Sibley County, Minnesota

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Sibley County is a county in the South Central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,836.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Gaylord.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

The county was created on March 5, 1853.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was named for Henry Hastings Sibley.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The county seat was first established at Henderson. A courthouse was built there and placed into service in 1879. It was used in that capacity until 1915, when the county seat was moved to Gaylord (after Gaylord residents presented a petition to county supervisors). Now the Henderson Community Building, the original courthouse presently houses Henderson City offices.<ref>Visitors page (Henderson City website)</ref>

Geography

The Minnesota River flows northeastward along Sibley County's eastern border. It is fed by the Rush River, whose three branches drain the lower part of the county before merging and then meeting the Minnesota below Henderson. Bevens Creek drains the upper part of the county, flowing northeastward into Carver County. The county terrain consists of rolling hills etched with drainages and dotted with lakes and ponds, with the area devoted to agriculture.<ref name="SCM">Sibley County MN Google Maps (accessed April 8, 2019)</ref> The terrain slopes to the east and north, with its highest point near its northwest corner at Template:Convert ASL.<ref>"Find an Altitude/Sibley County MN" Google Maps (accessed April 8, 2019)</ref> The county has an area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (2.0%) is water.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Most of the Rush River's watershed is in Sibley County.

File:Sibley Co Pie Chart No Text Version.pdf

Soils of Sibley County<ref>Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp. 65 - 67. Template:ISBN.</ref>

Altnow Lake: in Dryden Township
Beatty Lake: in Dryden Township
Clear Lake: northern half is in Severance Township; southern half is in Nicollet County
Curran Lake: in Green Isle Township
Erin Lake
Hahn Lake: in New Auburn Township
High Island Lake: in New Auburn Township
Indian Lake: in Transit Township
Kerry Lake: in Faxon Township
Kirby Lake
Mud Lake: in Dryden Township
Mud Lake: there is another Mud Lake in New Auburn Township northwest of Hahn Lake
Mud Lake: there is a third Mud Lake in New Auburn Township southeast of Hahn Lake
Mud Lake: there is a fourth Mud Lake in Severance Township
Mud Lakes: three lakes in Washington Lake Township
Round Grove Lake
Sand Lake: western two thirds is in Cornish Township; the eastern third is in Alfsborg Township
Schauer Lake: in Green Isle Township
Schilling Lake: in New Auburn Township
Severance Lake: in Green Isle Township
Silver Lake: in Jessenland Township
Swan Lake: in Severance Township
Titlow Lake: in Dryden Township: the North Branch Rush River starts at this lake.
Ward Lake (part)
Washington Lake: in Washington Lake Township

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Protected areas<ref name=SCM/>

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Altnow Marsh State Wildlife Management Area
Indian Lake State Wildlife Management Area
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (part)
Revanche Wildlife Management Area
Rush River County Park

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Demographics

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File:Schauer gravestone- Sibley county MN.jpg

German graves in ME Cemetery, evidence of German settlers

2020 Census

Sibley County Racial Composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	12,942	87.23%
Black or African American (NH)	81	0.6%
Native American (NH)	30	0.2%
Asian (NH)	72	0.5%
Pacific Islander (NH)	10	0.07%
Other/Mixed (NH)	386	2.6%
Hispanic or Latino	1,315	8.9%

2000 census

File:SibleyCountyMn2022PopPyr.png

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

As of the census of 2000, there were 15,356 people, 5,772 households, and 4,086 families in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 6,024 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 95.57% White, 0.12% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 3.09% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. 5.43% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 65.7% were of German and 6.3% Norwegian ancestry.

There were 5,772 households, of which 33.6% had children under 18 living with them, 61.1% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.14.

The county population was 27.7% under 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% 65 or older. The median age was 37. For every 100 females there were 102.9 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 99.9 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,458, and the median income for a family was $48,923. Males had a median income of $31,002 versus $22,527 for females. The per capita income was $18,004. About 5.1% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under 18 and 7.8% of those 65 or over.