Fillmore County, Minnesota | |
|---|---|
 Fillmore County Courthouse | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofMinnesota | |
 Minnesota's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:43°41′N92°05′W / 43.68°N 92.09°W /43.68; -92.09 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Minnesota |
| Founded | March 5, 1853 |
| Named after | Millard Fillmore |
| Seat | Preston |
| Largest city | Spring Valley |
| Area | |
• Total | 862 sq mi (2,230 km2) |
| • Land | 861 sq mi (2,230 km2) |
| • Water | 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km2) 0.09% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 21,228 |
• Estimate (2024)[1] | 21,502 |
| • Density | 25/sq mi (9.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | www |
Fillmore County is acounty in theU.S. state ofMinnesota. As of the2020 census, the population was 21,228.[2] Its county seat isPreston.[3] Fillmore County is included in theRochester metropolitan area.
Fillmore County was created on March 5, 1853.[4] It is named forMillard Fillmore, the 13th president of the United States.[5] Fillmore County was an early destination for Euro-American settlement following the United States' 1851 treaties with theDakota nations.Norwegian immigrants were particularly numerous. In 1860 Fillmore was Minnesota's most populous county.[6]
Fillmore County is on Minnesota's border withIowa. TheRoot River drains the county, flowing eastward. The North Branch and the Middle Branch combine east of Shady Creek, while the South Branch meets their combined flow at Preston. Bear Creek drains the lower part of the county, discharging into the Root in the eastern part of the county. Willow Creek also drains a portion of the lower county, discharging into the Root at Preston. TheUpper Iowa River flows eastward, mostly in adjoining Iowa counties, but briefly enters Fillmore County near the midpoint of its southern border.
The county's terrain consists of rolling hills, carved by gullies and drainages, with the available area dedicated to agriculture.[7] The terrain slopes to the east; its highest point is on the lower western border, at 1,378 ft (420 m) ASL.[8] The county has a total area of 862 square miles (2,230 km2), of which 861 square miles (2,230 km2) is land and 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2) (0.09%) is water.[9]
The county is part of theDriftless Area or Paleozoic plateau. This part of Minnesota was ice-free during the lastice age. Fillmore County also displays akarst topography.
Source:[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 13,542 | — | |
| 1870 | 24,887 | 83.8% | |
| 1880 | 28,162 | 13.2% | |
| 1890 | 25,996 | −7.7% | |
| 1900 | 28,288 | 8.8% | |
| 1910 | 25,680 | −9.2% | |
| 1920 | 25,330 | −1.4% | |
| 1930 | 24,748 | −2.3% | |
| 1940 | 25,830 | 4.4% | |
| 1950 | 24,465 | −5.3% | |
| 1960 | 23,768 | −2.8% | |
| 1970 | 21,916 | −7.8% | |
| 1980 | 21,930 | 0.1% | |
| 1990 | 20,777 | −5.3% | |
| 2000 | 21,122 | 1.7% | |
| 2010 | 20,866 | −1.2% | |
| 2020 | 21,228 | 1.7% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 21,502 | 1.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13] 1990-2000[14] 2010-2020[2][15] 2024[1] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 20,173 | 95.03% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 98 | 0.5% |
| Native American (NH) | 7 | 0.03% |
| Asian (NH) | 71 | 0.3% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 2 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 536 | 2.5% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 341 | 1.6% |
As of thecensus of 2010, there were 20,866 people, 8,545 households, and 5,763 families in the county. Thepopulation density was 24.2 per square mile (9.3/km2). There were 9,732 housing units at an average density of 11.3 per square mile (4.4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.2%White, 0.2%Black orAfrican American, 0.10%Native American, 0.3%Asian, 0.3% fromother races, and 0.8% from two or more races. 1% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 8,545 households, out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% weremarried couples living together, 7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.60% were non-families. 28.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.32% 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 24.3% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 28.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.80 males.
In 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $45,888, and the median income for a family was $59,034. Males had a median income of $39,239 versus $33,571 for females. 2015 estimates state theper capita income for the county was $26,348. In 2015, about 7.4% of families and 11.10% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.50% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.[17]
Fillmore County's political history is fairly typical of manyYankee-settled rural counties in the Upper Midwest. In the early 1990s, the transition of the Republican Party into a party largely based around Southern Evangelicals severely alienated its historic Yankee base: Fillmore County turned to Democrat Bill Clinton in 1992, and voted Democratic in every election between 1992 and 2012. However, concern with unemployment, immigration, and trade deals in the “Farm Belt” resulted in a powerful swing to Republican Donald Trump in 2016, with Hillary Clinton showing the worst Democratic performance in the county since George McGovern in 1972. Fillmore County has voted for Donald Trump by more than 20% each time.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 2,925 | 56.53% | 1,346 | 26.01% | 903 | 17.45% |
| 1896 | 4,195 | 66.05% | 1,939 | 30.53% | 217 | 3.42% |
| 1900 | 3,741 | 69.81% | 1,364 | 25.45% | 254 | 4.74% |
| 1904 | 3,242 | 80.15% | 554 | 13.70% | 249 | 6.16% |
| 1908 | 3,259 | 69.85% | 1,153 | 24.71% | 254 | 5.44% |
| 1912 | 1,169 | 26.21% | 990 | 22.20% | 2,301 | 51.59% |
| 1916 | 2,945 | 65.20% | 1,313 | 29.07% | 259 | 5.73% |
| 1920 | 7,341 | 85.92% | 899 | 10.52% | 304 | 3.56% |
| 1924 | 5,550 | 62.75% | 460 | 5.20% | 2,835 | 32.05% |
| 1928 | 7,719 | 77.77% | 2,143 | 21.59% | 63 | 0.63% |
| 1932 | 4,979 | 48.22% | 5,166 | 50.03% | 180 | 1.74% |
| 1936 | 5,054 | 48.58% | 4,764 | 45.79% | 586 | 5.63% |
| 1940 | 7,839 | 66.98% | 3,826 | 32.69% | 39 | 0.33% |
| 1944 | 6,339 | 66.29% | 3,183 | 33.29% | 40 | 0.42% |
| 1948 | 5,587 | 55.16% | 4,414 | 43.58% | 127 | 1.25% |
| 1952 | 8,405 | 76.02% | 2,612 | 23.62% | 40 | 0.36% |
| 1956 | 7,004 | 67.09% | 3,427 | 32.83% | 9 | 0.09% |
| 1960 | 7,507 | 65.60% | 3,926 | 34.31% | 11 | 0.10% |
| 1964 | 4,824 | 45.29% | 5,813 | 54.58% | 14 | 0.13% |
| 1968 | 6,257 | 58.99% | 3,918 | 36.94% | 432 | 4.07% |
| 1972 | 7,107 | 67.94% | 3,155 | 30.16% | 198 | 1.89% |
| 1976 | 5,984 | 54.61% | 4,758 | 43.42% | 215 | 1.96% |
| 1980 | 6,452 | 57.04% | 4,010 | 35.45% | 850 | 7.51% |
| 1984 | 6,342 | 58.94% | 4,351 | 40.44% | 67 | 0.62% |
| 1988 | 5,004 | 54.39% | 4,114 | 44.72% | 82 | 0.89% |
| 1992 | 3,583 | 33.62% | 3,977 | 37.31% | 3,098 | 29.07% |
| 1996 | 3,466 | 35.15% | 4,732 | 47.99% | 1,663 | 16.86% |
| 2000 | 4,646 | 45.45% | 5,020 | 49.10% | 557 | 5.45% |
| 2004 | 5,694 | 48.67% | 5,825 | 49.79% | 179 | 1.53% |
| 2008 | 4,993 | 44.45% | 5,921 | 52.71% | 320 | 2.85% |
| 2012 | 4,913 | 45.11% | 5,713 | 52.45% | 266 | 2.44% |
| 2016 | 6,271 | 56.73% | 3,872 | 35.02% | 912 | 8.25% |
| 2020 | 7,301 | 60.14% | 4,551 | 37.48% | 289 | 2.38% |
| 2024 | 7,638 | 61.67% | 4,491 | 36.26% | 256 | 2.07% |
| Position | Name | District | Next Election | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commissioner | Mitch Lentz | District 1 | 2024 | |
| Commissioner | Randy Dahl | District 2 | 2026 | |
| Commissioner | Larry Hindt | District 3 | 2024 | |
| Commissioner | Duane Bakke | District 4 | 2026 | |
| Commissioner | Marc Prestby | District 5 | 2024 | |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate | Jeremy Miller[20] | Republican | District 28 | |
| House of Representatives | Greg Davids[21] | Republican | District 28B | |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House of Representatives | Brad Finstad[22] | Republican | 1st | |
| Senate | Amy Klobuchar[23] | Democrat | N/A | |
| Senate | Tina Smith[24] | Democrat | N/A | |
School districts include:[25]
Places adjacent to Fillmore County, Minnesota | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofFillmore County, Minnesota,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Townships | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| Core city |  | |
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| Incorporated Places | ||
| Counties | ||
‡ indicates that it is partially in the metropolitan area.† indicates acounty seat. | ||
| International | |
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