437000000000005,437 km2) |
|
| Lake of the Woods County | 077 | Baudette | 1923 | Beltrami County | Lake of the Woods, a lake located within the county. | 70034045000000000004,045 | 70031296700000000001,296.70 sq mi (70033358000000000003,358 km2) |
|
| Le Sueur County | 079 | Le Center | 1853 | Dakota County | Pierre-Charles Le Sueur, fur trader and early explorer of the Minnesota River Valley | 700427703000000000027,703 | 7002448500000000000448.50 sq mi (70031162000000000001,162 km2) |
|
| Lincoln County | 081 | Ivanhoe | 1873 | Lyon County | Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth president of the United States | 70035896000000000005,896 | 7002537030000000000537.03 sq mi (70031391000000000001,391 km2) |
|
| Lyon County | 083 | Marshall | 1871 | Redwood County | Nathaniel Lyon, United States Army general during the Civil War | 700425857000000000025,857 | 7002714170000000000714.17 sq mi (70031850000000000001,850 km2) |
|
| McLeod County | 085 | Glencoe | 1856 | Carver County, Sibley County | Martin McLeod early pioneer and member of the territorial legislature | 700436651000000000036,651 | 7002491910000000000491.91 sq mi (70031274000000000001,274 km2) |
|
| Mahnomen County | 087 | Mahnomen | 1906 | Norman County | An Ojibwa word meaning "wild rice". | 70035413000000000005,413 | 7002556140000000000556.14 sq mi (70031440000000000001,440 km2) |
|
| Marshall County | 089 | Warren | 1879 | Kittson County | William Rainey Marshall, fifth governor of Minnesota | 70039439000000000009,439 | 70031772240000000001,772.24 sq mi (70034590000000000004,590 km2) |
|
| Martin County | 091 | Fairmont | 1857 | Faribault County, Brown County | Morgan Lewis Martin (1805-1887), delegate to Congress from Wisconsin Territory | 700420840000000000020,840 | 7002709340000000000709.34 sq mi (70031837000000000001,837 km2) |
|
| Meeker County | 093 | Litchfield | 1856 | Davis County | Bradley B. Meeker, Associate Justice of the Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court | 700423300000000000023,300 | 7002608540000000000608.54 sq mi (70031576000000000001,576 km2) |
|
| Mille Lacs County | 095 | Milaca | 1857 | Ramsey County | Mille Lacs Lake, a lake located within the county. | 700426097000000000026,097 | 7002574470000000000574.47 sq mi (70031488000000000001,488 km2) |
|
| Morrison County | 097 | Little Falls | 1856 | Benton County | William & Allan Morrison, fur trading brothers | 700433198000000000033,198 | 70031124500000000001,124.50 sq mi (70032912000000000002,912 km2) |
|
| Mower County | 099 | Austin | 1855 | Rice County | John Edward Mower, member of the Minnesota territorial legislature in the 1850s | 700439163000000000039,163 | 7002711500000000000711.50 sq mi (70031843000000000001,843 km2) |
|
| Murray County | 101 | Slayton | 1857 | Brown County | William Pitt Murray, Minnesota statesman and member of the territorial legislature | 70038725000000000008,725 | 7002704439999900000704.43 sq mi (70031824000000000001,824 km2) |
|
| Nicollet County | 103 | St. Peter | 1853 | Dakota County | Joseph Nicolas Nicollet, early explore and cartographer of the Upper Mississippi River | 700432727000000000032,727 | 7002452290000000000452.29 sq mi (70031171000000000001,171 km2) |
|
| Nobles County | 105 | Worthington | 1857 | Brown County | William H. Nobles, member of the Minnesota territorial legislature in 1854 and 1856 | 700421378000000000021,378 | 7002715390000000000715.39 sq mi (70031853000000000001,853 km2) |
|
| Norman County | 107 | Ada | 1881 | Polk County | The early Norwegian, also known as Norman, settlers. | 70036852000000000006,852 | 7002876270000000000876.27 sq mi (70032270000000000002,270 km2) |
|
| Olmsted County | 109 | Rochester | 1855 | Fillmore County, Wabasha County, Rice County | David Olmsted, first mayor of Saint Paul and member of territorial legislature | 7005144248000000000144,248 | 7002653010000000000653.01 sq mi (70031691000000000001,691 km2) |
|
| Otter Tail County | 111 | Fergus Falls | 1858 | Pembina County, Cass County | Otter Tail Lake, a lake located within the county | 700457303000000000057,303 | 70031979710000000001,979.71 sq mi (70035127000000000005,127 km2) |
|
| Pennington County | 113 | Thief River Falls | 1910 | Red Lake County | Edmund Pennington, executive of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad | 700413930000000000013,930 | 7002616540000000000616.54 sq mi (70031597000000000001,597 km2) |
|
| Pine County | 115 | Pine City | 1856 | Chisago County, Ramsey County | The giant forests of Eastern White Pine and Red Pine that flourish in the county | 700429750000000000029,750 | 70031411040000000001,411.04 sq mi (70033655000000000003,655 km2) |
|
| Pipestone County | 117 | Pipestone | 1857 | Brown County | Name of a sacred Dakota quarry of red pipestone found in the county | 70039596000000000009,596 | 7002465890000000000465.89 sq mi (70031207000000000001,207 km2) |
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| Polk County | 119 | Crookston | 1858 | Pembina County | James K. Polk, eleventh president of the United States | 700431600000000000031,600 | 70031970370000000001,970.37 sq mi (70035103000000000005,103 km2) |
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| Pope County | 121 | Glenwood | 1862 | Pierce County, Cass County, Unorganized Territory | John Pope, United States Army general during the Dakota War of 1862 | 700410995000000000010,995 | 7002670140000000000670.14 sq mi (70031736000000000001,736 km2) |
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| Ramsey County | 123 | Saint Paul | 1849 | One of nine original counties; formed from residual St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory. | Alexander Ramsey, second governor of Minnesota | 7005508640000000000508,640 | 7002155780000000000155.78 sq mi (7002403000000000000403 km2) |
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| Red Lake County | 125 | Red Lake Falls | 1896 | Polk County | Red Lake River, a river that flows through Minnesota. | 70034089000000000004,089 | 7002432430000000000432.43 sq mi (70031120000000000001,120 km2) |
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| Redwood County | 127 | Redwood Falls | 1862 | Brown County | Redwood River, a river that flows through Minnesota. | 700416059000000000016,059 | 7002879730000000000879.73 sq mi (70032278000000000002,278 km2) |
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| Renville County | 129 | Olivia | 1855 | Nicollet County, Pierce County, Sibley County | Joseph Renville, interpreter for early explorations of the Louisiana Purchase | 700415730000000000015,730 | 7002982920000000000982.92 sq mi (70032546000000000002,546 km2) |
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| Rice County | 131 | Faribault | 1853 | Dakota County, Wabasha County | Henry Mower Rice, former United States Senator from Minnesota | 700464142000000000064,142 | 7002497570000000000497.57 sq mi (70031289000000000001,289 km2) |
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| Rock County | 133 | Luverne | 1857 | Brown County | A large rocky plateau located within the county, known as "the mound." | 70039687000000000009,687 | 7002482610000000000482.61 sq mi (70031250000000000001,250 km2) |
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| Roseau County | 135 | Roseau | 1894 | Kittson County, Beltrami County | Roseau River and Roseau Lake, both of which are located nearby | 700415629000000000015,629 | 70031662510000000001,662.51 sq mi (70034306000000000004,306 km2) |
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| Scott County | 137 | Shakopee | 1853 | Dakota County | Winfield Scott, United States Army general who served from | 7005129928000000000129,928 | 7002356680000000000356.68 sq mi (7002924000000000000924 km2) |
|
| Sherburne County | 139 | Elk River | 1856 | Benton County | Moses Sherburne, Associate Justice of the Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court | 700488499000000000088,499 | 7002436300000000000436.30 sq mi (70031130000000000001,130 km2) |
|
| Sibley County | 141 | Gaylord | 1853 | Dakota County | Henry Hastings Sibley, first governor of Minnesota | 700415226000000000015,226 | 7002588650000000000588.65 sq mi (70031525000000000001,525 km2) |
|
| St. Louis County | 143 | Duluth | 1855 | Itasca County, Newton | St. Louis River, a river that flows through Minnesota | 7005200226000000000200,226 | 70036225160000000006,225.16 sq mi (700416123000000000016,123 km2) |
|
| Stearns County | 145 | St. Cloud | 1855 | Cass County, Nicollet County, Pierce County, Sibley County | Charles Thomas Stearns, early settler of St. Cloud and member of the Minnesota territorial legislature | 7005150642000000000150,642 | 70031344520000000001,344.52 sq mi (70033482000000000003,482 km2) |
|
| Steele County | 147 | Owatonna | 1855 | Rice County, Blue Earth County, Le Sueur County | Franklin Steele, early settler of Minneapolis and developer of Saint Anthony Falls | 700436576000000000036,576 | 7002429550000000000429.55 sq mi (70031113000000000001,113 km2) |
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| Stevens County | 149 | Morris | 1862 | Pierce County, Unorganized Territory | Isaac Ingalls Stevens, first governor of Washington Territory | 70039726000000000009,726 | 7002562059999999999562.06 sq mi (70031456000000000001,456 km2) |
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| Swift County | 151 | Benson | 1870 | Chippewa County | Henry Adoniram Swift, third governor of Minnesota | 70039783000000000009,783 | 7002743530000000000743.53 sq mi (70031926000000000001,926 km2) |
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| Todd County | 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) | 700424895000000000024,895 | 7002942020000000000942.02 sq mi (70032440000000000002,440 km2) |
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| Traverse County | 155 | Wheaton | 1862 | Pierce County, Unorganized Territory | Lake Traverse, a lake located in the county. | 70033558000000000003,558 | 7002574090000000000574.09 sq mi (70031487000000000001,487 km2) |
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| Wabasha County | 157 | Wabasha | 1849 | One of nine original counties. | Named after M'dewakanton Dakota Indian Chief Wabasha III | 700421676000000000021,676 | 7002525010000000000525.01 sq mi (70031360000000000001,360 km2) |
|
| Wadena County | 159 | Wadena | 1858 | Cass County, Todd County | Wadena Trading Post, in turn for a Ojibway word meaning "a little round hill". | 700413843000000000013,843 | 7002535020000000000535.02 sq mi (70031386000000000001,386 km2) |
|
| Waseca County | 161 | Waseca | 1857 | Steele County | A Dakota word meaning "rich and fertile" | 700419136000000000019,136 | 7002423250000000000423.25 sq mi (70031096000000000001,096 km2) |
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| Washington County | 163 | Stillwater | 1849 | One of nine original counties; formed from residual St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory. | George Washington, first president of the United States | 7005238136000000000238,136 | 7002391700000000000391.70 sq mi (70031014000000000001,014 km2) |
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| Watonwan County | 165 | St. James | 1860 | Brown County | Watonwan River, a river that flows through Minnesota. | 700411211000000000011,211 | 7002434510000000000434.51 sq mi (70031125000000000001,125 km2) |
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| Wilkin County | 167 | Breckenridge | 1858 | Cass County, Pembina County | Alexander Wilkin, Minnesota politician and soldier killed in the Civil War | 70036576000000000006,576 | 7002751439999900000751.43 sq mi (70031946000000000001,946 km2) |
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| Winona County | 169 | Winona | 1854 | Fillmore County, Wabasha County | Named after Wee-No-Nah, Sister or Cousin of Chief Wabasha III | 700451461000000000051,461 | 7002626290000000000626.30 sq mi (70031622000000000001,622 km2) |
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| Wright County | 171 | Buffalo | 1855 | Cass County, Sibley County | Silas Wright, former United States Senator from New York | 7005124700000000000124,700 | 7002660750000000000660.75 sq mi (70031711000000000001,711 km2) |
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| Yellow Medicine County | 173 | Granite Falls | 1871 | Redwood County | Yellow Medicine River, a river that flows through Minnesota. | 700410438000000000010,438 | 7002757960000000000757.96 sq mi (70031963000000000001,963 km2) |
Read more about this topic: List Of Counties In Minnesota