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Big Stone County, Minnesota

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Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county

Big Stone County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,166.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Ortonville.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

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The county was formed in 1862, and was organized in 1874. It is named for Big Stone Lake.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

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Big Stone County lies on the western side of Minnesota. Its southwest boundary line abuts the east boundary line of the state of South Dakota. The Little Minnesota River flows along the county's southwestern boundary. Since 1937, a dam (Big Stone Lake Dam) has impounded the river's waters, creating Big Stone Lake. Water flowing out from this lake flows along the south boundary line of the county, and is known as the Minnesota River from that point. Fish Creek flows southwesterly through the northwestern part of the county, discharging into Big Stone Lake at the county's southwestern boundary.

The terrain of Big Stone County is low rolling hills, wooded or devoted to agriculture.<ref name=BSCM>Big Stone County MN Google Maps (accessed March 5, 2019)</ref> The terrain generally slopes to the south and east, although its southwestern portion slopes to the river valley. Its highest point is on its north line near the northwestern corner, Template:Convert east of Lagoona Beach, at Template:Convert ASL.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Big Stone County High Point, Minnesota. PeakBagger.com (accessed May 5, 2019)</ref> The county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (5.5%) is water.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:Big Stone Co Pie Chart No Text Version.pdf
Soils of Big Stone County<ref>Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp. 65-67. Template:ISBN.Template:Self-published source</ref>

Lakes

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Template:Div col end Source: United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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Protected areas

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  • Big Stone Lake State Park
  • Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge (part)
  • Big Stone Wildlife Management Preserve (part)
  • Bonanza Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
  • Clinton Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
  • Dismal Swamp State Wildlife Management Area
  • Freed State Wildlife Management Area
  • Lac qui Parle State Wildlife Management Area
  • Otrey State Wildlife Management Area
  • Reisdorph State Wildlife Management Area
  • Victor State Wildlife Management Area

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Climate and weather

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Template:Climate chart In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Ortonville have ranged from a low of Template:Convert in January to a high of Template:Convert in July, although a record low of Template:Convert was recorded in February 1994 and a record high of Template:Convert was recorded in July 1966. Average monthly precipitation ranged from Template:Convert in December to Template:Convert in July.<ref name=WX/>

Demographics

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Template:US Census population

2020 census

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Big Stone County Racial Composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Race Num. Perc.
White (NH) 4,809 93.1%
Black or African American (NH) 19 0.37%
Native American (NH) 34 0.66%
Asian (NH) 12 0.23%
Pacific Islander (NH) 4 0.07%
Other/Mixed (NH) 148 2.7%
Hispanic or Latino 140 2.7%

2000 census

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File:BigStoneCountyMn2022PopPyr.png
2022 US Census population pyramid for Becker County, from ACS 5-year estimates

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,820 people, 2,377 households, and 1,611 families in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 3,171 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 98.44% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.12% from other races, and 0.34% from two or more races. 0.34% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 45.7% were of German, 21.0% Norwegian, 8.0% Swedish and 6.3% Irish ancestry.

There were 2,377 households, out of which 29.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.60% were married couples living together, 5.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.20% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.97.

The county population contained 24.80% under the age of 18, 5.30% from 18 to 24, 21.90% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 24.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 94.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,721, and the median income for a family was $37,354. Males had a median income of $27,857 versus $20,123 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,708. About 7.80% of families and 12.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.50% of those under age 18 and 8.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

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Cities

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Unincorporated communities

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Townships

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Government and politics

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Between 1928 and 2008, Big Stone County voted Democratic in every election except for two nationwide Republican landslides in 1952 and 1980. The only other time between 1928 and 2000 that the Republican candidate lost by less than 10% was Ronald Reagan during his 1984 landslide reelection. Beginning in 2000, the Democratic margins began to shrink, with George W. Bush losing by about 2% in both 2000 and 2004, and by a margin of no more than 60 votes. Despite favoring Barack Obama by over 6% in 2008, this would prove to be the most recent time Big Stone County would vote Democratic. Mitt Romney narrowly carried the county by 40 votes and less than 1.5% in 2012. But in 2016, Donald Trump greatly expanded the thin margin Romney won the county by as Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton lost by nearly 25%, the first time a Republican won by more than 5% in the county since 1924. Trump further increased his margin of victory in 2020 to over 27%, and improved even more in 2024 to nearly a 30% margin of victory. Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot

County Board of Commissioners<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Position Name District
Commissioner Chad Zimmel District 1
Commissioner Wade Athey District 2
Commissioner and Chairperson Brent Olson District 3
Commissioner Roger Sandberg District 4
Commissioner Jeff Klages District 5
State Legislature (2018–2020)
Position Name Affiliation District
style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Senate Torrey Westrom<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Republican District 12
style="background-color:Template:Party color" | House of Representatives Jeff Backer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Republican District 12A
U.S Congress (2021–2023)
Position Name Affiliation District
style="background-color:Template:Party color" | House of Representatives Michelle Fischbach Republican 7th
style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Senate Amy Klobuchar<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Democrat N/A
style="background-color:Template:Party color" | Senate Tina Smith<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Democrat N/A

Education

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School districts include:<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref>

See also

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References

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Template:Big Stone County, Minnesota Template:Minnesota Template:Authority control Template:Coord

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