St. Louis County, Minnesota | |
|---|---|
 St. Louis County Courthouse in Duluth | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMinnesota | |
 Minnesota's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:47°35′N92°28′W / 47.58°N 92.46°W /47.58; -92.46 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Minnesota |
| Founded | February 20, 1855[1] |
| Named after | St. Louis River[2] |
| Seat | Duluth |
| Largest city | Duluth |
| Area | |
• Total | 6,860 sq mi (17,800 km2) |
| • Land | 6,247 sq mi (16,180 km2) |
| • Water | 612 sq mi (1,590 km2) 8.9% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 200,231 |
• Estimate (2024) | 200,794 |
| • Density | 32.05/sq mi (12.38/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
| Website | www |
St. Louis County is acounty in theArrowhead Region ofMinnesota. As of the2020 census, the population was 200,231.[3] Itscounty seat isDuluth. It is the largestcounty in Minnesota by land area, and thelargest in the United States by total area east of theMississippi River.St. Louis County is included in theDuluth, MN–Superior, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Major industries includepulpwood production andtourism.Open pit mining oftaconite and processing it into high gradeiron ore remains an important part of the economy of theIron Range and is directly tied to shipping in the twin ports of Duluth and Superior. Parts of the federally recognizedBois Forte andFond du Lac Indian reservations are in the county.
This area was long inhabited byAlgonquian-speaking tribes: the Ojibwe (Chippewa), Ottawa and Potawatomi peoples were loosely affiliated in theCouncil of Three Fires. As American settlers entered the territory, the Native Americans were pushed to outer areas.
The Minnesota Legislature established St. Louis County on February 20, 1855, asDoty County, and changed its name toNewton County on March 3, 1855. It originally consisted of the area east and south of theSt. Louis River, while the area east of theVermilion River and north of the St. Louis River was part of Superior County. Superior County was renamed St. Louis County.
On March 1, 1856, that St. Louis County was renamed asLake County. Newton County was renamed as St. Louis County and had that eastern area added to it; it was also expanded westward by incorporating parts ofItasca County, which then also included most ofCarlton County. On May 23, 1857, St. Louis County took its current shape when Carlton County was formed from parts of St. Louis andPine counties.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 6,860 square miles (17,800 km2), of which 6,247 square miles (16,180 km2) is land and 612 square miles (1,590 km2) (8.9%) is water.[4] It is the largest county in Minnesota and the largest (by total area) in the United States east of the Mississippi River. St. Louis County is the only county in the United States which has a coastline and borders bothanother country andanother state.
Voyageurs National Park, established in 1975, is located in its northwestern corner, on the south shore ofRainy Lake on the Canada–US border; it is popular with water enthusiasts and fishers. The county includes parts ofSuperior National Forest, established in 1909, and theBoundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness on the border, established in 1978. The BWCAW is a 1,090,000-acre (4,400 km2) wilderness area designated for fishing, camping, hiking, and canoeing, and is one of the most visited wilderness areas in the United States. St. Louis County has more than 500 lakes. The largest lakes arePelican andVermilion.[5]
The "Hill of Three Waters" on theLaurentian Divide lies northeast ofHibbing. Rainfall on this hill runs to three watersheds:Hudson Bay to the north, theGulf of Saint Lawrence to the east (viaLake Superior), or theGulf of Mexico to the south and west (via the Mississippi River).[6] The county is drained by theSt. Louis,Vermilion, and other rivers.[5]
Duluth on Lake Superior is one of the most important fresh-water ports in the United States.
The county encompasses part of theIron Range. It has had a significanttaconite mining industry, with active mines located in Hibbing, Mountain Iron, Eveleth, Virginia, and Babbitt, in addition to Keewatin inItasca County.
Interstate 35
Interstate 535 – John Blatnik Bridge
U.S. Highway 2
U.S. Highway 53.svg)
U.S. Highway 169
Minnesota State Highway 1
Minnesota State Highway 23
Minnesota State Highway 33
Minnesota State Highway 37
Minnesota State Highway 39 – McCuen Street
Minnesota State Highway 61 – North Shore
Minnesota State Highway 73
Minnesota State Highway 135
Minnesota State Highway 169
Minnesota State Highway 194
Minnesota State Highway 210
St. Louis County Road 4 - Rice Lake Road
St. Louis County Road 13 – Midway RoadThe county has ahumid continental climate (KöppenDfb), slightly moderated by its proximity to Lake Superior. Winters are long, snowy, and very cold, normally seeing maximum temperatures remaining below 32 °F (0 °C) on 106 days. Due to global warming, in January 2019 Tracy Twine, professor at the University of Minnesota's Department of Soil, Water and Climate, said "we just don't expect temperatures to be below 10 degrees Fahrenheit in Duluth anymore."[7] Public schools and other government offices shut down on January 29–30, 2019 because of wind chills of −70 °F or −56.7 °C.[8] This apparent anomaly was attributed to changes in the global jet stream due to the climate change.[9]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 406 | — | |
| 1870 | 4,561 | 1,023.4% | |
| 1880 | 4,504 | −1.2% | |
| 1890 | 44,862 | 896.0% | |
| 1900 | 82,932 | 84.9% | |
| 1910 | 163,274 | 96.9% | |
| 1920 | 206,391 | 26.4% | |
| 1930 | 204,596 | −0.9% | |
| 1940 | 206,917 | 1.1% | |
| 1950 | 206,062 | −0.4% | |
| 1960 | 231,588 | 12.4% | |
| 1970 | 220,693 | −4.7% | |
| 1980 | 222,229 | 0.7% | |
| 1990 | 198,213 | −10.8% | |
| 2000 | 200,528 | 1.2% | |
| 2010 | 200,226 | −0.2% | |
| 2020 | 200,231 | 0.0% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 200,794 | [10] | 0.3% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13] 1990–2000[14] 2010–2020[3] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010[15] | Pop 2020[16] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 184,769 | 176,112 | 92.3% | 88.0% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2,588 | 4,075 | 1.3% | 2.0% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 4,277 | 4,305 | 2.1% | 2.1% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1,760 | 1,901 | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 60 | 58 | nil% | nil% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 95 | 579 | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 4,168 | 9,598 | 2.1% | 4.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,409 | 3,603 | 1.2% | 1.8% |
| Total | 200,226 | 200,231 | 100% | 100% |
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 200,226 people in the county. The racial makeup of the county was 94.0%White, 2.2%Native American, 0.4%Black or African American, 0.9%Asian, 0.2% of some other race and 2.3%of two or more races. 1.2% wereHispanic or Latino (of any race). According to the 2010–2015American Community Survey, the ancestral makeup was 24.3%German, 15.9%Norwegian, 13.0%Swedish, and 10.2%Irish.[17]
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 200,528 people, 82,619 households, and 51,389 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 32 people per square mile (12 people/km2). There were 95,800 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (5.8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.9% White, 0.9% Black or African American, 2.0% Native American, 0.7% Asian, nil%Pacific Islander, 0.2% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. 0.8% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
27.6% of households included children under the age of 18, 49.3% weremarried couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 31.2% of all households consisted of individuals, and 13.0% of individuals 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.90.
The population contained 22.4% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,306, and the median income for a family was $47,134. Males had a median income of $37,934 versus $24,235 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $18,982. About 7.2% of families and 12.1% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 13.1% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.
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St. Louis County is governed by an elected andnonpartisanboard of commissioners. In Minnesota, county commissions usually have five members, but St. Louis,Hennepin, andRamsey counties have seven-member boards. Each commissioner represents asingle-member district of equal population.
The county commission elects achair who presides at meetings.
Commissioners as of January 2025:
| District | Commissioner | In office since | Current term expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Annie Harala (chair) | 2023 | January 4, 2027 |
| 2nd | Patrick Boyle | 2014 | January 8, 2029 |
| 3rd | Ashley Grimm | 2021 | January 8, 2029 |
| 4th | Paul McDonald | 2019 | January 4, 2027 |
| 5th | Keith Musolf | 2019 | January 8, 2029 |
| 6th | Keith Nelson | 2003 | January 4, 2027 |
| 7th | Mike Jugovich (vice-chair) | 2017 | January 8, 2029 |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 38.1%35,372 | 57.67%53,551 | 4.22%3,917 |
| 2018 | 35.41%35,212 | 60.72%60,383 | 3.88%3,852 |
| 2014 | 32.5%26,423 | 62.09%50,484 | 5.41%4,404 |
| 2010 | 28.58%24,187 | 61.81%52,312 | 9.62%8,136 |
In 2007, St. Louis County considered doing a study about dividing into two counties, but the proposal was not acted on.[19]
This county is one of the most reliablyDemocratic counties in the state, as no Republican or Independent candidate has won the county in a statewide election since 1992. The only time a Democrat obtained less than 50% of the vote was in 1998, whenJesse Ventura of the Reform ticket won statewide; some 24% of the county voted for him. Since 1992, the only time when a Republican obtained more than 34% of the vote was in the elections of 1994 (the year of theRepublican Revolution) when the incumbent Independent-Republican governor won the statewide vote by a landslide of more than 60%, and when the Independent-Republican senatorial candidate won election with 49% statewide, both of which are rare occurrences in Minnesota.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 5,157 | 49.67% | 3,586 | 34.54% | 1,640 | 15.80% |
| 1896 | 9,810 | 56.36% | 7,412 | 42.58% | 184 | 1.06% |
| 1900 | 8,851 | 63.72% | 4,667 | 33.60% | 372 | 2.68% |
| 1904 | 10,375 | 77.74% | 1,972 | 14.78% | 998 | 7.48% |
| 1908 | 12,076 | 66.08% | 4,464 | 24.43% | 1,734 | 9.49% |
| 1912 | 3,881 | 18.59% | 5,124 | 24.54% | 11,873 | 56.87% |
| 1916 | 10,834 | 41.47% | 12,056 | 46.15% | 3,234 | 12.38% |
| 1920 | 27,987 | 56.98% | 14,767 | 30.07% | 6,361 | 12.95% |
| 1924 | 37,033 | 57.31% | 2,577 | 3.99% | 25,013 | 38.71% |
| 1928 | 44,331 | 61.13% | 25,401 | 35.03% | 2,785 | 3.84% |
| 1932 | 34,883 | 41.66% | 40,181 | 47.99% | 8,665 | 10.35% |
| 1936 | 22,332 | 23.88% | 69,365 | 74.18% | 1,813 | 1.94% |
| 1940 | 32,243 | 31.42% | 68,620 | 66.87% | 1,760 | 1.72% |
| 1944 | 27,493 | 29.90% | 63,369 | 68.92% | 1,080 | 1.17% |
| 1948 | 28,490 | 29.28% | 62,553 | 64.29% | 6,249 | 6.42% |
| 1952 | 38,900 | 37.66% | 63,032 | 61.03% | 1,354 | 1.31% |
| 1956 | 39,902 | 38.84% | 62,190 | 60.54% | 631 | 0.61% |
| 1960 | 39,620 | 36.18% | 69,270 | 63.25% | 632 | 0.58% |
| 1964 | 25,246 | 24.00% | 79,529 | 75.61% | 408 | 0.39% |
| 1968 | 25,981 | 25.52% | 72,267 | 70.99% | 3,549 | 3.49% |
| 1972 | 41,435 | 39.77% | 61,103 | 58.65% | 1,642 | 1.58% |
| 1976 | 35,331 | 30.97% | 75,040 | 65.78% | 3,704 | 3.25% |
| 1980 | 33,407 | 29.13% | 69,403 | 60.52% | 11,864 | 10.35% |
| 1984 | 34,162 | 30.27% | 77,683 | 68.83% | 1,013 | 0.90% |
| 1988 | 31,799 | 30.80% | 70,344 | 68.14% | 1,094 | 1.06% |
| 1992 | 24,579 | 22.59% | 61,813 | 56.81% | 22,423 | 20.61% |
| 1996 | 25,553 | 25.50% | 60,736 | 60.62% | 13,907 | 13.88% |
| 2000 | 35,420 | 32.96% | 64,237 | 59.78% | 7,807 | 7.26% |
| 2004 | 40,112 | 33.55% | 77,958 | 65.20% | 1,495 | 1.25% |
| 2008 | 38,742 | 32.61% | 77,351 | 65.10% | 2,721 | 2.29% |
| 2012 | 39,131 | 33.85% | 73,378 | 63.48% | 3,085 | 2.67% |
| 2016 | 44,630 | 39.70% | 57,771 | 51.39% | 10,021 | 8.91% |
| 2020 | 49,017 | 41.01% | 67,704 | 56.64% | 2,810 | 2.35% |
| 2024 | 50,065 | 42.07% | 66,335 | 55.74% | 2,609 | 2.19% |
St. Louis County has long been one of the strongest Democratic bastions in the state outside of the Twin Cities. The Democrats have carried the county for 24 consecutive presidential elections; the last Republican candidate to carry the county wasHerbert Hoover in 1928, before the Great Depression.[21] In recent elections, Republicans have received about 1/3rd of the county's vote. In 2016,Donald Trump earned 39.7% of the county's vote, while theDemocratic vote deteriorated to 51.4% (the lowest percentage since 1932); according to exit polls, this was due to residents' concerns about the decline of mining and forestry in the county.[22] This was the closest that a Republican had come to winning the county since 1932. In2020, Trump became the first Republican since Herbert Hoover to get more than 40% of the vote in St. Louis County, butJoe Biden bolstered the Democratic margin of victory from 11.7% to 15.6%.
St. Louis County is inMinnesota's 8th congressional district. For 36 years, it was represented by DemocratJim Oberstar. He was defeated in 2010 by RepublicanChip Cravaack. Two years later, Cravaack was defeated by DemocratRick Nolan, who represented the district until his retirement in 2019. Republican St. Louis County commissionerPete Stauber succeeded Nolan in one of three Democrat-to-Republican district flips in 2018, two of which happened in Minnesota.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 41,273 | 35.19% | 72,294 | 61.64% | 3,711 | 3.16% |
| 2018 | 30,293 | 30.35% | 66,056 | 66.18% | 3,465 | 3.47% |
| 2012 | 25,684 | 22.96% | 82,504 | 73.76% | 3,668 | 3.28% |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 45,016 | 38.43% | 63,036 | 53.81% | 9,083 | 7.75% |
| 2018 | 34,478 | 34.68% | 60,187 | 60.55% | 4,741 | 4.77% |
| 2014 | 26,114 | 32.00% | 52,347 | 64.15% | 3,137 | 3.84% |
K-12 school districts include:[26]
There is one elementary school district,Nett Lake Public School District.[26]
See USGS map sheet "Hibbing Quadrangle", Minnesota-St. Louis county, 7.5 minute series, the "three-way watershed" marker is located at a spot on the hill about 375 meters south of the truck shop on the property of Hibbing Taconite mining company.
said Tracy Twine, an associate professor in the University of Minnesota's Department of Soil, Water and Climate. "We just don't expect temperatures to be below 10 degrees Fahrenheit in Duluth anymore," Twine said.
Duluth Public Schools – closed Tuesday and Wednesday
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