Red Lake County, Minnesota

History

Red Lake County was formed on December 24, 1896, from sections of Polk County. It was named for the Red Lake River. Its designated county seat was Red Lake Falls, which had been incorporated (as a village) in 1881.

The county has two sites on the National Register of Historic Places: the courthouse and Clearwater Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Geography

The Red Lake River flows southward into the county from Pennington County. It is joined near Red Lake Falls by the Clearwater River; the combined flow (still known as the Red Lake River) flows southwestward to Huot, where it is augmented by the Black River, which drains the northwestern part of the county. The Red Lake River then flows southwestward into Polk County. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, etched by drainages and gullies. The area is devoted to agriculture. The county terrain slopes to the west, with its highest elevation on its southeastern corner, at 1,201 ft ASL. The county has a total area of 432 sqmi, of which 432 sqmi is land and 0.09 sqmi (0.02%) is water.

Red Lake County is the only landlocked county in the United States (excluding those on international borders) to border exactly two other counties.

Major highways

• [[Image:US 2.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 2
• [[Image:US 59.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 59
• [[Image:MN-32.svg|20px]] Minnesota State Highway 32
• [[Image:MN-92.svg|20px]] Minnesota State Highway 92
• [[Image:MN-222.svg|20px]] Minnesota State Highway 222

Adjacent counties

• Pennington County – north
• Polk County – south

Protected areas

Source:

• Moran State Wildlife Management Area
• Old Crossing & Treaty County Wayside Park

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 3,935. The median age was 42.2 years. 24.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 107.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 108.0 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 92.7% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 1.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.3% from some other race, and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.6% of the population.

There were 1,653 households in the county, of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.7% were married-couple households, 22.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 19.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 1,876 housing units, of which 11.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 80.4% were owner-occupied and 19.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 15.0%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,299 people, 1,727 households, and 1,131 families in the county. The population density was 9.95 /mi2. There were 1,883 housing units at an average density of 4.36 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 97.44% White, 0.19% Black or African American, 1.84% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.12% from other races, and 0.35% from two or more races. 0.30% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 31.9% were of Norwegian, 25.0% German, 16.7% French and 6.3% French Canadian ancestry.

There were 1,727 households, out of which 30.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.40% were married couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.50% were non-families. 30.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.02.

The county population contained 25.50% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 24.70% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 19.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 100.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,052, and the median income for a family was $40,275. Males had a median income of $28,494 versus $20,363 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,372. About 8.40% of families and 10.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.50% of those under age 18 and 13.10% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Brooks
• Oklee
• Plummer
• Red Lake Falls (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Dorothy
• Garnes
• Huot
• Perault
• Terrebonne
• Wylie

Townships

• Browns Creek Township
• Emardville Township
• Equality Township
• Garnes Township
• Gervais Township
• Lake Pleasant Township
• Lambert Township
• Louisville Township
• Poplar River Township
• Red Lake Falls Township
• River Township
• Terrebonne Township
• Wylie Township

Government and politics

Red Lake County was formerly solidly Democratic, voting for that party's presidential nominee in all elections from 1928 until 1996, although since 2000 it has generally voted Republican, with the exception of its support for Barack Obama in 2008. In 2020, Donald Trump showed the best performance by a Republican since 1904, and he broke this record again in 2024.

Media attention

In 2015, the county received mention in the media when a Washington Post reporter, Christopher Ingraham, wrote a story calling Red Lake County "the absolute worst place to live in America" in a ranking of US counties by "scenery and climate" based on the USDA's Natural Amenity Scale. After vigorous objections from local and state inhabitants and legislators, Ingraham subsequently visited the county and not only reversed his position but later moved there with his family and wrote a book about his experience.

Footnotes

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society.
4. Upham, Warren. (1920). "Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance". Minnesota Historical Society.
5. [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Red+Lake+County,+MN/@47.8902475,-96.2136364,58815m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x52c7a735b96c96eb:0x8187ae9d6a176807!8m2!3d47.8770338!4d-96.1345641 ''Red Lake County MN'' Google Maps (accessed April 7, 2019)]
6. [https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm "Find an Altitude/Red Lake County MN" Google Maps (accessed April 7, 2019)]
7. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
8. (November 15, 2007). "Fewest County Borders – Part III: Red Lake Co., MN – Twelve Mile Circle".
9. Nelson, Steven (2011). ''Savanna Soils of Minnesota.'' Minnesota:Self. pp. 57–60. {{ISBN. 978-0-615-50320-2.
10. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates Tables". United States Census Bureau.
11. "US Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
12. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
13. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
14. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
15. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
16. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
17. Simon, Steve. (November 21, 2024). "2024 State Canvassing Board Certificate". [[Minnesota Secretary of State]].
18. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections".
19. "Board of Commissioners {{!}} Polk County, MN".
20. "MN State Senate".
21. "Rep. Debra Kiel (01B) – Minnesota House of Representatives".
22. "U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar".
23. "Home".
24. Ingraham, Christopher. (August 17, 2015). "Every county in America, ranked by scenery and climate". The Washington Post.
25. Ingraham, Christopher. (August 19, 2015). "Thick coats, thin skins: Why Minnesotans were outraged by a recent Washington Post report". The Washington Post.
26. Martin, Rachael. (September 11, 2019). "A Throwaway Line Led 'Washington Post' Reporter To Call Rural Midwest His New Home". NPR.
27. Jackson, Sharyon. (September 13, 2019). "Washington Post reporter dissed Minnesota county, then moved there. Now he won't leave". The Star Tribune.
28. Avirgan, Jody. (March 25, 2016). "He Called It America's Worst Place To Live. Now He's Moving There.". FiveThrityEight.
29. Jackson, Sharyon. (April 25, 2017). "Washington Post reporter who insulted Red Lake Falls, Minn., now making his home there". The Chicago Tribune.
30. (May 22, 2017). "Reporter who called Minnesota county the worst place in America learning to call it home". CBC News.
31. (March 31, 2017). "Red Lake County". CBS News.