Martin County, Minnesota

County in Minnesota, United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Martin County is a county in Minnesota, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,025.[1] Its county seat is Fairmont.[2]

Country United States
FoundedMay 23, 1857
Quick facts Country, State ...
Martin County, Minnesota
Martin County Courthouse in Fairmont
Map of Minnesota highlighting Martin County
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Coordinates: 43°41′N 94°34′W
Country United States
State Minnesota
FoundedMay 23, 1857
Named afterHenry Martin
SeatFairmont
Largest cityFairmont
Area
  Total
730 sq mi (1,900 km2)
  Land712 sq mi (1,840 km2)
  Water17 sq mi (44 km2)  2.4%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
20,025
  Estimate 
(2024)
19,561 Decrease
  Density28.1/sq mi (10.9/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
  Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.co.martin.mn.us
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History

The county was created by the Minnesota Territory legislature on May 23, 1857, with Fair Mount (which was also platted in 1857) designated as county seat. The town's name was later shortened to Fairmont. Two explanations have been advanced for the county's name. A delegate to the US Congress from the Wisconsin Territory, Morgan Lewis Martin, introduced the legislative act to organize the Minnesota Territory. But in 1904 the county's oldest residents attested that the name referred to Henry Martin, an early settler from Connecticut who ran several businesses during the pre-territory era.[3][4]

Geography

Martin County lies on Minnesota's border with Iowa. The East Fork of the Des Moines River flows southeastward through the lower western part of the county. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds, completely devoted to agriculture where possible.[5] The terrain slopes to the east and north, with its highest point near its southwest corner, at 1,407 ft (429 m) ASL.[6] The county has an area of 730 square miles (1,900 km2), of which 712 square miles (1,840 km2) is land and 17 square miles (44 km2) (2.4%) is water.[7]

Soils of Martin County[8]

Major highways

Airports

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

Source:[5]

  • Ceylon State Wildlife Management Area
  • Fox Lake Refuge
  • Luedtke State Wildlife Management Area
  • Perch Creek State Wildlife Management Area
  • State Wildlife Management Area
  • Truman Wildlife Area

Lakes

Source:[5]

  • Amber Lake
  • Big Twin Lake
  • Bright Lake
  • Budd Lake
  • Buffalo Lake (Cedar Township)
  • Buffalo Lake (Rutland Township)
  • Canright Lake
  • Cedar Lake
  • Clam Lake
  • Clayton Lake
  • Clear Lake
  • Creek Lake
  • Eagle Lake
  • East Chain Lake
  • Fish Lake (Cedar Township)
  • Fish Lake (Lake Belt Township)
  • Fox Lake
  • Hall Lake
  • High Lake
  • Iowa Lake (part)
  • Kiester Lake
  • Lake Charlotte
  • Lake George
  • Lake Imogene
  • Lake Seymour
  • Little Hat Lake
  • Little Twin Lake
  • Martin Lake
  • Mud Lake
  • Murphy Lake
  • North Lake
  • North Silver Lake
  • Okamanpeedan Lake (part)
  • Perch Lake
  • Pierce Lake
  • Rose Lake
  • Round Lake (Fox Lake Township)
  • Round Lake (Waverly Township)
  • Sager Lakes
  • Sisseton Lake
  • South Silver Lake
  • Susan Lake
  • Temperance Lake
  • Tuttle Lake
  • Watkins Lake
  • Wilmert Lake

Demographics

More information Census, Pop. ...
Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1860151
18703,8672,460.9%
18805,24935.7%
18909,40879.2%
190016,93680.0%
191017,5183.4%
192021,08520.4%
193022,4016.2%
194024,65610.1%
195025,6554.1%
196026,9865.2%
197024,316−9.9%
198024,6871.5%
199022,914−7.2%
200021,802−4.9%
201020,840−4.4%
202020,025−3.9%
2024 (est.)19,561[9] Decrease−2.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2020[1]
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2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 20,025. The median age was 44.9 years. 21.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.1 males age 18 and over.[14][15]

The racial makeup of the county was 91.7% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.6% from some other race, and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.6% of the population.[15]

41.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 58.1% lived in rural areas.[16]

There were 8,748 households in the county, of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.5% were married-couple households, 20.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[14]

There were 9,748 housing units, of which 10.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.8% were owner-occupied and 26.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.5%.[14]

2000 census

2022 US Census population pyramid for Martin County, from ACS 5-year estimates

As of the census of 2000, there were 21,802 people, 9,067 households, and 6,047 families in the county. The population density was 30.6 per square mile (11.8/km2). There were 9,800 housing units at an average density of 13.8 per square mile (5.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.22% White, 0.25% Black or African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.26% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. 1.93% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 51.6% were of German, 11.9% Norwegian, 5.9% Swedish and 5.0% English ancestry.

There were 9,067 households, out of which 29.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.60% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.30% were non-families. 30.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.92.

The county population contained 24.80% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 24.90% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 19.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,810, and the median income for a family was $44,541. Males had a median income of $30,467 versus $21,780 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,529. About 7.10% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.10% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Government and politics

Martin County has been reliably Republican for almost its entire existence. It has voted Republican in 36 of the 42 elections since the formation of the county and has only voted Democratic once since 1948.

More information Year, Republican ...
United States presidential election results for Martin County, Minnesota[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.%No.%No.%
1860 40 86.96% 6 13.04% 0 0.00%
1864 190 91.79% 17 8.21% 0 0.00%
1868 520 83.74% 101 16.26% 0 0.00%
1872 685 81.45% 156 18.55% 0 0.00%
1876 634 79.85% 160 20.15% 0 0.00%
1880 863 81.96% 190 18.04% 0 0.00%
1884 736 62.43% 260 22.05% 183 15.52%
1888 1,161 64.68% 471 26.24% 163 9.08%
1892 1,189 57.22% 661 31.81% 228 10.97%
1896 1,739 54.31% 1,327 41.44% 136 4.25%
1900 1,819 54.69% 1,233 37.07% 274 8.24%
1904 2,167 70.66% 656 21.39% 244 7.96%
1908 1,922 59.05% 1,054 32.38% 279 8.57%
1912 578 17.46% 1,141 34.47% 1,591 48.07%
1916 1,741 47.16% 1,756 47.56% 195 5.28%
1920 5,142 78.46% 1,221 18.63% 191 2.91%
1924 4,238 56.24% 751 9.97% 2,546 33.79%
1928 5,110 64.10% 2,822 35.40% 40 0.50%
1932 3,004 38.26% 4,731 60.26% 116 1.48%
1936 3,090 31.45% 6,492 66.08% 243 2.47%
1940 6,409 59.79% 4,290 40.02% 21 0.20%
1944 5,182 53.68% 4,443 46.02% 29 0.30%
1948 4,662 43.31% 6,015 55.88% 87 0.81%
1952 9,411 77.63% 2,673 22.05% 39 0.32%
1956 8,152 71.16% 3,289 28.71% 15 0.13%
1960 8,479 66.81% 4,194 33.04% 19 0.15%
1964 6,529 53.84% 5,575 45.98% 22 0.18%
1968 7,115 59.43% 4,271 35.67% 587 4.90%
1972 7,569 64.59% 3,816 32.57% 333 2.84%
1976 6,484 51.92% 5,672 45.42% 332 2.66%
1980 7,057 57.40% 4,301 34.98% 936 7.61%
1984 7,308 60.67% 4,673 38.80% 64 0.53%
1988 5,724 53.34% 4,922 45.87% 85 0.79%
1992 4,438 38.23% 4,019 34.62% 3,152 27.15%
1996 4,303 40.91% 4,718 44.86% 1,496 14.22%
2000 5,686 54.83% 4,166 40.17% 519 5.00%
2004 6,311 57.13% 4,590 41.55% 146 1.32%
2008 6,053 56.29% 4,413 41.04% 288 2.68%
2012 6,657 60.69% 4,054 36.96% 257 2.34%
2016 7,062 67.06% 2,733 25.95% 736 6.99%
2020 7,480 67.94% 3,305 30.02% 224 2.03%
2024 7,442 68.93% 3,171 29.37% 183 1.70%
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More information Position, Name ...
County Board of Commissioners[18]
Position Name District Next Election
Commissioner Elliot Belgard District 1 2024
Commissioner Jaime Bleess District 2 2026
Commissioner Joe Biden District 3 2024
Commissioner and Chairperson Richard Coons District 4 2026
Commissioner Steven Flohrs District 5 2024
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More information Position, Name ...
State Legislature (2018-2020)
Position Name Affiliation District
Senate Julie Rosen[19] Republican District 23
House of Representatives Bob Gunther[20] Republican District 23A
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More information Position, Name ...
U.S Congress (2018-2020)
Position Name Affiliation District
House of Representatives Brad Finstad[21] Republican 1st
Senate Amy Klobuchar[22] Democrat N/A
Senate Tina Smith[23] Democrat N/A
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See also

References

Further reading

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