Carlton County, Minnesota | |
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 Location within the U.S. state ofMinnesota | |
 Minnesota's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:46°35′N92°41′W / 46.59°N 92.68°W /46.59; -92.68 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Minnesota |
| Founded | May 23, 1857 (created) 1870 (organized)[1] |
| Named after | Reuben B. Carlton |
| Seat | Carlton |
| Largest city | Cloquet |
| Area | |
• Total | 875 sq mi (2,270 km2) |
| • Land | 861 sq mi (2,230 km2) |
| • Water | 14 sq mi (36 km2) 1.6% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 36,207 |
• Estimate (2024) | 36,745 |
| • Density | 42.1/sq mi (16.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
| Website | www |
Carlton County is acounty in theState ofMinnesota, formed in 1857. As of the2020 census, the population was 36,207.[2] Itscounty seat isCarlton.[3] Part of theFond du Lac Indian Reservation lies in northeastern Carlton County.
Carlton County is part of theDuluth, MN–WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Carlton County lies on Minnesota's eastern edge. Its eastern boundary abutsWisconsin. TheSaint Louis River flows east-southeast through the county, discharging intoLake Superior. TheMoose Horn River flows southwest through the county,[4] discharging into theKettle River. TheNemadji River and the South Fork Nemadji River flow east through the county, meeting a few miles east of its eastern boundary before reaching Lake Superior. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, heavily wooded,[5] and slopes to the several river valleys. The county's northwest corner lies at 1,329 ft (405 m) ASL,[6] and a small hill 0.2 miles (0.32 km) west of Rogers Lake[5] rises to 1,450 ft (440 m) ASL.[7]
The county has an area of 875 square miles (2,270 km2), of which 861 square miles (2,230 km2) is land and 14 square miles (36 km2) (1.6%) is water.[8]
Under a 1854Treaty of La Pointe theFond du Lac Indian Reservation and other reservations were established in exchange for all the Lake SuperiorOjibwe land in the Arrowhead Region. Carlton County was formed and organized in 1870.[12] It was named for Reuben B. Carlton, a member of the Minnesota Senate (1857–58).[13]
In October 1918, an immense forest fire occurred, known as theCloquet fire. The Carlton County Historical Society hosts a permanent exhibit about the fire of 1918, along with ones about the Ojibwe of Carlton County and the Logging Era.[14]
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In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Carlton have ranged from a low of 1 °F (−17 °C) in January to a high of 80 °F (27 °C) in July, although a record low of −45 °F (−43 °C) was recorded in January 1912 and a record high of 105 °F (41 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 0.87 inches (22 mm) in February to 4.34 inches (110 mm) in September.[15]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 51 | — | |
| 1870 | 286 | 460.8% | |
| 1880 | 1,230 | 330.1% | |
| 1890 | 5,272 | 328.6% | |
| 1900 | 10,017 | 90.0% | |
| 1910 | 17,559 | 75.3% | |
| 1920 | 19,391 | 10.4% | |
| 1930 | 21,232 | 9.5% | |
| 1940 | 24,212 | 14.0% | |
| 1950 | 24,584 | 1.5% | |
| 1960 | 27,932 | 13.6% | |
| 1970 | 28,072 | 0.5% | |
| 1980 | 29,936 | 6.6% | |
| 1990 | 29,259 | −2.3% | |
| 2000 | 31,671 | 8.2% | |
| 2010 | 35,386 | 11.7% | |
| 2020 | 36,207 | 2.3% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 36,745 | [16] | 1.5% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[17] 1790-1960[18] 1900-1990[19] 1990-2000[20] 2010-2020[2] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010[21] | Pop 2020[22] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 31,458 | 30,910 | 88.90% | 85.37% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 494 | 556 | 1.40% | 1.54% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 2,012 | 2,148 | 5.69% | 5.93% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 160 | 153 | 0.45% | 0.42% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 2 | 12 | 0.01% | 0.03% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 9 | 85 | 0.03% | 0.23% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 767 | 1,731 | 2.17% | 4.78% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 484 | 612 | 1.37% | 1.69% |
| Total | 35,386 | 36,207 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
As of thecensus of 2010, there were 35,386 people living in the county. 89.7% wereWhite, 5.9%Native American, 1.4%Black or African American, 0.5%Asian, 0.2% of some other race and 2.4%of two or more races. 1.4% wereHispanic or Latino (of any race). 16.4% were ofGerman, 13.5%Finnish, 8.9%Norwegian, 8.6%Swedish and 5.6%American ancestry.[23]
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 31,671 people, 12,064 households, and 8,408 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 36.8 per square mile (14.2/km2). There were 13,721 housing units at an average density of 15.9 per square mile (6.1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.75%White, 0.97%Black orAfrican American, 5.19%Native American, 0.35%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.21% fromother races, and 1.52% from two or more races. 0.84% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 18.5% were ofGerman, 16.9%Finnish, 12.5%Norwegian, 11.8%Swedish and 5.8%Polish ancestry. 95.5% spokeEnglish, 1.8%Finnish and 1.1%Spanish as their first language.
There were 12,064 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.50% weremarried couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.00.
The county population contained 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 102.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,021, and the median income for a family was $48,406. Males had a median income of $38,788 versus $25,555 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $18,073. About 5.40% of families and 7.90% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 8.20% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2025, the Carlton County Sheriff is Kelly Lake.[24] Lake has served as Sheriff since April 2005.[25] The Carlton County Board of Commissioners has five members, each representing one district.[26] In April 2019, Sheriff Lake and the Fond du Lac Police Department collaborated onsex trafficking training on behalf of other sheriff agencies that would be affected by the upcomingEnbridge Line 3.[27] In 2017, Carlton County published a detailed Jail & Criminal Justice System Planning Study.[28] As of 2019, Carlton County Public Health employs 36 county staff and 6 contract staff. It has been operating since 1920.[29]
The Democratic Party historically dominated the county, carrying it by wide margins in every presidential election from 1932 to 2012, butDonald Trump lost by only 300 votes in 2016 and 307 votes in 2020 (a margin of under 2% and holding the Democrats to only a plurality in both elections), signaling a new competitiveness in Carlton County. The only other Republican to receive at least 40% of the vote since 1932 wasRichard Nixon during his 49-state landslide in 1972. During the2022 Midterm Elections, the Republican candidates for Attorney General, State Auditor, and U.S. House of Representatives won Carlton County,[30] and Republicans also flipped State House District 11A,[31] which includes most of Carlton County and came among other seat flips on theIron Range despite not winning the State House overall.[32] These wins marked a potential realignment towards the Republican Party. This trend continued in 2024, with Donald Trump becoming the first Republican sinceHerbert Hoover in 1928 to win the county, receiving 50.1% of the vote.[33]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 737 | 58.49% | 370 | 29.37% | 153 | 12.14% |
| 1896 | 1,169 | 67.15% | 543 | 31.19% | 29 | 1.67% |
| 1900 | 1,119 | 68.78% | 467 | 28.70% | 41 | 2.52% |
| 1904 | 1,480 | 76.92% | 236 | 12.27% | 208 | 10.81% |
| 1908 | 1,487 | 62.37% | 506 | 21.22% | 391 | 16.40% |
| 1912 | 283 | 10.94% | 631 | 24.39% | 1,673 | 64.67% |
| 1916 | 1,096 | 40.18% | 1,115 | 40.87% | 517 | 18.95% |
| 1920 | 2,833 | 59.47% | 1,152 | 24.18% | 779 | 16.35% |
| 1924 | 3,142 | 49.76% | 303 | 4.80% | 2,869 | 45.44% |
| 1928 | 4,582 | 64.01% | 2,138 | 29.87% | 438 | 6.12% |
| 1932 | 3,336 | 42.56% | 3,586 | 45.75% | 916 | 11.69% |
| 1936 | 2,163 | 22.82% | 7,136 | 75.29% | 179 | 1.89% |
| 1940 | 3,400 | 31.87% | 7,159 | 67.09% | 111 | 1.04% |
| 1944 | 2,653 | 29.96% | 6,153 | 69.48% | 50 | 0.56% |
| 1948 | 2,742 | 27.00% | 6,967 | 68.59% | 448 | 4.41% |
| 1952 | 4,175 | 39.03% | 6,432 | 60.12% | 91 | 0.85% |
| 1956 | 4,168 | 39.04% | 6,484 | 60.73% | 25 | 0.23% |
| 1960 | 4,613 | 37.74% | 7,576 | 61.98% | 35 | 0.29% |
| 1964 | 2,780 | 22.49% | 9,552 | 77.29% | 27 | 0.22% |
| 1968 | 3,016 | 25.10% | 8,538 | 71.04% | 464 | 3.86% |
| 1972 | 5,445 | 42.77% | 7,116 | 55.90% | 169 | 1.33% |
| 1976 | 4,371 | 31.33% | 9,247 | 66.28% | 334 | 2.39% |
| 1980 | 4,760 | 32.09% | 8,822 | 59.48% | 1,251 | 8.43% |
| 1984 | 4,877 | 34.34% | 9,189 | 64.70% | 137 | 0.96% |
| 1988 | 4,626 | 34.12% | 8,790 | 64.82% | 144 | 1.06% |
| 1992 | 3,922 | 26.60% | 7,736 | 52.46% | 3,089 | 20.95% |
| 1996 | 4,034 | 28.99% | 8,052 | 57.87% | 1,829 | 13.14% |
| 2000 | 5,578 | 36.99% | 8,620 | 57.16% | 883 | 5.86% |
| 2004 | 6,642 | 36.23% | 11,462 | 62.52% | 230 | 1.25% |
| 2008 | 6,549 | 35.50% | 11,501 | 62.34% | 399 | 2.16% |
| 2012 | 6,586 | 35.72% | 11,389 | 61.78% | 461 | 2.50% |
| 2016 | 8,160 | 44.81% | 8,460 | 46.46% | 1,591 | 8.74% |
| 2020 | 9,791 | 48.07% | 10,098 | 49.58% | 480 | 2.36% |
| 2024 | 10,435 | 50.13% | 9,905 | 47.59% | 475 | 2.28% |
| Position | Name | District | Next Election | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commissioner | Sarah Plante Buhs | District 1 | 2028 | |
| Commissioner and Chair (2025) | Marv Bodie | District 2 | 2026 | |
| Commissioner and Vice Chair (2025) | Thomas R. Proulx | District 3 | 2028 | |
| Commissioner | Susan Zmyslony | District 4 | 2026 | |
| Commissioner | Dan Reed | District 5 | 2028 | |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate | Jason Rarick[36] | Republican | District 11 | |
| House of Representatives | Jeff Dotseth[37] | Republican | District 11A | |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House of Representatives | Pete Stauber[38] | Republican | 8th | |
| Senate | Amy Klobuchar[39] | Democrat | N/A | |
| Senate | Tina Smith[40] | Democrat | N/A | |
County: Carlton
Carlton County
County: Carlton
County: Carlton
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Municipalities and communities ofCarlton County, Minnesota,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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