Olmsted County, Minnesota

Olmsted County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2010 census, the population was 144,248,[1] and has an estimated population of 158,293 as of 2019. Its county seat and largest city is Rochester.[2]

Olmsted County
U.S. county
Olmsted County Government Center (pre-expansion)
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°00′N 92°24′W
Country United States
State Minnesota
FoundedFebruary 20, 1855
Named forDavid Olmsted
SeatRochester
Largest cityRochester
Area
 • Total655 sq mi (1,700 km2)
 • Land653 sq mi (1,690 km2)
 • Water1.5 sq mi (4 km2)  0.2%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total144,248
 • Estimate 
(2019)
158,293
 • Density239/sq mi (92/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.co.olmsted.mn.us

Olmsted County is part of the Rochester Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The Wisconsin Territory was established by the federal government effective 3 July 1836, and existed until its eastern portion was granted statehood (as Wisconsin) in 1848. Therefore, the federal government set up the Minnesota Territory effective March 3, 1849. The newly organized territorial legislature created nine counties across the territory in October of that year. One of those original counties, Wabasha, had portions partitioned off in 1853 to create Fillmore and Rice counties. Then on 20 February 1855,[3] portions of Rice, Wabasha, and Fillmore counties were partitioned off to create the present county, with Rochester (which was also platted that year) as county seat. The county name recognized David Olmsted (1822-1861),[4] a member of the first territorial council and the first mayor of St. Paul.[5][6]

The county boundaries have remained unchanged since 1855.

Geography

Olmsted County is a fairly unusual of mix urban and rural areas in that there’s no transition or buffer between the two environments. Rochester, Minnesota’s third largest city of roughly 118,000 people sits in the Zumbro River valley at the center of the county. Outside the valley however, with the exception of a small amount of urban growth in the last few years, remains farmland with small agricultural based communities and no directly adjacent suburbs. Stewartville, the county’s second largest city, is slightly over 1/20th the size at roughly 6,000 people, an unusually large gap for a metropolitan area.

Olmsted County is drained by three rivers, all flowing to the Mississippi. The Zumbro River flows northward through the west central part of the county, into Wabasha County. The Whitewater flows northeast from the northeast part of the county into Winona County, and the Root flows east-southeastward through the lower part of the county into Fillmore County. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, etched by drainage gullies and marked by occasional buttes. The available area is devoted to agriculture or is developed for other productive uses.[7] The county terrain slopes to the east and north,[8] and its highest point is a hill 7.5 miles (12 km) west of Stewartville, at 1,380' (421m) ASL.[9] The county has a total area of 655 square miles (1,700 km2), of which 653 square miles (1,690 km2) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) (0.2%) is water.[10]

Soils of Olmsted County[11]

It is one of four counties in Minnesota that does not have any natural lakes (the other three being Mower, Pipestone, and Rock).

Major highways

Airports

Adjacent counties

Protected areas[7]
  • Chester Woods Park
  • High Forest Wildlife Management Area
  • Keller Wildlife Management Area
  • Marian Marshall Wildlife Management Area
  • Nelson Fen Wildlife Management Area
  • Oronoco Scientific and Natural Area
  • Oxbow Park & Zollman Zoo
  • Root River Park
  • Schumann State Wildlife Management Area
  • Suess State Wildlife Management Area
  • Whitewater Wildlife Management Area (part)

Lakes

Though Olmsted County does not have any natural lakes, it does have six reservoirs created by dams:

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18609,524—
187019,793107.8%
188021,5438.8%
189019,806−8.1%
190023,11916.7%
191022,497−2.7%
192028,01424.5%
193035,42626.5%
194042,65820.4%
195048,22813.1%
196065,53235.9%
197084,10428.3%
198092,0069.4%
1990106,47015.7%
2000124,27716.7%
2010144,24816.1%
2019 (est.)158,293[12]9.7%
US Decennial Census[13]
1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15]
1990-2000[16] 2010-2019[1]

2000 census
Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 US census data

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 124,277 people, 47,807 households, and 32,317 families in the county. The population density was 190/sqmi (73.5/km2). There were 49,422 housing units at an average density of 75.7/sqmi (29.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.33% White, 2.68% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 4.27% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.92% from other races, and 1.51% from two or more races. 2.38% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 47,807 households, out of which 35.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.09.

The county population contained 27.00% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 32.20% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $51,316, and the median income for a family was $61,610. Males had a median income of $40,196 versus $29,994 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,939. About 3.80% of families and 6.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.70% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Olmsted is a historically Republican county. Rapid population growth in Rochester, however, has been turning the county more competitive in the last several decades. In 2020, Joe Biden secured a nearly 11 point victory in the county, the best of any Democrat since Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

Presidential election results
Presidential elections results[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 43.4% 39,692 54.2% 49,491 2.4% 2,202
2016 44.5% 35,668 45.3% 36,268 10.2% 8,193
2012 47.0% 36,832 50.2% 39,338 2.7% 2,146
2008 47.3% 36,202 50.6% 38,711 2.0% 1,557
2004 52.2% 37,371 46.5% 33,285 1.3% 919
2000 51.6% 30,641 43.5% 25,822 4.9% 2,929
1996 43.9% 22,860 43.9% 22,857 12.2% 6,327
1992 41.3% 23,404 33.6% 19,039 25.1% 14,219
1988 58.3% 27,683 40.9% 19,423 0.8% 398
1984 62.8% 28,129 36.4% 16,335 0.8% 359
1980 55.5% 22,704 34.2% 13,983 10.3% 4,224
1976 60.7% 24,030 37.0% 14,676 2.3% 911
1972 69.0% 23,806 28.4% 9,817 2.6% 898
1968 54.3% 17,292 42.1% 13,417 3.6% 1,131
1964 43.9% 12,699 55.9% 16,195 0.2% 56
1960 59.4% 16,080 40.3% 10,918 0.3% 67
1956 65.6% 13,789 34.1% 7,172 0.2% 51
1952 67.9% 14,566 31.7% 6,792 0.4% 89
1948 46.6% 8,131 52.4% 9,155 1.0% 181
1944 54.7% 8,355 45.0% 6,873 0.3% 46
1940 51.8% 9,096 47.8% 8,393 0.4% 62
1936 35.6% 5,316 60.0% 8,958 4.3% 645
1932 40.8% 5,254 57.0% 7,340 2.2% 280
1928 63.6% 8,334 36.0% 4,720 0.3% 44
1924 56.5% 5,722 8.5% 857 35.0% 3,548
1920 77.1% 7,130 19.0% 1,756 3.9% 359
1916 49.7% 2,101 45.5% 1,926 4.8% 203
1912 18.2% 720 39.0% 1,542 42.8% 1,691[18]
1908 58.0% 2,472 38.1% 1,621 3.9% 167
1904 68.5% 2,745 28.5% 1,140 3.0% 120
1900 61.6% 2,818 34.9% 1,597 3.5% 158
1896 62.8% 3,201 34.2% 1,741 3.0% 153
1892 50.8% 2,344 41.8% 1,931 7.4% 340

Communities
The Helleckson Homestead, built about 1850, preserved in Olmsted County Oxbow Park (Destroyed in 2019 floods)

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Townships

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  4. Upham, Warren. Minnesota Geographic Names (1920), p. 385 (accessed 26 April 2019)
  5. "History of Olmsted County". www.co.olmsted.mn.us. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  6. "Minnesota Government Series, State Counties". Minnesota House of Representatives. Archived from the original on September 20, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2008.
  7. Olmsted County MN Google Maps (accessed April 26, 2019)
  8. ""Find an Altitude/Olmsted County MN" Google Maps (accessed 26 April 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
  9. Olmsted County High Point - PeakBagger.com (accessed April 26, 2019)
  10. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  11. Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp. 43 - 48. ISBN 978-0-615-50320-2.
  12. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  13. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  14. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  15. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  16. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
  17. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  18. The leading "other" candidate, Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, received 1,467 votes, while Socialist candidate Eugene Debs received 112 votes, Prohibition candidate Eugene Chafin received 93 votes, and Socialist Labor candidate Arthur Reimer received 19 votes.

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