List of counties in Minnesota

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

Alphabetical listing

County	FIPS code	County seat[1]	Established[1]	Origin	Meaning of name[2][3][4]	Population (2020)[1][5]	Area[1][5]	Map
Aitkin County	001	Aitkin	1857	Pine County, Ramsey County	William Alexander Aitken (1785-1851), early fur trader with Ojibwe Indians	15,697	1,819.30 sq mi (4,712 km2)
Anoka County	003	Anoka	1857	Ramsey County	Dakota word meaning "both sides"	363,887	423.61 sq mi (1,097 km2)
Becker County	005	Detroit Lakes	1858	Cass County, Pembina County	George Loomis Becker, former state senator and third mayor of Saint Paul (1856–1857)	35,183	1,310.42 sq mi (3,394 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.	46,228	2,505.27 sq mi (6,489 km2)
Benton County	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)	41,379	408.28 sq mi (1,057 km2)
Big Stone County	011	Ortonville	1862	Pierce County	Big Stone Lake, a lake located in the county	5,166	496.95 sq mi (1,287 km2)
Blue Earth County	013	Mankato	1853	Unorganized Territory, Dakota County	Blue Earth River, a river that flows through Minnesota	69,112	752.36 sq mi (1,949 km2)
Brown County	015	New Ulm	1855	Blue Earth County	Joseph Renshaw Brown (1805-1870), member of Minnesota territorial legislature (1854-55) and prominent pioneer	25,912	610.86 sq mi (1,582 km2)
Carlton County	017	Carlton	1857	Pine County, Saint Louis County	Rueben B. Carlton (1812-1863), early settler and state senator (1857-1858)	36,207	860.33 sq mi (2,228 km2)
Carver County	019	Chaska	1855	Hennepin County, Sibley County	Jonathan Carver (1710–1790), early explorer and cartographer of the Mississippi river.	106,922	357.04 sq mi (925 km2)
Cass County	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)	30,066	2,017.60 sq mi (5,226 km2)
Chippewa County	023	Montevideo	1870	Pierce County, Davis County	Chippewa River, a river that flows through Minnesota	12,598	582.80 sq mi (1,509 km2)
Chisago County	025	Center City	1851	Washington County, Ramsey County	Chisago Lake, a lake located in the county	56,621	417.63 sq mi (1,082 km2)
Clay County	027	Moorhead	1862	Pembina County	Henry Clay (1777-1852), Kentucky statesman and ninth secretary of state of the United States (1825–1829)	65,318	1,045.24 sq mi (2,707 km2)
Clearwater County	029	Bagley	1902	Beltrami County	Clearwater River and lake, both features located in the state	8,524	994.71 sq mi (2,576 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	5,600	1,450.60 sq mi (3,757 km2)
Cottonwood County	033	Windom	1857	Brown County	Cottonwood River	11,517	639.99 sq mi (1,658 km2)
Crow Wing County	035	Brainerd	1857	Ramsey County	Crow Wing River	66,123	996.57 sq mi (2,581 km2)
Dakota County	037	Hastings	1849	One of nine original counties.	From the Dakota language, after a local tribe Dakota, meaning "Allies"	439,882	569.58 sq mi (1,475 km2)
Dodge County	039	Mantorville	1855	Rice County, Unorganized Territory	Henry Dodge (1782–1867), twice governor of Wisconsin.[6]	20,867	439.50 sq mi (1,138 km2)
Douglas County	041	Alexandria	1858	Cass County, Pembina County	Stephen Arnold Douglas (1813-1861), former United States Senator from Illinois (1847-1861)	39,006	634.32 sq mi (1,643 km2)
Faribault County	043	Blue Earth	1855	Blue Earth County	Jean-Baptiste Faribault (1775-1860), early settler and fur trader	13,921	713.63 sq mi (1,848 km2)
Fillmore County	045	Preston	1853	Wabasha County	Millard Fillmore (1800-1874), thirteenth president of the United States (1850-1853)	21,228	861.25 sq mi (2,231 km2)
Freeborn County	047	Albert Lea	1855	Blue Earth County, Rice County	William S. Freeborn (1816-1900), member of the Territorial Legislature	30,895	707.64 sq mi (1,833 km2)
Goodhue County	049	Red Wing	1853	Wabasha County, Dakota County	James Madison Goodhue, the first newspaper editor in Minnesota.[7]	47,582	758.27 sq mi (1,964 km2)
Grant County	051	Elbow Lake	1868	Stevens County, Wilkin County, Traverse County	Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), eighteenth president of the United States (1869-1877)	6,074	546.41 sq mi (1,415 km2)
Hennepin County	053	Minneapolis	1852	Dakota County	Father Louis Hennepin (1626-1705), early explorer of the Twin Cities area in the 17th Century	1,281,565	556.62 sq mi (1,442 km2)
Houston County	055	Caledonia	1854	Fillmore County	Sam Houston (1793–1863), the second and fourth president of the Republic of Texas and seventh governor of Texas	18,843	558.41 sq mi (1,446 km2)
Hubbard County	057	Park Rapids	1883	Cass County	Lucius Frederick Hubbard (1836-1913), ninth governor of Minnesota (1882-1887)	21,344	922.46 sq mi (2,389 km2)
Isanti County	059	Cambridge	1857	Ramsey County	Division of the Dakotas called the Izatys, meaning [those that] dwell at Knife Lake, after where they resided.	41,135	439.07 sq mi (1,137 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).	45,014	2,665.06 sq mi (6,902 km2)
Jackson County	063	Jackson	1857	Brown County	Henry Jackson, member of the first territorial legislature and the first merchant in St. Paul	9,989	701.69 sq mi (1,817 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	16,032	524.93 sq mi (1,360 km2)
Kandiyohi County	067	Willmar	1858	Meeker County, Renville County, Pierce County, Davis County, Stearns County	From the Sioux language for "buffalo fish"	43,732	796.06 sq mi (2,062 km2)
Kittson County	069	Hallock	1879	Pembina County	Norman Kittson (1814-1888), businessman and mayor of Saint Paul (1858-1859)	4,207	1,097.08 sq mi (2,841 km2)
Koochiching County	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.	12,062	3,102.36 sq mi (8,035 km2)
Lac qui Parle County	073	Madison	1871	Redwood County	French phrase meaning "lake which talks".	6,719	764.87 sq mi (1,981 km2)
Lake County	075	Two Harbors	1856	Itasca County	Lake Superior, which forms one of its edges	10,905	2,099.16 sq mi (5,437 km2)
Lake of the Woods County	077	Baudette	1923	Beltrami County	Lake of the Woods, a lake located within the county.	3,763	1,296.70 sq mi (3,358 km2)
Le Sueur County	079	Le Center	1853	Dakota County	Pierre-Charles Le Sueur (1657-1704), fur trader and early explorer of the Minnesota River Valley	28,674	448.50 sq mi (1,162 km2)
Lincoln County	081	Ivanhoe	1873	Lyon County	Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), sixteenth president of the United States (1861-1865)	5,640	537.03 sq mi (1,391 km2)
Lyon County	083	Marshall	1871	Redwood County	Nathaniel Lyon (1818–1861), United States Army general killed during the Civil War	25,269	714.17 sq mi (1,850 km2)
McLeod County	085	Glencoe	1856	Carver County, Sibley County	Martin McLeod early pioneer and member of the territorial legislature (1849–1856)	36,771	491.91 sq mi (1,274 km2)
Mahnomen County	087	Mahnomen	1906	Norman County	Ojibwa word meaning "wild rice".	5,411	556.14 sq mi (1,440 km2)
Marshall County	089	Warren	1879	Kittson County	William Rainey Marshall (1825-1896), fifth governor of Minnesota (1866-1870)	9,040	1,772.24 sq mi (4,590 km2)
Martin County	091	Fairmont	1857	Faribault County, Brown County	Morgan Lewis Martin (1805-1887), delegate to Congress from Wisconsin Territory	20,025	709.34 sq mi (1,837 km2)
Meeker County	093	Litchfield	1856	Davis County	Bradley B. Meeker (1813–1873), Associate Justice of the Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court (1849–1853)	23,400	608.54 sq mi (1,576 km2)
Mille Lacs County	095	Milaca	1857	Ramsey County	Mille Lacs Lake, a lake located within the county.	26,459	574.47 sq mi (1,488 km2)
Morrison County	097	Little Falls	1856	Benton County	William & Allan Morrison, fur trading brothers[8]	34,010	1,124.50 sq mi (2,912 km2)
Mower County	099	Austin	1855	Rice County	John Edward Mower (1815–1879), member of the Minnesota territorial legislature in the 1850s	40,029	711.50 sq mi (1,843 km2)
Murray County	101	Slayton	1857	Brown County	William Pitt Murray (1825–1910), Minnesota statesman and member of the territorial legislature (1852–1855) and 1857	8,179	704.43 sq mi (1,824 km2)
Nicollet County	103	St. Peter	1853	Dakota County	Joseph Nicolas Nicollet (1786–1843), early explorer and cartographer of the Upper Mississippi River	34,454	452.29 sq mi (1,171 km2)
Nobles County	105	Worthington	1857	Brown County	William H. Nobles, member of the Minnesota territorial legislature in 1854 and 1856	22,290	715.39 sq mi (1,853 km2)
Norman County	107	Ada	1881	Polk County	Early Norwegian, also known as Norman, settlers.	6,441	876.27 sq mi (2,270 km2)
Olmsted County	109	Rochester	1855	Fillmore County, Wabasha County, Rice County	David Olmsted, first mayor of Saint Paul and member of territorial legislature (1849-1850)	162,847	653.01 sq mi (1,691 km2)
Otter Tail County	111	Fergus Falls	1858	Pembina County, Cass County	Otter Tail Lake, a lake located within the county	60,081	1,979.71 sq mi (5,127 km2)
Pennington County	113	Thief River Falls	1910	Red Lake County	Edmund Pennington (b. 1848), executive of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad	13,992	616.54 sq mi (1,597 km2)
Pine County	115	Pine City	1856	Chisago County, Ramsey County	Giant forests of Eastern White Pine and Red Pine that flourish in the county	28,876	1,411.04 sq mi (3,655 km2)
Pipestone County	117	Pipestone	1857	Brown County	Name of a sacred Dakota quarry of red pipestone found in the county	9,424	465.89 sq mi (1,207 km2)
Polk County	119	Crookston	1858	Pembina County	James K. Polk (1795-1849), eleventh president of the United States (1845-1849)	31,192	1,970.37 sq mi (5,103 km2)
Pope County	121	Glenwood	1862	Pierce County, Cass County, Unorganized Territory	John Pope (1822–1892), United States Army general during the Dakota War of 1862	11,308	670.14 sq mi (1,736 km2)
Ramsey County	123	Saint Paul	1849	One of nine original counties; formed from residual St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory.	Alexander Ramsey (1815-1903), second governor of Minnesota (1860-1863)	552,352	155.78 sq mi (403 km2)
Red Lake County	125	Red Lake Falls	1896	Polk County	Red Lake River, a river that flows through Minnesota.	3,935	432.43 sq mi (1,120 km2)
Redwood County	127	Redwood Falls	1862	Brown County	Redwood River, a river that flows through Minnesota.	15,425	879.73 sq mi (2,278 km2)
Renville County	129	Olivia	1855	Nicollet County, Pierce County, Sibley County	Joseph Renville (1779-1846), interpreter for early explorations of the Louisiana Purchase	14,723	982.92 sq mi (2,546 km2)
Rice County	131	Faribault	1853	Dakota County, Wabasha County	Henry Mower Rice (1816-1894), former United States Senator from Minnesota (1858-1863)	67,097	497.57 sq mi (1,289 km2)
Rock County	133	Luverne	1857	Brown County	Large rocky plateau located within the county, known as "the mound."	9,704	482.61 sq mi (1,250 km2)
Roseau County	135	Roseau	1894	Kittson County, Beltrami County	Roseau River and Roseau Lake, both of which are located nearby	15,331	1,662.51 sq mi (4,306 km2)
Scott County	139	Shakopee	1853	Dakota County	Winfield Scott (1786–1866), United States Army general who served from (1808–1861)	150,928	356.68 sq mi (924 km2)
Sherburne County	141	Elk River	1856	Benton County	Moses Sherburne (1813–1873), Associate Justice of the Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court (1853-1857)	97,183	436.30 sq mi (1,130 km2)
Sibley County	143	Gaylord	1853	Dakota County	Henry Hastings Sibley (1811-1891), first governor of Minnesota (1858-1860)	14,836	588.65 sq mi (1,525 km2)
St. Louis County	137	Duluth	1855	Itasca County, Newton	Saint Louis River, a river that flows through Minnesota	200,231	6,225.16 sq mi (16,123 km2)
Stearns County	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)	158,292	1,344.52 sq mi (3,482 km2)
Steele County	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	37,406	429.55 sq mi (1,113 km2)
Stevens County	149	Morris	1862	Pierce County, Unorganized Territory	Isaac Ingalls Stevens (1818-1862), first governor of Washington Territory (1853-1857)	9,671	562.06 sq mi (1,456 km2)
Swift County	151	Benson	1870	Chippewa County	Henry Adoniram Swift (1823-1869), third governor of Minnesota (1863-1864)	9,838	743.53 sq mi (1,926 km2)
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)	25,262	942.02 sq mi (2,440 km2)
Traverse County	155	Wheaton	1862	Pierce County, Unorganized Territory	Lake Traverse, a lake located in the county.	3,360	574.09 sq mi (1,487 km2)
Wabasha County	157	Wabasha	1849	One of nine original counties.	Named after M'dewakanton Dakota Indian Chief Wabasha III	21,387	525.01 sq mi (1,360 km2)
Wadena County	159	Wadena	1858	Cass County, Todd County	Wadena Trading Post, in turn for a Ojibway word meaning "a little round hill".	14,065	535.02 sq mi (1,386 km2)
Waseca County	161	Waseca	1857	Steele County	Dakota word meaning "rich and fertile"	18,968	423.25 sq mi (1,096 km2)
Washington County	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)	267,568	391.70 sq mi (1,014 km2)
Watonwan County	165	St. James	1860	Brown County	Watonwan River, a river that flows through Minnesota.	11,253	434.51 sq mi (1,125 km2)
Wilkin County	167	Breckenridge	1858	Cass County, Pembina County	Alexander Wilkin (1820-1864), Minnesota politician and soldier killed in the Civil War	6,506	751.43 sq mi (1,946 km2)
Winona County	169	Winona	1854	Fillmore County, Wabasha County	Named after Wee-No-Nah, Sister or Cousin of Chief Wabasha III	49,671	626.30 sq mi (1,622 km2)
Wright County	171	Buffalo	1855	Cass County, Sibley County	Silas Wright (1795-1847), former United States Senator from New York (1833-1844)	141,337	660.75 sq mi (1,711 km2)
Yellow Medicine County	173	Granite Falls	1871	Redwood County	Yellow Medicine River, a river that flows through Minnesota.	9,528	757.96 sq mi (1,963 km2)