Big Stone County | |
|---|---|
 Big Stone County Courthouse inOrtonville, Minnesota. | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMinnesota | |
 Minnesota's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:45°26′N96°25′W / 45.43°N 96.41°W /45.43; -96.41 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Minnesota |
| Founded | February 20, 1862 (created) 1874 (organized)[1] |
| Named after | Big Stone Lake |
| Seat | Ortonville |
| Largest city | Ortonville |
| Area | |
• Total | 528 sq mi (1,370 km2) |
| • Land | 499 sq mi (1,290 km2) |
| • Water | 29 sq mi (75 km2) 5.5% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 5,166 |
• Estimate (2024) | 5,067 |
| • Density | 10.1/sq mi (3.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 7th |
| Website | bigstonecounty |
Big Stone County is acounty in theU.S. state ofMinnesota. As of the2020 census, the population was 5,166.[2] Itscounty seat isOrtonville.[3]
The county was formed in 1862, and was organized in 1874. It is named forBig Stone Lake.[4][5]
Big Stone County lies on the western side of Minnesota. Its southwest boundary line abuts the east boundary line of the state ofSouth Dakota. TheLittle Minnesota River flows along the county's southwestern boundary. Since 1937, a dam (Big Stone Lake Dam) has impounded the river's waters, creating Big Stone Lake. Water flowing out from this lake flows along the south boundary line of the county, and is known as theMinnesota River from that point. Fish Creek flows southwesterly through the northwestern part of the county, discharging into Big Stone Lake at the county's southwestern boundary.
The terrain of Big Stone County is low rolling hills, wooded or devoted to agriculture.[6] The terrain generally slopes to the south and east, although its southwestern portion slopes to the river valley. Its highest point is on its north line near the northwestern corner, 2.9 miles (4.7 km) east ofLagoona Beach, at 1,201 ft (366 m) ASL.[7][8] The county has a total area of 528 square miles (1,370 km2), of which 499 square miles (1,290 km2) is land and 29 square miles (75 km2) (5.5%) is water.[9]
Source: United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles[11]
| Ortonville, Minnesota | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Ortonville have ranged from a low of 1 °F (−17 °C) in January to a high of 84 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −44 °F (−42 °C) was recorded in February 1994 and a record high of 108 °F (42 °C) was recorded in July 1966. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 0.43 inches (11 mm) in December to 3.85 inches (98 mm) in July.[12]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 24 | — | |
| 1880 | 3,688 | 15,266.7% | |
| 1890 | 5,722 | 55.2% | |
| 1900 | 8,731 | 52.6% | |
| 1910 | 9,367 | 7.3% | |
| 1920 | 9,766 | 4.3% | |
| 1930 | 9,838 | 0.7% | |
| 1940 | 10,447 | 6.2% | |
| 1950 | 9,607 | −8.0% | |
| 1960 | 8,954 | −6.8% | |
| 1970 | 7,941 | −11.3% | |
| 1980 | 7,716 | −2.8% | |
| 1990 | 6,285 | −18.5% | |
| 2000 | 5,820 | −7.4% | |
| 2010 | 5,269 | −9.5% | |
| 2020 | 5,166 | −2.0% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 5,067 | [13] | −1.9% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[14] 1790-1960[15] 1900-1990[16] 1990-2000[17] 2010-2020[2] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 4,809 | 93.1% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 19 | 0.37% |
| Native American (NH) | 34 | 0.66% |
| Asian (NH) | 12 | 0.23% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 4 | 0.07% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 148 | 2.7% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 140 | 2.7% |
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 5,820 people, 2,377 households, and 1,611 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 11.7 per square mile (4.5/km2). There were 3,171 housing units at an average density of 6.35 per square mile (2.45/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.44%White, 0.17%Black orAfrican American, 0.52%Native American, 0.41%Asian, 0.12% fromother races, and 0.34% from two or more races. 0.34% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 45.7% were ofGerman, 21.0%Norwegian, 8.0%Swedish and 6.3%Irish ancestry.
There were 2,377 households, out of which 29.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.60% weremarried couples living together, 5.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.20% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.97.
The county population contained 24.80% under the age of 18, 5.30% from 18 to 24, 21.90% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 24.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 94.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,721, and the median income for a family was $37,354. Males had a median income of $27,857 versus $20,123 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $15,708. About 7.80% of families and 12.00% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 14.50% of those under age 18 and 8.80% of those age 65 or over.
Between 1928 and 2008, Big Stone County voted Democratic in every election except for two nationwide Republican landslides in 1952 and 1980. The only other time between 1928 and 2000 that the Republican candidate lost by less than 10% wasRonald Reagan during his 1984 landslide reelection. Beginning in 2000, the Democratic margins began to shrink, withGeorge W. Bush losing by about 2% in both 2000 and 2004, and by a margin of no more than 60 votes. Despite favoringBarack Obama by over 6% in 2008, this would prove to be the most recent time Big Stone County would vote Democratic.Mitt Romney narrowly carried the county by 40 votes and less than 1.5% in 2012. But in 2016,Donald Trump greatly expanded the thin margin Romney won the county by as Democratic candidateHillary Clinton lost by nearly 25%, the first time a Republican won by more than 5% in the county since 1924. Trump further increased his margin of victory in 2020 to over 27%, and improved even more in 2024 to over a 29% margin of victory.[19]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 576 | 41.68% | 498 | 36.03% | 308 | 22.29% |
| 1896 | 1,048 | 55.72% | 742 | 39.45% | 91 | 4.84% |
| 1900 | 1,081 | 59.27% | 644 | 35.31% | 99 | 5.43% |
| 1904 | 1,234 | 73.10% | 318 | 18.84% | 136 | 8.06% |
| 1908 | 965 | 57.78% | 565 | 33.83% | 140 | 8.38% |
| 1912 | 244 | 14.56% | 677 | 40.39% | 755 | 45.05% |
| 1916 | 810 | 44.88% | 869 | 48.14% | 126 | 6.98% |
| 1920 | 2,415 | 78.16% | 451 | 14.60% | 224 | 7.25% |
| 1924 | 1,524 | 46.14% | 260 | 7.87% | 1,519 | 45.99% |
| 1928 | 1,641 | 43.20% | 2,133 | 56.15% | 25 | 0.66% |
| 1932 | 868 | 20.99% | 3,200 | 77.37% | 68 | 1.64% |
| 1936 | 1,116 | 27.91% | 2,648 | 66.22% | 235 | 5.88% |
| 1940 | 1,925 | 42.95% | 2,517 | 56.16% | 40 | 0.89% |
| 1944 | 1,608 | 42.86% | 2,120 | 56.50% | 24 | 0.64% |
| 1948 | 1,321 | 33.99% | 2,466 | 63.46% | 99 | 2.55% |
| 1952 | 2,260 | 51.46% | 2,107 | 47.97% | 25 | 0.57% |
| 1956 | 1,737 | 44.25% | 2,180 | 55.54% | 8 | 0.20% |
| 1960 | 1,834 | 42.83% | 2,437 | 56.91% | 11 | 0.26% |
| 1964 | 1,331 | 31.90% | 2,831 | 67.86% | 10 | 0.24% |
| 1968 | 1,645 | 41.69% | 2,119 | 53.70% | 182 | 4.61% |
| 1972 | 1,748 | 43.52% | 2,185 | 54.39% | 84 | 2.09% |
| 1976 | 1,332 | 33.24% | 2,581 | 64.41% | 94 | 2.35% |
| 1980 | 1,950 | 47.67% | 1,814 | 44.34% | 327 | 7.99% |
| 1984 | 1,821 | 47.34% | 1,994 | 51.83% | 32 | 0.83% |
| 1988 | 1,469 | 41.66% | 2,026 | 57.46% | 31 | 0.88% |
| 1992 | 1,052 | 30.76% | 1,610 | 47.08% | 758 | 22.16% |
| 1996 | 990 | 32.99% | 1,619 | 53.95% | 392 | 13.06% |
| 2000 | 1,370 | 45.97% | 1,430 | 47.99% | 180 | 6.04% |
| 2004 | 1,483 | 48.35% | 1,536 | 50.08% | 48 | 1.57% |
| 2008 | 1,362 | 45.55% | 1,552 | 51.91% | 76 | 2.54% |
| 2012 | 1,385 | 49.66% | 1,345 | 48.23% | 59 | 2.12% |
| 2016 | 1,608 | 58.37% | 921 | 33.43% | 226 | 8.20% |
| 2020 | 1,863 | 62.64% | 1,053 | 35.41% | 58 | 1.95% |
| 2024 | 1,796 | 63.60% | 964 | 34.14% | 64 | 2.27% |
| Position | Name | District | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commissioner | Chad Zimmel | District 1 | |
| Commissioner | Wade Athey | District 2 | |
| Commissioner and Chairperson | Brent Olson | District 3 | |
| Commissioner | Roger Sandberg | District 4 | |
| Commissioner | Jeff Klages | District 5 | |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate | Torrey Westrom[23] | Republican | District 12 | |
| House of Representatives | Jeff Backer[24] | Republican | District 12A | |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House of Representatives | Michelle Fischbach | Republican | 7th | |
| Senate | Amy Klobuchar[25] | Democrat | N/A | |
| Senate | Tina Smith[26] | Democrat | N/A | |
School districts include:[27]
Places adjacent to Big Stone County, Minnesota | |
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Municipalities and communities ofBig Stone County, Minnesota,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Townships | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
