Becker County, Minnesota | |
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 Location within the U.S. state ofMinnesota | |
 Minnesota's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:46°56′15″N95°44′30″W / 46.937629°N 95.741757°W /46.937629; -95.741757 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Minnesota |
| Founded | March 18, 1858 (created) March 6, 1871 (organized) |
| Named after | George Loomis Becker |
| Seat | Detroit Lakes |
| Largest city | Detroit Lakes |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,445.150 sq mi (3,742.92 km2) |
| • Land | 1,315.037 sq mi (3,405.93 km2) |
| • Water | 130.113 sq mi (336.99 km2) 9.00% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 35,183 |
• Estimate (2024) | 35,444 |
| • Density | 26.962/sq mi (10.410/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 218 |
| Congressional districts | 7th,8th |
| Website | co.becker.mn.us |
Becker County is acounty in theU.S. state ofMinnesota. As of the2020 census, the population was 35,183,[1] and was estimated to be 35,444 in 2024,[2] Itscounty seat isDetroit Lakes.[3]
Part of theWhite Earth Indian Reservation extends into the county.
The county was created on March 18, 1858 and organized on March 6, 1871.[4] It was named forGeorge Loomis Becker,[5] one of three men elected to Congress when Minnesota became a state. Since Minnesota could only send two, Becker elected to stay behind, and he was promised to have a county named after him.
Colonel George Johnston founded the city ofDetroit Lakes in 1871. It grew quickly with the construction of theNorthern Pacific Railroad. Johnston led settlers fromNew England to settle in this region.[6] An 1877 election decided that Detroit Lakes, then known as Detroit, would become the county seat. Detroit won the election by a 90% majority.Frazee,Lake Park, andAudubon were also in the running.
In 1884, Detroit Lakes had many businesses, including two hotels, a bank, a newspaper, and an opera house. The first courthouse was built that year. In 1885, the first county fire department was constructed. In 1903, theSoo Line Railroad built a line through the county.
Detroit Lakes hosts a park dedicated to the Grand Army of the Republic. The city rededicated the park on April 15, 2015, marking the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War and the death of President Lincoln. Colonel Tom Mortenson and his wife, Pam, sponsored the rededication, representing the Women's Relief Corps, which spearheaded community support for the effort that included new signage for the park and a time capsule to be opened on the 200th anniversary.[8]
The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, tree-covered and dotted with lakes and ponds.[9] The terrain slopes to the west and north. Its highest point is a hill 2.1 miles (3.4 km) northeast ofWolf Lake, the site of the USFS Wolf Lake lookout tower, at 1,861 ft (567 m)ASL.[10] The next highest point is near its northwest corner, at 1,631 ft (497 m) ASL.[11]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,445.150 square miles (3,742.92 km2), of which 1,315.037 square miles (3,405.93 km2) is land and 130.113 square miles (336.99 km2) (9.00%) is water.[12] It is the 15th largest county in Minnesota by total area.
Becker County has diverse topography. It is home to several hundred lakes, many acres of fertile farmland, and forested areas. Much of the land consists of hills and deciduous trees.
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In recent years, average temperatures in Detroit Lakes have ranged from a low of −2 °F (−19 °C) in January to a high of 82 °F (28 °C) in July; a record low of −46 °F (−43 °C) was recorded in February 1936 and a record high of 107 °F (42 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 0.53 inches (13 mm) in February to 4.44 inches (113 mm) in June.[13]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 386 | — | |
| 1870 | 308 | −20.2% | |
| 1880 | 5,218 | 1,594.2% | |
| 1890 | 9,401 | 80.2% | |
| 1900 | 14,375 | 52.9% | |
| 1910 | 18,840 | 31.1% | |
| 1920 | 22,851 | 21.3% | |
| 1930 | 22,503 | −1.5% | |
| 1940 | 26,562 | 18.0% | |
| 1950 | 24,836 | −6.5% | |
| 1960 | 23,959 | −3.5% | |
| 1970 | 24,372 | 1.7% | |
| 1980 | 29,336 | 20.4% | |
| 1990 | 27,881 | −5.0% | |
| 2000 | 30,000 | 7.6% | |
| 2010 | 32,504 | 8.3% | |
| 2020 | 35,183 | 8.2% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 35,444 | [14] | 0.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[15] 1790–1960[16] 1900–1990[17] 1990–2000[18] 2010–2020[2] | |||
As of the third quarter of 2024, the median home value in Becker County was $286,500.[19]
As of the 2023American Community Survey, there are 14,404 estimated households in Becker County with an average of 2.41 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $71,117. Approximately 11.8% of the county's population lives at or below thepoverty line. Becker County has an estimated 61.0% employment rate, with 27.5% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 93.3% holding a high school diploma.[2]
The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (96.9%), Spanish (1.0%), Indo-European (0.6%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.5%), and Other (1.0%).
The median age in the county was 43.2 years.
Becker County, Minnesota – racial and ethnic composition
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 may be of any race.
| Race / ethnicity(NH = non-Hispanic) | Pop. 1980[20] | Pop. 1990[21] | Pop. 2000[22] | Pop. 2010[23] | Pop. 2020[24] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 27,420 (93.47%) | 25,786 (92.49%) | 26,699 (89.00%) | 28,539 (87.80%) | 29,645 (84.26%) |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 10 (0.03%) | 20 (0.07%) | 54 (0.18%) | 128 (0.39%) | 200 (0.57%) |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 1,720 (5.86%) | 1,853 (6.65%) | 2,229 (7.43%) | 2,372 (7.30%) | 2,417 (6.87%) |
| Asian alone (NH) | 45 (0.15%) | 100 (0.36%) | 108 (0.36%) | 124 (0.38%) | 156 (0.44%) |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | — | — | 4 (0.01%) | 7 (0.02%) | 9 (0.03%) |
| Other race alone (NH) | 14 (0.05%) | 2 (0.01%) | 18 (0.06%) | 17 (0.05%) | 100 (0.28%) |
| Mixed race or multiracial (NH) | — | — | 658 (2.19%) | 919 (2.83%) | 2,081 (5.91%) |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 127 (0.43%) | 120 (0.43%) | 230 (0.77%) | 398 (1.22%) | 575 (1.63%) |
| Total | 29,336 (100.00%) | 27,881 (100.00%) | 30,000 (100.00%) | 32,504 (100.00%) | 35,183 (100.00%) |
As of the 2023 estimate, there were 35,283 people and 14,404 households residing in the county. There were 20,168 housing units. The racial makeup of the county was 87.7% White(86.5% NH White), 0.8% African American, 7.3% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.1% of the population.[25]
In the 2023 estimate, Becker County is the40th wealthiest county in Minnesota. $60,360 for per capita income.
As of the2020 census, there were 35,183 people, 14,371 households, and 9,435 families residing in the county.[26] Thepopulation density was 26.8 inhabitants per square mile (10.3/km2). There were 19,620 housing units at an average density of 14.9 per square mile (5.8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 84.75%White, 0.58%African American, 7.01%Native American, 0.46%Asian, 0.06%Pacific Islander, 0.54% from some other races and 6.60% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.63% of the population.[27]
As of the2010 census, there were 32,504 people, 13,224 households, and _ families residing in the county. The population density was 24.7 inhabitants per square mile (9.5/km2). There were 18,784 housing units at an average density of 14.3 per square mile (5.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 81.63%White, 0.39%African American, 6.98%Native American, 0.36%Asian, 0.02%Pacific Islander, 0.25% from some other races and 2.76% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 1.22% of the population.
As of the2000 census, there were 30,000 people, 11,844 households, and 8,184 families in the county. The population density was 22.8 inhabitants per square mile (8.8/km2). There were 16,612 housing units at an average density of 12.7 per square mile (4.9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.35%White, 0.19%African American, 7.52%Native American, 0.36%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 0.24% from some other races and 2.32% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.77% of the population.
In terms of ancestry, 32.2% were ofGerman, 26.0%Norwegian and 5.2%Swedish.
There were 11,844 households, of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% weremarried couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.9% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.02.
The county population contained 26.6% under age 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% 65 or older. The median age was 39. For every 100 females there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 97.8 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,797, and the median income for a family was $41,807. Males had a median income of $29,641 versus $20,693 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $17,085. About 8.5% of families and 12.2% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.4% of those under 18 and 11.8% of those 65 and over.
From its inaugural election in 1872 to 1928, Becker County voted Republican all but twice and never voted Democratic; the only two occasions it backed a non-Republican in that span were in 1912 when former Republican president turnedProgressive candidateTheodore Roosevelt carried the county and in 1924 whenProgressiveRobert M. La Follette narrowly carried the county, edging out incumbent Republican presidentCalvin Coolidge by just 151 votes in the county. FollowingBlack Tuesday and the onset of theGreat Depression, Becker County proceeded to voted Democrat in nearly every election for the next half-century, only backing the Republican nominee in nationwide Republican landslides in 1952 and 1972 byDwight D. Eisenhower andRichard Nixon respectively in the elections from 1932 to 1976, though the Democrat margin of victories were typically modest outside of their nationwide landslides. Beginning in 1980, Becker County has backed the Republican nominee in every presidential election except for the reelection ofBill Clinton in 1996, and never by huge margins up to and including 2012. However, in 2016,Donald Trump attained the highest percentage of the vote and margin of victory for either party in the county since 1936 and the highest for a Republican since 1920. He again broke this record in 2020 and 2024, receiving 66% of the vote in 2024.[29]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 853 | 55.43% | 266 | 17.28% | 420 | 27.29% |
| 1896 | 1,479 | 58.81% | 985 | 39.17% | 51 | 2.03% |
| 1900 | 1,790 | 64.62% | 771 | 27.83% | 209 | 7.55% |
| 1904 | 1,872 | 79.49% | 310 | 13.16% | 173 | 7.35% |
| 1908 | 2,058 | 64.39% | 728 | 22.78% | 410 | 12.83% |
| 1912 | 509 | 16.76% | 732 | 24.10% | 1,796 | 59.14% |
| 1916 | 1,761 | 50.44% | 1,453 | 41.62% | 277 | 7.93% |
| 1920 | 4,811 | 75.78% | 901 | 14.19% | 637 | 10.03% |
| 1924 | 2,936 | 45.51% | 429 | 6.65% | 3,087 | 47.85% |
| 1928 | 4,273 | 55.47% | 3,253 | 42.23% | 177 | 2.30% |
| 1932 | 2,299 | 28.00% | 5,547 | 67.56% | 364 | 4.43% |
| 1936 | 2,683 | 28.34% | 6,473 | 68.38% | 310 | 3.27% |
| 1940 | 4,292 | 39.68% | 6,432 | 59.47% | 92 | 0.85% |
| 1944 | 3,803 | 43.46% | 4,889 | 55.87% | 58 | 0.66% |
| 1948 | 3,495 | 35.93% | 5,885 | 60.50% | 347 | 3.57% |
| 1952 | 5,815 | 55.84% | 4,539 | 43.59% | 60 | 0.58% |
| 1956 | 4,608 | 49.81% | 4,619 | 49.93% | 24 | 0.26% |
| 1960 | 5,090 | 48.99% | 5,257 | 50.60% | 42 | 0.40% |
| 1964 | 3,751 | 36.70% | 6,453 | 63.14% | 16 | 0.16% |
| 1968 | 4,728 | 46.37% | 4,875 | 47.81% | 593 | 5.82% |
| 1972 | 6,033 | 55.43% | 4,695 | 43.14% | 156 | 1.43% |
| 1976 | 5,611 | 44.65% | 6,597 | 52.50% | 358 | 2.85% |
| 1980 | 6,848 | 52.14% | 5,221 | 39.75% | 1,065 | 8.11% |
| 1984 | 7,553 | 57.65% | 5,456 | 41.65% | 92 | 0.70% |
| 1988 | 6,738 | 53.26% | 5,787 | 45.74% | 126 | 1.00% |
| 1992 | 5,430 | 39.63% | 4,958 | 36.18% | 3,314 | 24.19% |
| 1996 | 5,461 | 40.83% | 5,911 | 44.20% | 2,002 | 14.97% |
| 2000 | 8,152 | 56.88% | 5,253 | 36.65% | 928 | 6.47% |
| 2004 | 9,795 | 58.30% | 6,756 | 40.21% | 250 | 1.49% |
| 2008 | 8,851 | 52.17% | 7,687 | 45.31% | 427 | 2.52% |
| 2012 | 9,204 | 56.18% | 6,829 | 41.69% | 349 | 2.13% |
| 2016 | 10,880 | 63.18% | 5,208 | 30.24% | 1,134 | 6.58% |
| 2020 | 12,438 | 64.11% | 6,589 | 33.96% | 374 | 1.93% |
| 2024 | 12,961 | 65.66% | 6,435 | 32.60% | 343 | 1.74% |
| Position | Name | District | Term ends | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commissioner | Erica Jepson | District 1 | 2026 | |
| Commissioner | David Meyer | District 2 | 2026 | |
| Commissioner | John Okeson | District 3 | 2024 | |
| Commissioner | Richard Vareberg | District 4 | 2024 | |
| Commissioner | Barry Nelson | District 5 | 2024 | |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota State Senate | Steve Green[32] | Republican | District 2 | |
| Minnesota State Senate | Rob Kupec[33] | Democrat | District 4 | |
| Minnesota State Senate | Paul Utke[34] | Republican | District 5 | |
| Minnesota House of Representatives | Matt Bliss[35] | Republican | District 2B | |
| Minnesota House of Representatives | Jim Joy[36] | Republican | District 4B | |
| Minnesota House of Representatives | Krista Knudsen[37] | Republican | District 5A | |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House of Representatives | Michelle Fischbach | Republican | 7th | |
| Senate | Amy Klobuchar[38] | Democrat | N/A | |
| Senate | Tina Smith[39] | Democrat | N/A | |
Becker County is the setting of the 2006 independent filmSweet Land, though it was filmed inChippewa County.
A popularYouTube channel,CBOYSTV films, is headquartered in Becker County. CBoysTV is an American comedy and motorsports channel run by five men. The channel has amassed over a million subscribers.[40]
Places adjacent to Becker County, Minnesota | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofBecker 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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