Mahnomen 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 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 5,411. 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 Mahnomen. The county is part of the

White Earth Indian Reservation The White Earth Indian Reservation ( oj, Gaa-waabaabiganikaag, "Where there is an abundance of white clay") is the home to the White Earth Band, located in northwestern Minnesota. It is the largest Indian reservation in the state by land area. T ...

. It is the only county in Minnesota entirely within an

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 ...

. Mahnomen, East Polk, and Becker counties constitute one of northwestern Minnesota's biggest cattle-raising areas.

History

The county was created from the east half of Norman County on December 27, 1906, with Mahnomen, a former railway station town, as the county seat. The county was named for the town, the name of which is one spelling of the Ojibwe word for "wild rice".

Geography

The Wild Rice River enters the county from Clearwater County and flows west through the central part of the county. The White Earth River originates from White Earth Lake on the county's southern border and flows northwest to its confluence with the Wild Rice near Mahnomen. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, carved with drainages. The eastern part of the county is dotted with lakes and ponds and largely wooded. All non-wooded areas are devoted to agriculture where possible.Mahnomen County MN Google Maps (accessed April 18, 2019)
/ref> The county slopes to the west and north, with its highest point near the middle of the east border, at 1,825' (556m) ASL. The county has an area of , of which is land and (4.3%) is water. Mahnomen is one of 17 Minnesota savanna region counties with more savanna soils than either prairie or forest soils.

Major highways

U.S. Highway 59 U.S. Route 59 (US 59) is a north–south United States highway (though it was signed east–west in parts of Texas). A latecomer to the U.S. numbered route system, US 59 is now a border-to-border route, part of the NAFTA Corridor Highway Sy ...

* 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 ...

Airports

* Mahnomen County Airport (3N8) - south of Mahnomen

Adjacent counties

* Polk County - north * Clearwater County - east * Becker County - south * Norman County - west

Protected areas

* Beaulife State Wildlife Management Area * Bejou State Wildlife Management Area * Budde Meadow State Wildlife Management Area * Dittmer State Wildlife Management Area * Foot State Wildlife Management Area * Hasselton State Wildlife Management Area (part) * Loncrace State Wildlife Management Area * Mahgre State Wildlife Management Area * Rush Lake State Wildlife Management Area * Santee Prairie Scientific and Natural Area * Wambach State Wildlife Management Area * Warren Lake State Wildlife Management Area

Demographics

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 5,190 people, 1,969 households, and 1,366 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 9.3/sqmi (3.59/km²). There were 2,700 housing units at an average density of 4.84/sqmi (1.87/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 62.85%

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 ...

(3,262 people) 0.13%

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 ...

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 ...

(7 people), 28.55% Native American (1,482 people), 0.06% Asian (3 people), 0.31% from other races (16 people), and 8.09% (420 people) from two or more races. 0.89% of the population (46 people) 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. 29.4% (1525 people) were of

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 ...

and 17.0% (882 people) Norwegian ancestry. There were 1,969 households, out of which 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.60% 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, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.60% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.14. The county population contained 29.20% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 23.50% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 102.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.40 males. The median income for a household in the county was $30,053, and the median income for a family was $35,500. Males had a median income of $23,614 versus $21,000 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 $13,438. About 11.80% of families and 16.70% 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 21.30% of those under age 18 and 15.30% of those age 65 or over.

2020 Census

Communities

Cities

* Bejou * Mahnomen (county seat) * Waubun

Census-designated places

* Beaulieu * Midway * Naytahwaush * Pine Bend * Riverland * Roy Lake * The Ranch * Twin Lakes * West Roy Lake

Unincorporated community

* Mahkonce

Townships

* Beaulieu Township * Bejou Township * Chief Township * Clover Township * Gregory Township * Heier Township * Island Lake Township * La Garde Township * Lake Grove Township * Little Elbow Township * Marsh Creek Township * Oakland Township * Pembina Township * Popple Grove Township * Rosedale Township * Twin Lakes Township

Government and Politics

For several decades, Mahnomen County voters have tended to vote Democratic. As of 2020 the county has selected the Democratic candidate in six of the past nine presidential elections.

References

External links

County of Mahnomen website http://www.co.mahnomen.mn.us/
{{authority control Minnesota counties Minnesota placenames of Native American origin 1906 establishments in Minnesota Populated places established in 1906