Grant County | |
|---|---|
 Grant County Courthouse | |
 Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMinnesota | |
 Minnesota's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:45°56′N96°01′W / 45.93°N 96.01°W /45.93; -96.01 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Minnesota |
| Founded | March 6, 1868 (created) 1874 (organized) |
| Named after | Ulysses S. Grant |
| Seat | Elbow Lake |
| Largest city | Elbow Lake |
| Area | |
• Total | 575 sq mi (1,490 km2) |
| • Land | 548 sq mi (1,420 km2) |
| • Water | 27 sq mi (70 km2) 4.7% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 6,074 |
• Estimate (2024) | 6,109 |
| • Density | 11.1/sq mi (4.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 7th |
| Website | www |
Grant County is acounty in theU.S. state ofMinnesota. As of the2020 census, the population was 6,074.[1] Itscounty seat isElbow Lake.[2]
The county was created on March 6, 1868. It was named forCivil War General and US President Ulysses S. Grant.[3][4] Its government was organized in 1874.[3]
TheChippewa River flows generally southward through the eastern part of Grant County. TheMustinka River flows south and then west-southwest through the upper and central parts of western Grant County. The terrain consists of low rolling hills dotted with lakes, its usable areas devoted to agriculture.[5] The terrain generally slopes to the south and east; its highest point is on its upper eastern border, at 1,375 ft (419 m) ASL.[6] The county has an area of 575 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 548 square miles (1,420 km2) is land and 27 square miles (70 km2) (4.7%) is water.[7]
Source:[5]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 340 | — | |
| 1880 | 3,004 | 783.5% | |
| 1890 | 6,875 | 128.9% | |
| 1900 | 8,935 | 30.0% | |
| 1910 | 9,114 | 2.0% | |
| 1920 | 9,788 | 7.4% | |
| 1930 | 9,558 | −2.3% | |
| 1940 | 9,828 | 2.8% | |
| 1950 | 9,542 | −2.9% | |
| 1960 | 8,870 | −7.0% | |
| 1970 | 7,462 | −15.9% | |
| 1980 | 7,171 | −3.9% | |
| 1990 | 6,246 | −12.9% | |
| 2000 | 6,289 | 0.7% | |
| 2010 | 6,018 | −4.3% | |
| 2020 | 6,074 | 0.9% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 6,109 | [9] | 0.6% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12] 1990-2000[13] 2010-2020[1] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 5,699 | 93.83% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 13 | 0.2% |
| Native American (NH) | 27 | 0.44% |
| Asian (NH) | 14 | 0.23% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 7 | 0.11% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 179 | 2.94% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 135 | 2.22% |
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 6,289 people, 2,534 households, and 1,740 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 11.6 per square mile (4.5/km2). There were 3,098 housing units at an average density of 5.74 per square mile (2.22/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.28%White, 0.21%Black orAfrican American, 0.27%Native American, 0.19%Asian, 0.30% fromother races, and 0.75% from two or more races. 0.52% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 41.2% were ofNorwegian, 30.0%German and 7.4%Swedish ancestry.
There were 2,534 households, out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.00% weremarried couples living together, 6.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.30% were non-families. 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.94.
The county population contained 23.90% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 23.10% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 22.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $33,775, and the median income for a family was $42,214. Males had a median income of $28,428 versus $20,240 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $17,131. About 6.00% of families and 8.40% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 9.50% of those under age 18 and 9.90% of those age 65 or over.
Grant County is a swing district that has leaned Republican in recent elections. As of 2024, the county has selected the Republican presidential candidate in 67% of national elections from 1980 inclusive.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 776 | 55.35% | 319 | 22.75% | 307 | 21.90% |
| 1896 | 1,002 | 56.29% | 739 | 41.52% | 39 | 2.19% |
| 1900 | 1,062 | 65.76% | 456 | 28.24% | 97 | 6.01% |
| 1904 | 1,209 | 87.67% | 102 | 7.40% | 68 | 4.93% |
| 1908 | 1,099 | 70.04% | 376 | 23.96% | 94 | 5.99% |
| 1912 | 146 | 9.36% | 381 | 24.42% | 1,033 | 66.22% |
| 1916 | 878 | 49.19% | 778 | 43.59% | 129 | 7.23% |
| 1920 | 2,427 | 75.80% | 533 | 16.65% | 242 | 7.56% |
| 1924 | 1,674 | 49.21% | 118 | 3.47% | 1,610 | 47.33% |
| 1928 | 2,057 | 54.33% | 1,687 | 44.56% | 42 | 1.11% |
| 1932 | 1,148 | 29.17% | 2,702 | 68.67% | 85 | 2.16% |
| 1936 | 1,566 | 38.43% | 2,358 | 57.87% | 151 | 3.71% |
| 1940 | 2,443 | 51.28% | 2,291 | 48.09% | 30 | 0.63% |
| 1944 | 1,898 | 48.93% | 1,969 | 50.76% | 12 | 0.31% |
| 1948 | 1,789 | 40.77% | 2,378 | 54.19% | 221 | 5.04% |
| 1952 | 2,665 | 59.51% | 1,791 | 40.00% | 22 | 0.49% |
| 1956 | 2,064 | 49.41% | 2,107 | 50.44% | 6 | 0.14% |
| 1960 | 2,239 | 48.93% | 2,333 | 50.98% | 4 | 0.09% |
| 1964 | 1,734 | 39.72% | 2,631 | 60.26% | 1 | 0.02% |
| 1968 | 1,929 | 47.11% | 1,982 | 48.40% | 184 | 4.49% |
| 1972 | 1,899 | 46.84% | 2,085 | 51.43% | 70 | 1.73% |
| 1976 | 1,635 | 37.69% | 2,624 | 60.49% | 79 | 1.82% |
| 1980 | 2,054 | 48.08% | 1,822 | 42.65% | 396 | 9.27% |
| 1984 | 2,111 | 52.84% | 1,867 | 46.73% | 17 | 0.43% |
| 1988 | 1,693 | 46.04% | 1,950 | 53.03% | 34 | 0.92% |
| 1992 | 1,201 | 32.76% | 1,561 | 42.58% | 904 | 24.66% |
| 1996 | 1,284 | 36.05% | 1,806 | 50.70% | 472 | 13.25% |
| 2000 | 1,804 | 49.78% | 1,507 | 41.58% | 313 | 8.64% |
| 2004 | 1,893 | 49.57% | 1,856 | 48.60% | 70 | 1.83% |
| 2008 | 1,646 | 45.66% | 1,850 | 51.32% | 109 | 3.02% |
| 2012 | 1,748 | 50.13% | 1,647 | 47.23% | 92 | 2.64% |
| 2016 | 2,063 | 59.40% | 1,105 | 31.82% | 305 | 8.78% |
| 2020 | 2,269 | 62.10% | 1,300 | 35.58% | 85 | 2.33% |
| 2024 | 2,266 | 63.96% | 1,187 | 33.50% | 90 | 2.54% |
| Position | Name | District | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commissioner and Chairperson | Troy Johnson | District 1 | |
| Commissioner | Dwight Walvatne | District 2 | |
| Commissioner | Ken Johnson | District 3 | |
| Commissioner | Bill LaValley | District 4 | |
| Commissioner | Doyle Sperr | District 5 | |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate | Torrey Westrom[17] | Republican | District 12 | |
| House of Representatives | Jeff Backer[18] | Republican | District 12A | |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House of Representatives | Michelle Fischbach | Republican | 7th | |
| Senate | Amy Klobuchar[19] | Democrat | N/A | |
| Senate | Tina Smith[20] | Democrat | N/A | |
Places adjacent to Grant County, Minnesota | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
Municipalities and communities ofGrant County, Minnesota,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Townships | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Former communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
