Washington County, Minnesota

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

Washington County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 267,568,<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> making it the fifth-most populous county in Minnesota. Its county seat is Stillwater.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The largest city in the county is Woodbury, the seventh-largest city in Minnesota and the third-largest Twin Cities suburb. Washington County is included in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.

File:StCroixAboveAfton.jpg

The forested St. Croix River valley, looking south towards Afton

History

Early development in the area was on the St. Croix River, which now forms the boundary with Wisconsin on the county's eastern side. The river provided a waterway to move settlers upstream and to transport logs downstream. The heavily forested area fostered an early logging and lumber economy. The area's first settlers arrived at the future Afton in 1837. In 1838 settlers started Dacotah, at the north edge of present Stillwater, at the junction of Brown's Creek and the St. Croix.<ref>History of Stillwater at the Washington County Historical Society</ref> The creek's name is from the founder of this settlement, Joseph Renshaw Brown. However, a sawmill was built at Marine-on-St.-Croix in 1839,<ref>History of Marine-on-St.-Croix at the Washington County Historical Society [1]</ref> and another was built in the current location of downtown Stillwater in 1844. The success of these soon attracted the settlers from Dacotah, and that community declined.

This area was part of Wisconsin Territory until the eastern part of that territory achieved statehood in 1848. Brown and other leaders called a meeting (the "Stillwater Convention") on August 26, 1848. The convention drafted a Memorial to Congress that a new territory be created with the name “Minnesota,” and elected Henry Hastings Sibley to deliver this citizens' petition to the U.S. Congress. Because of this convention, Stillwater calls itself the “Birthplace of Minnesota.” Congress responded by creating Minnesota Territory effective March 3, 1849.

The newly established territorial legislature created nine counties across the territory in October 1849.<ref>Template:Cite web.</ref> Washington County was one of the nine, named for George Washington,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> with Stillwater named as county seat. The county's first sheriff was appointed in 1849,<ref>Washington County Sheriff's Office History Template:Webarchive</ref> and the county's school district began in 1850.<ref>Washington County Historical Society - Schools of the Past</ref>

After the forests were depleted, the economy of Washington County became primarily agricultural. With the growth of neighboring Ramsey County and St. Paul, some of Washington County developed based on tourism and recreation, as with Mahtomedi and Landfall. Late in the 20th century, the population greatly increased with the suburban expansion of St. Paul.

Geography

File:Washington Co Pie Chart 2015 Wiki No Text Version.pdf

Soils of Washington County<ref>Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp. 61 - 64. Template:ISBN.</ref>

Washington County lies on the east side of Minnesota. Its east border abuts the west border of the state of Wisconsin (across the St. Croix River). The Mississippi River flows south-southeastward west of Washington County, and forms the southwest border of the county as it flows toward its confluence with the St. Croix (at the county's southernmost point).<ref name="WCM">Washington County MN Google Maps (accessed April 22, 2019)</ref> Washington County terrain consists of low rolling hills, sloping to the south and east, with its highest point on the lower west border at Template:Convert ASL.<ref>"Find an Altitude/Washington County MN" Google Maps (accessed April 22, 2019)</ref> The county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (9.1%) is water.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is the fourth-smallest county in Minnesota by land area and fifth-smallest by total area.

Major highways

Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

Airports

Forest Lake Airport (25D) - south of Forest Lake<ref>AirNav: Forest Lake Airport MN (accessed April 22, 2019)</ref>
Lake Elmo Airport (21D) - northeast of Lake Elmo

Adjacent counties

Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

Protected areas<ref name=WCM/>

Template:Div col

Afton State Park
Big Marine Park Reserve
Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park
Falls Creek Scientific and Natural Area
Gateway State Trail
Grey Cloud Dunes Scientific and Natural Area
Hardwood Creek Wildlife Management Area
Katherine Abbott Park
Lake Elmo Park Reserve
Lost Valley Scientific and Natural Area
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (part)
Pine Point Regional Park
Point Douglas Park
Rutstrum State Wildlife Management Area
Saint Croix Bluffs Regional Park
Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (part)
Saint Croix Savanna Scientific and Natural Area
Square Lake County Park<ref>Washington County, MN-Parks and Trails Template:Webarchive</ref>
Sunfish Lake Park
William O'Brien State Park

Template:Div col end

Demographics

Template:US Census population

2020 census

File:WashingtonCountyMn2022PopPyr.png

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

**Washington County, Minnesota - Demographic Profile**
(*NH = Non-Hispanic*)
Race / Ethnicity	Pop 2010<ref name="2010CensusP2">Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2020<ref name="2020CensusP2">Template:Cite web</ref>	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	204,111	208,277	85.71%	77.84%
Black or African American alone (NH)	8,376	13,799	3.52%	5.16%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	973	999	0.41%	0.37%
Asian alone (NH)	12,023	18,530	5.05%	6.93%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	72	72	0.03%	0.03%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	214	969	0.09%	0.36%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)	4,240	11,828	1.78%	4.42%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	8,127	13,094	3.41%	4.89%
Total	238,136	267,568	100.00%	100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

2010 census

The ethnic makeup of the country, according to the 2010 census, was the following:

87.77% White
3.60% Black
0.49% Native American
5.07% Asian
>0.01% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2.10% Two or more races
0.97% Other races
3.41% Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

As of the census of 2010, there were 238,136 people, 87,446 households, and 64,299 families in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 87,446 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. 39.4% were of German, 14.4% Irish, 13.0% Norwegian, and 9.9% Swedish ancestry. There were 87,446 households, out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.14.

The county population contained 23.5% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 32.90% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.02 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.03 males. The median income for a household in the county was $79,735, and the median income for a family was $92,497. The per capita income for the county was $36,786. About 5.2% of the population was below the poverty line.

According to the 2007-2011 American Community Survey, of the county's population 25 years and over, 1.4% had less than 9th grade education, 2.8% held 9th to 12th grade with no diploma, 23.6% had High school graduate or equivalent, 22.2% held Some college with no degree, 27.0% had bachelor's degree, and 13.0% earned Graduate or professional degree.

2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 201,130 people, 71,462 households, and 54,668 families in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 73,635 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 93.63% White, 1.83% Black or African American, 0.39% Native American, 2.14% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.60% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races.

There were 71,462 households, out of which 41.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.80% were married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.50% were non-families. 18.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.19.

The county population contained 29.40% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 32.90% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 7.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $66,305, and the median income for a family was $74,576 (these figures had risen to $78,067 and $90,867 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Males had a median income of $49,815 versus $33,804 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,148. About 2.00% of families and 2.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.50% of those under age 18 and 4.10% of those age 65 or over.

Politics and government

File:Washington County Government Center.jpg

The Washington County Government Center in Stillwater

Washington County is divided among three congressional districts. Northern Washington County is represented by Minnesota's 6th congressional district (CPVI R+12), central Washington County by Minnesota's 4th congressional district (CPVI D+14), and southern Washington County by Minnesota's 2nd congressional district (CPVI EVEN).

Economy

Largest employers

According to the county's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,<ref>Washington County ACFR (2021)</ref> the top employers in the county are:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	Andersen Corporation (Bayport)	4,939
2	Independent School District 833	2,594
3	Woodwinds Healtheast Campus	1,331
4	Washington County Government	1,324
5	Walmart	1,274
6	Hy-Vee Grocery	1,250
7	Independent School District 834	1,136
8	Independent School District 831	1,074
9	Target Corporation	959
10	Bailey Nurseries, Inc	800