Murray County, Minnesota | |
|---|---|
 Murray County Government Center inSlayton, Minnesota | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMinnesota | |
| Coordinates:44°01′N95°46′W / 44.02°N 95.76°W /44.02; -95.76 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Minnesota |
| Founded | May 23 (created) June 17, 1872 (organized) |
| Named after | William Pitt Murray |
| Seat | Slayton |
| Largest city | Slayton |
| Area | |
• Total | 720 sq mi (1,900 km2) |
| • Land | 705 sq mi (1,830 km2) |
| • Water | 15 sq mi (39 km2) 2.1% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 8,179 |
• Estimate (2024) | 8,044 |
| • Density | 11.6/sq mi (4.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 7th |
| Website | www |
Murray County is acounty in theU.S. state ofMinnesota. The population was 8,179 at the2020 census.[1] Itscounty seat isSlayton.[2]
In 1853 theMinnesota Territory legislature createdBlue Earth County from unorganized Dakota Territory lands. In 1855 the legislature partitioned a portion of western Blue Earth to createBrown County. Then on May 23, 1857, a portion of Brown was partitioned off to create Murray County, although it was not organized at that time. On June 17, 1872, the county government was effected, withCurrie, which had been founded that same year, as county seat. The county was named forWilliam Pitt Murray (1825-1910), a prominent civic and political figure in Minnesota during its nascent era.
Also in 1872 the township ofCenter was platted (so named for its central position in the county). This settlement grew rapidly, and its residents soon began agitating to have the county seat moved there.[3] In 1882 the town was renamed as Slayton, and a county vote changed the county seat to Slayton effective June 1, 1889.[4]
In the history of record keeping, Minnesota has been struck by two F-5 tornadoes, and both occurred in Murray County: theChandler-Lake Wilson Tornado (June 16, 1992) and theTracy Tornado (June 13, 1968) that began in Murray County before crossing north intoLyon County.
The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds, with all available area devoted to agriculture.[5] The terrain slopes to the south and east. However, its highest elevation occurs on Buffalo Ridge, a promontory extending about two miles along the crest of the Coteau des Prairies in centralChanarambie Township. The bluff rises a few hundred feet above the adjacent valleys.[4] The county has a total area of 720 square miles (1,900 km2), of which 705 square miles (1,830 km2) is land and 15 square miles (39 km2) (2.1%) is water.[6]
The Mississippi-Missouriwatershed divide runs through the western part of the county, nearChandler, alongBuffalo Ridge. The county's highest point is on that ridge, at 1,920' ASL.[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 29 | — | |
| 1870 | 209 | 620.7% | |
| 1880 | 3,604 | 1,624.4% | |
| 1890 | 6,692 | 85.7% | |
| 1900 | 11,911 | 78.0% | |
| 1910 | 11,755 | −1.3% | |
| 1920 | 13,631 | 16.0% | |
| 1930 | 13,902 | 2.0% | |
| 1940 | 15,060 | 8.3% | |
| 1950 | 14,801 | −1.7% | |
| 1960 | 14,743 | −0.4% | |
| 1970 | 12,508 | −15.2% | |
| 1980 | 11,507 | −8.0% | |
| 1990 | 9,660 | −16.1% | |
| 2000 | 9,165 | −5.1% | |
| 2010 | 8,725 | −4.8% | |
| 2020 | 8,179 | −6.3% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 8,044 | [10] | −1.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13] 1990-2000[14] 2010-2020[1] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 8,179. The median age was 47.4 years. 21.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 26.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.2 males age 18 and over.[15][16]
The racial makeup of the county was 92.6%White, 0.3%Black or African American, 0.3%American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 2.4% from some other race, and 3.1% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.7% of the population.[16]
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[17]
There were 3,581 households in the county, of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 54.1% were married-couple households, 19.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[15]
There were 4,388 housing units, of which 18.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 81.8% were owner-occupied and 18.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.5%.[15]
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 9,165 people, 3,722 households, and 2,601 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 13 per square mile (5.0/km2). There were 4,357 housing units at an average density of 6.18 per square mile (2.39/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.34%White, 0.10%Black orAfrican American, 0.22%Native American, 0.21%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.45% fromother races, and 0.67% from two or more races. 1.47% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 47.3% were ofGerman, 12.9%Norwegian, 12.5%Dutch and 5.1%Swedish ancestry.
There were 3,722 households, out of which 29.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.50% weremarried couples living together, 4.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.10% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.94.
The county population contained 25.00% under the age of 18, 5.90% from 18 to 24, 23.30% from 25 to 44, 24.70% from 45 to 64, and 21.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,966, and the median income for a family was $40,893. Males had a median income of $27,101 versus $19,636 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $17,936. About 6.30% of families and 8.30% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 8.40% of those under age 18 and 9.40% of those age 65 or over.
The county matched the national outcome every year from 1964 until 2008 except 1988, when during thefarm crisis it voted for Michael Dukakis. However, like most other rural heavily white areas of the country, it has swung heavily Republican since 2016. In 60% of presidential elections since 1980, the county selected the Republican Party candidate (as of 2020).
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 586 | 36.90% | 517 | 32.56% | 485 | 30.54% |
| 1896 | 1,204 | 52.26% | 1,054 | 45.75% | 46 | 2.00% |
| 1900 | 1,358 | 60.68% | 816 | 36.46% | 64 | 2.86% |
| 1904 | 1,464 | 70.86% | 537 | 25.99% | 65 | 3.15% |
| 1908 | 1,293 | 60.28% | 762 | 35.52% | 90 | 4.20% |
| 1912 | 388 | 17.18% | 775 | 34.32% | 1,095 | 48.49% |
| 1916 | 1,137 | 46.64% | 1,193 | 48.93% | 108 | 4.43% |
| 1920 | 3,270 | 79.16% | 698 | 16.90% | 163 | 3.95% |
| 1924 | 2,034 | 45.80% | 334 | 7.52% | 2,073 | 46.68% |
| 1928 | 2,602 | 55.26% | 2,078 | 44.13% | 29 | 0.62% |
| 1932 | 1,314 | 28.21% | 3,264 | 70.07% | 80 | 1.72% |
| 1936 | 1,601 | 27.34% | 3,926 | 67.05% | 328 | 5.60% |
| 1940 | 3,044 | 48.46% | 3,203 | 51.00% | 34 | 0.54% |
| 1944 | 2,585 | 50.67% | 2,495 | 48.90% | 22 | 0.43% |
| 1948 | 1,951 | 34.83% | 3,594 | 64.16% | 57 | 1.02% |
| 1952 | 4,054 | 65.15% | 2,145 | 34.47% | 24 | 0.39% |
| 1956 | 3,261 | 54.61% | 2,695 | 45.13% | 15 | 0.25% |
| 1960 | 3,357 | 52.64% | 3,009 | 47.19% | 11 | 0.17% |
| 1964 | 2,325 | 37.79% | 3,822 | 62.13% | 5 | 0.08% |
| 1968 | 2,906 | 49.35% | 2,662 | 45.21% | 320 | 5.43% |
| 1972 | 2,959 | 49.92% | 2,893 | 48.81% | 75 | 1.27% |
| 1976 | 2,605 | 40.71% | 3,685 | 57.59% | 109 | 1.70% |
| 1980 | 3,004 | 48.56% | 2,714 | 43.87% | 468 | 7.57% |
| 1984 | 2,780 | 49.87% | 2,741 | 49.17% | 54 | 0.97% |
| 1988 | 2,316 | 44.44% | 2,840 | 54.49% | 56 | 1.07% |
| 1992 | 1,609 | 30.87% | 1,993 | 38.23% | 1,611 | 30.90% |
| 1996 | 1,907 | 39.17% | 2,173 | 44.63% | 789 | 16.20% |
| 2000 | 2,407 | 50.64% | 2,093 | 44.04% | 253 | 5.32% |
| 2004 | 2,719 | 54.40% | 2,218 | 44.38% | 61 | 1.22% |
| 2008 | 2,320 | 48.20% | 2,345 | 48.72% | 148 | 3.08% |
| 2012 | 2,504 | 52.53% | 2,160 | 45.31% | 103 | 2.16% |
| 2016 | 2,974 | 63.71% | 1,295 | 27.74% | 399 | 8.55% |
| 2020 | 3,363 | 68.69% | 1,449 | 29.60% | 84 | 1.72% |
| 2024 | 3,346 | 70.16% | 1,329 | 27.87% | 94 | 1.97% |
| Position | Name | District | Next Election | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commissioner and Chairperson | Molly Malone | District 1 | 2024 | |
| Commissioner | Lori Gunnink | District 2 | 2024 | |
| Commissioner | Dennis Welgraven | District 3 | 2026 | |
| Commissioner | Jackie Meier | District 4 | 2027 | |
| Commissioner | Dave Thiner | District 5 | 2024 | |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate | Bill Weber[20] | Republican | District 22 | |
| House of Representatives | Joe Schomacker[21] | Republican | District 22A | |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House of Representatives | Collin Peterson[22] | Democrat | 7th | |
| Senate | Amy Klobuchar[23] | Democrat | N/A | |
| Senate | Tina Smith[24] | Democrat | N/A | |
Places adjacent to Murray County, Minnesota | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
Municipalities and communities ofMurray County, Minnesota,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Townships | ||
| CDP | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
