Benton County, Minnesota

Benton County, Minnesota

Seal
Map of Minnesota highlighting Benton County
Location in the U.S. state of Minnesota
Map of the United States highlighting Minnesota
Minnesota's location in the U.S.
Founded October 27, 1849 (created)
1850 (organized)[1]
Named for Thomas Hart Benton
Seat Foley
Largest city Sauk Rapids
Area
  Total 413 sq mi (1,070 km2)
  Land 408 sq mi (1,057 km2)
  Water 4.8 sq mi (12 km2), 1.2%
Population (est.)
  (2016) 39,992
  Density 94/sq mi (36/km2)
Congressional district 6th
Time zone Central: UTC−6/−5
Website www.co.benton.mn.us

Benton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2010 census, the population was 38,451.[2] Its county seat is Foley.[3] Established in 1849 and organized in 1850, the county is one of the oldest in Minnesota.[4] Benton County was named for Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. Senator from Missouri.[5]

Benton County is part of the St. Cloud, MN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI Combined Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 413 square miles (1,070 km2), of which 408 square miles (1,060 km2) is land and 4.8 square miles (12 km2) (1.2%) is water.[6] It is the fifth-smallest county in Minnesota by land area and fourth-smallest by total area.

Soils of Benton County[7]
Soils of Sartell WMA neighborhood

Lakes

Source: United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles[8]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Climate and weather

Foley, Minnesota
Climate chart (explanation)
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
0.7
 
 
21
2
 
 
0.6
 
 
27
7
 
 
1.6
 
 
39
20
 
 
2.6
 
 
56
33
 
 
3
 
 
69
44
 
 
4.2
 
 
78
54
 
 
3.3
 
 
82
59
 
 
3.8
 
 
80
56
 
 
3.5
 
 
70
47
 
 
2.5
 
 
57
35
 
 
1.4
 
 
39
22
 
 
0.8
 
 
25
7
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[9]

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Foley have ranged from a low of 2 °F (−17 °C) in January to a high of 82 °F (28 °C) in July, although a record low of −43 °F (−42 °C) was recorded in January 1977 and a record high of 107 °F (42 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 0.62 inches (16 mm) in February to 4.17 inches (106 mm) in June.[9]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.
1850418
186062750.0%
18701,558148.5%
18803,01293.3%
18906,284108.6%
19009,91257.7%
191011,61517.2%
192014,07321.2%
193015,0567.0%
194016,1067.0%
195015,911−1.2%
196017,2878.6%
197020,84120.6%
198025,18720.9%
199030,18519.8%
200034,22613.4%
201038,45112.3%
Est. 201639,992[10]4.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13]
1990-2000[14] 2010-2016[2]
Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 U.S. census data

As of the census of 2000,[15] there were 34,226 people, 13,065 households, and 8,518 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile (32/km²). There were 13,460 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile (13/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.22% White, 0.78% Black or African American, 0.52% Native American, 1.15% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 0.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 47.8% were of German, 12.1% Polish and 8.8% Norwegian ancestry.

There were 13,065 households out of which 35.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.10% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.80% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.14.

In the county, the population was spread out with 27.10% under the age of 18, 12.20% from 18 to 24, 31.00% from 25 to 44, 18.70% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,968, and the median income for a family was $51,277. Males had a median income of $33,214 versus $22,737 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,008. About 4.50% of families and 7.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.30% of those under age 18 and 12.60% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Townships

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

  • East St. Cloud
  • Esteville (partial)
  • Minden

Politics

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 64.2% 12,872 28.1% 5,640 7.7% 1,546
2012 55.3% 10,849 41.7% 8,173 3.0% 597
2008 53.5% 10,338 43.7% 8,454 2.8% 547
2004 54.6% 10,043 43.8% 8,059 1.5% 282
2000 51.4% 7,663 40.3% 6,009 8.3% 1,236
1996 36.5% 4,835 45.4% 6,006 18.1% 2,392
1992 35.2% 5,053 35.9% 5,156 29.0% 4,162
1988 50.3% 6,060 48.7% 5,861 1.0% 119
1984 57.5% 6,830 41.4% 4,922 1.1% 131
1980 46.8% 5,513 44.8% 5,272 8.5% 997
1976 37.4% 4,099 56.9% 6,235 5.8% 631
1972 49.4% 4,652 45.4% 4,282 5.2% 492
1968 43.3% 3,470 50.2% 4,022 6.5% 524
1964 37.5% 2,818 62.2% 4,679 0.3% 23
1960 44.2% 3,324 55.6% 4,175 0.2% 16
1956 57.8% 3,591 42.0% 2,609 0.3% 16
1952 59.5% 3,856 40.0% 2,587 0.5% 33
1948 38.2% 2,297 60.4% 3,632 1.4% 86
1944 56.8% 2,988 42.9% 2,258 0.3% 18
1940 55.8% 3,491 43.8% 2,742 0.5% 28
1936 30.7% 1,783 53.5% 3,111 15.8% 919
1932 24.8% 1,329 72.9% 3,901 2.2% 120
1928 46.3% 2,373 53.3% 2,732 0.4% 21
1924 41.9% 1,629 14.7% 572 43.4% 1,687
1920 78.8% 2,920 15.0% 554 6.2% 230
1916 49.1% 1,020 45.5% 945 5.4% 113
1912 24.4% 468 29.3% 562 46.4% 890
1908 54.1% 1,001 41.4% 765 4.5% 84
1904 71.9% 1,205 25.8% 433 2.3% 38
1900 51.6% 849 45.6% 751 2.8% 46
1896 46.6% 778 52.0% 867 1.4% 24
1892 25.6% 426 34.7% 577 39.7% 659

See also

References

  1. "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 49.
  5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  6. Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp. 61 - 64. ISBN 978-0-615-50320-2.
  7. "United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles". Archived from the original on 2007-03-10.
  8. 1 2 "Monthly Averages for Foley, Minnesota". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 2011-11-06.
  9. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  13. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  14. "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  15. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved 2018-04-17.

Coordinates: 45°42′N 94°00′W / 45.70°N 94.00°W / 45.70; -94.00

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