Fillmore County, Minnesota
County in Minnesota, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fillmore County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,228.[2] Its county seat is Preston.[3] Fillmore County is included in the Rochester metropolitan area.
Fillmore County, Minnesota | |
|---|---|
Fillmore County Courthouse | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota | |
| Coordinates: 43°41′N 92°05′W | |
| 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 |
21,540  | |
| • Density | 25/sq mi (9.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | www |
History
Fillmore County was created on March 5, 1853.[4] It is named for Millard 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 the Dakota nations. Norwegian immigrants were particularly numerous. In 1860 Fillmore was Minnesota's most populous county.[6]
Geography
Fillmore County is on Minnesota's border with Iowa. The Root 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. The Upper 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 the Driftless Area or Paleozoic plateau. This part of Minnesota was ice-free during the last ice age. Fillmore County also displays a karst topography.
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Winona County - northeast
- Houston County - east
- Winneshiek County, Iowa - southeast
- Howard County, Iowa - southwest
- Mower County - west
- Olmsted County - northwest
Protected areas
Source:[7]
- Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park
- Mystery Cave State Park
- Pin Oak Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
- Rushford Sand Barrens Scientific and Natural Area
- Wycoff Balsam Fir Scientific and Natural Area
Demographics
| 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% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 21,540 | [11] | 1.5% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[12] 1790-1960[13] 1900-90[14] 1990-2000[15] 2010-20[2][16] 2025[1] | |||
Racial and ethnic composition
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[17] | Pop 1990[18] | Pop 2000[19] | Pop 2010[20] | Pop 2020[21] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 21,747 | 20,618 | 20,823 | 20,375 | 20,173 | 99.17% | 99.23% | 98.58% | 97.65% | 95.03% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 10 | 7 | 34 | 48 | 98 | 0.05% | 0.03% | 0.16% | 0.23% | 0.46% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 27 | 32 | 21 | 20 | 7 | 0.12% | 0.15% | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.03% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 44 | 49 | 31 | 71 | 71 | 0.20% | 0.24% | 0.15% | 0.34% | 0.33% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [22] | x [23] | 0 | 0 | 2 | x | x | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.01% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 37 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 65 | 0.17% | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.31% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [24] | x [25] | 98 | 142 | 471 | x | x | 0.46% | 0.68% | 2.22% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 65 | 71 | 113 | 207 | 341 | 0.30% | 0.34% | 0.53% | 0.99% | 1.61% |
| Total | 21,930 | 20,777 | 21,122 | 20,866 | 21,228 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 21,228. The median age was 43.0 years. 24.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.6 males age 18 and over.[26][27]
The racial makeup of the county was 95.5% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.8% from some other race, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.6% of the population.[27]
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[28]
There were 8,605 households in the county, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 54.7% were married-couple households, 18.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[26]
There were 9,583 housing units, of which 10.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 81.5% were owner-occupied and 18.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.4%.[26]
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 20,866 people, 8,545 households, and 5,763 families in the county. The population 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 or African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. 1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino 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% were married 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 the per capita income for the county was $26,348. In 2015, about 7.4% of families and 11.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.50% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.[29]
Communities
Cities
Unincorporated communities
Townships
- Amherst Township
- Arendahl Township
- Beaver Township
- Bloomfield Township
- Bristol Township
- Canton Township
- Carimona Township
- Carrolton Township
- Chatfield Township
- Fillmore Township
- Forestville Township
- Fountain Township
- Harmony Township
- Holt Township
- Jordan Township
- Newburg Township
- Norway Township
- Pilot Mound Township
- Preble Township
- Preston Township
- Spring Valley Township
- Sumner Township
- York Township
Government and politics
Fillmore County's political history is fairly typical of many Yankee-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[32] | Republican | District 28 | |
| House of Representatives | Greg Davids[33] | Republican | District 28B | |
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House of Representatives | Brad Finstad[34] | Republican | 1st | |
| Senate | Amy Klobuchar[35] | Democrat | N/A | |
| Senate | Tina Smith[36] | Democrat | N/A | |
Education
School districts include:[37]
- Chatfield Public Schools
- Fillmore Central School District
- Kingsland Public School District
- Lanesboro Public School District
- LeRoy-Ostrander Public Schools
- Mabel-Canton Public School District
- Rushford-Peterson Public Schools
- St. Charles Public School District
- Stewartville Public School District