Clearwater County, Minnesota | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Clearwater County Building and Courthouse inBagley, Minnesota. | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMinnesota | |
 Minnesota's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:47°34′N95°23′W / 47.57°N 95.38°W /47.57; -95.38 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Minnesota |
| Founded | December 20, 1902[1] |
| Named after | Clearwater Lake Clearwater River[2] |
| Seat | Bagley |
| Largest city | Bagley |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,030 sq mi (2,700 km2) |
| • Land | 999 sq mi (2,590 km2) |
| • Water | 31 sq mi (80 km2) 3.0% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 8,524 |
• Estimate (2024) | 8,630 |
| • Density | 8.5/sq mi (3.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
| Website | www |
Clearwater County is acounty in the northwestern part of theU.S. state ofMinnesota. As of the2020 census, the population was 8,524.[3] Itscounty seat isBagley.[4]
Clearwater County is home toLake Itasca, the source of theMississippi River. Parts of theRed Lake andWhite EarthIndian reservations extend into the county.
TheRed Lake River flows west out ofRed Lake across the top of Clearwater County on its way to discharge into theRed River atGrand Forks, North Dakota. TheClearwater River flows west-southwest across the central part of the county on its way to discharge into the Red Lake River. The county terrain consists of wooded rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds.[5] The terrain slopes to the north, with the highest point on the lower west boundary, at 1,781 ft (543 m) ASL.[6] The county has an area of 1,030 square miles (2,700 km2), of which 999 square miles (2,590 km2) is land and 31 square miles (80 km2) (3.0%) is water.[7]
The county's high point, just south of Scoop Lake, is one of a few places to exceed 2000 feet in Minnesota, rising to 2005 feet at 47.2318°N, -95.5034°W.
| Bagley, Minnesota | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate chart (explanation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In recent years average temperatures in Bagley have ranged from a low of −15 °F (−26 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, with a record low of −53 °F (−47 °C) recorded in February 1996 and a record high of 103 °F (39 °C) recorded in August 1976. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 0.64 inches (16 mm) in December to 4.62 inches (117 mm) in June.[9]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 6,870 | — | |
| 1920 | 8,569 | 24.7% | |
| 1930 | 9,546 | 11.4% | |
| 1940 | 11,153 | 16.8% | |
| 1950 | 10,204 | −8.5% | |
| 1960 | 8,864 | −13.1% | |
| 1970 | 8,013 | −9.6% | |
| 1980 | 8,761 | 9.3% | |
| 1990 | 8,309 | −5.2% | |
| 2000 | 8,423 | 1.4% | |
| 2010 | 8,695 | 3.2% | |
| 2020 | 8,524 | −2.0% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 8,630 | [10] | 1.2% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13] 1990-2000[14] 2010-2020[3] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 7,151 | 83.9% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 19 | 0.2% |
| Native American (NH) | 752 | 8.82% |
| Asian (NH) | 23 | 0.3% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 2 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 476 | 5.6% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 101 | 1.2% |
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 8,423 people, 3,330 households, and 2,287 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 8.43 per square mile (3.25/km2). There were 4,114 housing units at an average density of 4.12 per square mile (1.59/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.26%White, 0.19%Black orAfrican American, 8.58%Native American, 0.25%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.24% fromother races, and 1.47% from two or more races. 0.77% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 43.6% were ofNorwegian, 15.6%German, 6.5%Swedish, and 6.2%American ancestry.
There were 3,330 households, out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.80% weremarried couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.30% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.02.
The county population contained 26.00% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 24.60% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 17.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,517, and the median income for a family was $39,698. Males had a median income of $29,338 versus $20,417 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $15,694. About 11.00% of families and 15.10% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 18.90% of those under age 18 and 18.20% of those age 65 or over.
From 1932 to 1996, Clearwater County voted for the Democratic nominee all but twice, both during nationwide Republican landslides forRichard Nixon in 1972 andRonald Reagan in 1984. Though the county went Democrat in the subsequent three elections, Reagan's victory foreshadowed the changing political landscape of Clearwater County, as the margins forMichael Dukakis andBill Clinton were much reduced compared to the prior decades, with Dukakis winning the county by only 6 votes in 1988 and Clinton winning by less than 7.5% in both of his successful runs for the presidency. Beginning in 2000, Clearwater County has voted Republican in each election, and the only time the margin got under 10% was in 2008. In 2016,Donald Trump became the first Republican to win over 60% of the county's vote since 1928, defeatingHillary Clinton by an astounding 43%. In 2020, Trump increased his vote share again, defeatingJoe Biden in the county by 45%, and in 2024 improved yet again, defeatingKamala Harris by almost a 50% margin of victory.[16] It was the best Republican performance in the county's history outside of its inaugural election in 1904 forTheodore Roosevelt.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1904 | 903 | 85.27% | 79 | 7.46% | 77 | 7.27% |
| 1908 | 779 | 66.07% | 164 | 13.91% | 236 | 20.02% |
| 1912 | 125 | 11.42% | 123 | 11.23% | 847 | 77.35% |
| 1916 | 493 | 39.92% | 544 | 44.05% | 198 | 16.03% |
| 1920 | 1,788 | 70.73% | 340 | 13.45% | 400 | 15.82% |
| 1924 | 1,020 | 37.54% | 86 | 3.17% | 1,611 | 59.29% |
| 1928 | 1,898 | 60.01% | 1,189 | 37.59% | 76 | 2.40% |
| 1932 | 845 | 22.89% | 2,688 | 72.81% | 159 | 4.31% |
| 1936 | 939 | 22.05% | 3,208 | 75.34% | 111 | 2.61% |
| 1940 | 1,354 | 28.94% | 3,289 | 70.31% | 35 | 0.75% |
| 1944 | 1,125 | 29.47% | 2,658 | 69.64% | 34 | 0.89% |
| 1948 | 1,171 | 27.80% | 2,793 | 66.31% | 248 | 5.89% |
| 1952 | 1,971 | 47.89% | 2,089 | 50.75% | 56 | 1.36% |
| 1956 | 1,464 | 40.11% | 2,171 | 59.48% | 15 | 0.41% |
| 1960 | 1,651 | 39.93% | 2,466 | 59.64% | 18 | 0.44% |
| 1964 | 1,137 | 30.41% | 2,596 | 69.43% | 6 | 0.16% |
| 1968 | 1,284 | 36.06% | 2,046 | 57.46% | 231 | 6.49% |
| 1972 | 1,819 | 49.39% | 1,751 | 47.54% | 113 | 3.07% |
| 1976 | 1,374 | 34.22% | 2,437 | 60.70% | 204 | 5.08% |
| 1980 | 1,919 | 46.39% | 1,955 | 47.26% | 263 | 6.36% |
| 1984 | 2,066 | 51.33% | 1,917 | 47.63% | 42 | 1.04% |
| 1988 | 1,763 | 49.43% | 1,769 | 49.59% | 35 | 0.98% |
| 1992 | 1,315 | 34.99% | 1,587 | 42.23% | 856 | 22.78% |
| 1996 | 1,423 | 40.50% | 1,578 | 44.91% | 513 | 14.60% |
| 2000 | 2,137 | 55.88% | 1,466 | 38.34% | 221 | 5.78% |
| 2004 | 2,438 | 55.90% | 1,871 | 42.90% | 52 | 1.19% |
| 2008 | 2,291 | 53.77% | 1,877 | 44.05% | 93 | 2.18% |
| 2012 | 2,359 | 56.21% | 1,753 | 41.77% | 85 | 2.03% |
| 2016 | 2,925 | 68.90% | 1,100 | 25.91% | 220 | 5.18% |
| 2020 | 3,372 | 71.62% | 1,260 | 26.76% | 76 | 1.61% |
| 2024 | 3,575 | 74.26% | 1,169 | 24.28% | 70 | 1.45% |
| Position | Name | District | Next Election | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commissioner | Mark Titera | District 1 | 2026 | |
| Commissioner | Dean Newland | District 2 | 2024 | |
| Commissioner | Stuart Dukek | District 3 | 2026 | |
| Commissioner | John Nelson | District 4 | 2024 | |
| Commissioner | Mark Larson | District 5 | 2026 | |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate | Paul Utke[19] | Republican | District 2 | |
| House of Representatives | Matt Grossell[20] | Republican | District 2A | |
| House of Representatives | Steve Green[21] | Republican | District 2B | |
| 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 Clearwater County, Minnesota | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
Municipalities and communities ofClearwater County, Minnesota,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Townships | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Unorganized territories | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Indian reservations | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
