HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Clearwater County is a
county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over t ...
. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,524. Its
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
is Bagley. Clearwater County is home to Lake Itasca, the source of the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...
. Parts of the
Red Lake Red Lake may refer to: Lakes Australia * Red Lake (Western Australia) Croatia * Red Lake (Croatia) (Crveno jezero) Romania *Red Lake (Romania) (Lacul Roşu) United States * Red Lake (Arizona–New Mexico) * Red Lake (Orlando), Florida *Red Lake ...
and White Earth
Indian reservation An Indian reservation is an area of land held and governed by a federally recognized Native American tribal nation whose government is accountable to the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs and not to the state government in which it ...
s extend into the county.


Geography

The Red Lake River flows west out of
Red Lake Red Lake may refer to: Lakes Australia * Red Lake (Western Australia) Croatia * Red Lake (Croatia) (Crveno jezero) Romania *Red Lake (Romania) (Lacul Roşu) United States * Red Lake (Arizona–New Mexico) * Red Lake (Orlando), Florida *Red Lake ...
across the top of Clearwater County on its way to discharge into the Red River at
Grand Forks, North Dakota Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the state of North Dakota (after Fargo and Bismarck) and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2020 census, the city's population was 59,166. Grand Forks, along with its twin city ...
. The Clearwater River flows west-southwest across the central part of the county on its way to discharge into the Red Lake River. The county terrain consists of wooded rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds.''Clearwater County MN'' Google Maps (accessed March 6, 2019)
/ref> The terrain slopes to the north, with the highest point on the lower west boundary, at 1,781' (543m) ASL. The county has an area of , of which is land and (3.0%) is water. The county's high point, just south of Scoop Lake, is one of a few places to exceed 2000 feet in Minnesota, rising to 2005 feet at 47.2318°N, -95.5034°W.


Major highways

*
U.S. Highway 2 U.S. Route 2 or U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern Canada. Unlike some routes, wh ...
*
Minnesota State Highway 1 Minnesota State Highway 1 (MN 1) is a state highway across northern Minnesota, United States, which runs from North Dakota Highway 54 (ND 54) at the North Dakota state line (at the Red River in Oslo) and continues east to its eastern ter ...
* Minnesota State Highway 92 * Minnesota State Highway 113 *
Minnesota State Highway 200 Minnesota State Highway 200 (MN 200) is a highway in northwest and northeast Minnesota, which runs from North Dakota Highway 200 at the North Dakota state line near Halstad, and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection wi ...
*
Minnesota State Highway 223 Minnesota State Highway 223 (MN 223) is a highway in northwest Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with State Highway 92 in Holst Township of Clearwater County and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with Clearwat ...


Adjacent counties

*
Beltrami County Beltrami County ( ) is a county in the northern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 46,228. Its county seat is Bemidji. The county's name comes from Italian adventurer Giacomo Beltrami from Bergamo ...
- northeast * Hubbard County - southeast * Becker County - south * Mahnomen County - southwest * Polk County - west * Pennington County - northwest


Protected areas

* Bagley Lake State Wildlife Management Area * Clearwater State Wildlife Management Area * Iron Springs Bog Scientific and Natural Area * Itasca State Park (part) * Jackson Lake State Wildlife Management Area * Little Pine State Wildlife Management Area * Lower Rice Lake State Wildlife Management Area * Old Red Lake Trail State Wildlife Management Area * Upper Rice Lake State Wildlife Management Area


Climate and weather

In recent years average temperatures in Bagley have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, with a record low of recorded in February 1996 and a record high of recorded in August 1976. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in December to in June.


Demographics


2000 census

As of the 2000 census there were 8,423 people, 3,330 households, and 2,287 families in the county. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was 8.43/sqmi (3.26/km2). There were 4,114 housing units at an average density of 4.12/sqmi (1.59/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.26%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 0.19%
Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
or
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 8.58% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.01%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.24% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. 0.77% of the population were
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any race. 43.6% were of Norwegian, 15.6%
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
, 6.5% Swedish, and 6.2%
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
ancestry. There were 3,330 households, out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.80% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.30% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.02. The county population contained 26.00% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 24.60% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 17.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.30 males. The median income for a household in the county was $30,517, and the median income for a family was $39,698. Males had a median income of $29,338 versus $20,417 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the county was $15,694. About 11.00% of families and 15.10% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 18.90% of those under age 18 and 18.20% of those age 65 or over.


2020 Census


Communities


Cities

* Bagley (county seat) * Clearbrook * Gonvick * Leonard * Shevlin


Census-designated places

*
Ebro , name_etymology = , image = Zaragoza shel.JPG , image_size = , image_caption = The Ebro River in Zaragoza , map = SpainEbroBasin.png , map_size = , map_caption = The Ebro ...
* Elbow Lake * Rice Lake * Roy Lake * South End


Unincorporated communities

* Alida * Big Bear Landing * Bonga Landing * Bush Landing * Lake Itasca *
Mallard The mallard () or wild duck (''Anas platyrhynchos'') is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Argen ...
* Ponsford Landing * Vern * Weme * Zerkel


Townships

* Bear Creek Township * Clover Township * Copley Township * Dudley Township * Eddy Township * Falk Township * Greenwood Township * Hangaard Township * Holst Township * Itasca Township * La Prairie Township * Leon Township * Long Lost Lake Township * Minerva Township * Moose Creek Township * Nora Township * Pine Lake Township * Popple Township * Rice Township * Shevlin Township * Sinclair Township * Winsor Township


Unorganized territories

* North Clearwater * South Clearwater


Government and politics

Clearwater County was long a swing precinct (from 1968 through 2020, the Republican presidential candidate won 58% of the time), but no Democratic presidential candidate has carried the county since 1996.


See also

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Clearwater County MN


References


External links


Clearwater County government website

City of Bagley website
{{Coord, 47.57, -95.38, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MN_source:UScensus1990 Minnesota counties Minnesota counties on the Mississippi River 1902 establishments in Minnesota Populated places established in 1902