Alexandria is a city in Douglas County, Minnesota, United States. It is the county seat, which means it's where the county government is located. In 2020, about 14,335 people lived there.

Alexandria is close to I-94. It is also near Minnesota State Highways 27 and 29. The city is about 10 miles (16 km) south of Lake Carlos State Park.

Discovering Alexandria's Past

Alexandria was first settled in 1858. It was named after two brothers, Alexander and William Kinkead, from Maryland. The name also reminds people of Alexandria, Egypt, which was a famous place for learning long ago.

The village of Alexandria officially became a town on February 20, 1877. It became a city in 1909. A person named W. E. Hicks helped the town grow a lot in its early days. He bought land in 1868 and built a mill, a hotel, a newspaper, and a store. He also gave land for a courthouse, a jail, and two churches.

Exploring Alexandria's Geography

Alexandria covers about 17.9 square miles (46.4 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, and a small part is water. Many people who live near Alexandria are not counted in the city's population. This is because they live outside the city limits, often around the many lakes.

What is Alexandria's Climate Like?

Alexandria has a climate with cold, snowy winters. The summers are warm, and sometimes hot and humid. Spring and autumn are usually pleasant. On average, the city gets about 25 inches of rain and snow each year.

Climate data for Alexandria, Minnesota (Alexandria Municipal Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1940–present
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	58 (14)	58 (14)	78 (26)	95 (35)	97 (36)	102 (39)	101 (38)	104 (40)	98 (37)	91 (33)	76 (24)	58 (14)	104 (40)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	40.1 (4.5)	43.5 (6.4)	58.7 (14.8)	76.8 (24.9)	87.1 (30.6)	90.6 (32.6)	91.3 (32.9)	89.7 (32.1)	85.9 (29.9)	78.3 (25.7)	59.8 (15.4)	42.4 (5.8)	93.7 (34.3)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	19.0 (−7.2)	23.7 (−4.6)	36.6 (2.6)	52.4 (11.3)	66.3 (19.1)	75.7 (24.3)	80.2 (26.8)	78.3 (25.7)	69.9 (21.1)	54.5 (12.5)	37.6 (3.1)	24.2 (−4.3)	51.5 (10.8)
Daily mean °F (°C)	10.7 (−11.8)	14.9 (−9.5)	28.0 (−2.2)	42.5 (5.8)	55.9 (13.3)	66.0 (18.9)	70.6 (21.4)	68.5 (20.3)	60.0 (15.6)	45.7 (7.6)	30.3 (−0.9)	16.9 (−8.4)	42.5 (5.8)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	2.3 (−16.5)	6.0 (−14.4)	19.4 (−7.0)	32.7 (0.4)	45.5 (7.5)	56.4 (13.6)	60.9 (16.1)	58.7 (14.8)	50.1 (10.1)	37.0 (2.8)	23.0 (−5.0)	9.6 (−12.4)	33.5 (0.8)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	−20.6 (−29.2)	−16.4 (−26.9)	−5.3 (−20.7)	17.0 (−8.3)	32.6 (0.3)	44.3 (6.8)	50.6 (10.3)	48.1 (8.9)	35.0 (1.7)	21.6 (−5.8)	4.4 (−15.3)	−14.3 (−25.7)	−23.3 (−30.7)
Record low °F (°C)	−38 (−39)	−34 (−37)	−34 (−37)	−2 (−19)	18 (−8)	33 (1)	42 (6)	38 (3)	21 (−6)	9 (−13)	−18 (−28)	−32 (−36)	−38 (−39)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	0.38 (9.7)	0.41 (10)	1.00 (25)	2.04 (52)	3.05 (77)	3.72 (94)	4.00 (102)	3.46 (88)	2.63 (67)	2.21 (56)	0.83 (21)	0.36 (9.1)	24.09 (612)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	3.6	3.7	5.2	9.0	11.5	12.3	10.8	9.5	8.8	8.6	4.8	4.5	92.3
Source: NOAA

Lakes Around Alexandria

Alexandria is known for its many lakes. Here are some of them:

Lake Agnes
Lake Alvin
Lake Andrew
Blackwell Lake
Lake Brophy
Lake Burgen
Lake Carlos
Cork Lake
Lake Cowdry
Lake Darling
Echo Lake
Lake Geneva
Lake George
Grant Lake
Lake Henry
Lake Ida
Lake Irene
Lake Jessie
Lake Latoka
Laura Lake
Lake Le Homme Dieu
Lake Louise
Maple Lake
Lake Mary
Mill Lake
Lake Miltona
Lake Mina
Mud Lake
North Union Lake
Lake Oscar
Pocket Lake
Rachel Lake
Lake Reno
Smith Lake
Lobster Lake
Stony Lake
Taylor Lake
Lake Charley
Union Lake
Lake Winona
Vermont Lake
Lake Victoria

Understanding Alexandria's Population

Statue of Big Ole the Viking, greeting visitors to Alexandria

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	1,355	—
1890	2,118	56.3%
1900	2,681	26.6%
1910	3,001	11.9%
1920	3,388	12.9%
1930	3,876	14.4%
1940	5,051	30.3%
1950	6,319	25.1%
1960	6,713	6.2%
1970	6,973	3.9%
1980	7,608	9.1%
1990	7,838	3.0%
2000	8,820	12.5%
2010	11,070	25.5%
2020	14,335	29.5%
2023 (est.)	14,943	35.0%
U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census

What Was Alexandria's Population in 2020?

In 2020, Alexandria had 14,335 people living in 6,566 households. Most people (91.9%) were White. About 1.2% were African American, 0.5% Native American, and 1.0% Asian. About 3.4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 20.4% of the people were under 18 years old. Also, 22.3% were 65 years or older.

What Was Alexandria's Population in 2010?

In 2010, there were 11,070 people living in Alexandria. About 96.3% of the people were White. About 19.1% of residents were under 18 years old. The average age in the city was 38.8 years.

Fun Things to Do in Alexandria: Tourism

Alexandria is a popular place for visitors because of its many lakes. People enjoy water and land activities here. You can find places to stay like cabins, bed and breakfasts, and hotels.

Water Activities and Parks

On the lakes, people enjoy motorboating, wake surfing, sailing, and paddleboarding. Fishing has also been popular for a long time. There are also beaches, like at Pilgrim Point Park on Lake Ida. Other parks include Lake Brophy County Park and Kensington Rune Stone Park.

Local Events and Festivals

Alexandria hosts several fun events throughout the year:

The Grape Stomp happens every September at Carlos Creek Winery.
An Apple Fest is held in October.
The Douglas County Fair takes place every August.
Big Ole Paddlefest is a kayaking race on Lake Miltona every July.
Art in the Park is held every July.
The Red Willow Arts Coalition hosts outdoor concerts every Thursday in summer.

Popular Attractions to Visit

The city has a museum where you can see the Kensington Runestone. Outside the museum, there is a huge 25-foot-tall statue called Big Ole. It's a statue of a Viking that was built for the 1965 World's Fair in New York City. The Legacy of the Lakes Museum, which is about boats and water history, is also in the city.

Alexandria's Economy: Top Employers

The city has many businesses that provide jobs. Here are some of the biggest employers in the Alexandria area:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	Alomere Health	868
2	Douglas Machine, Inc.	737
3	Alexandria Public Schools	609
4	Knute Nelson	482
5	Alexandria Industries	437
6	3M	400
7	Central Specialties	325
8	Douglas County	308
9	Brenton Engineering	265
10	Aagard	264

Learning in Alexandria: Education

Alexandria Technical & Community College

Most kids in Alexandria go to schools run by Alexandria Public Schools. There are six elementary schools for kindergarten through 5th grade. These are Lincoln, Voyager, Woodland, Carlos, Miltona, and Garfield.

Students then go to Discovery Middle School for 6th to 8th grade. For high school (9th to 12th grade), students attend Alexandria Area High School. This new school replaced Jefferson High School. There are also some private Christian schools in the area.

For education after high school, Alexandria Technical & Community College offers programs. Students can earn certificates, two-year associate degrees, or credits to transfer to a four-year college.

Getting Around Alexandria: Transportation

Several roads connect Alexandria to other towns and cities. County Road 82 SE links Alexandria to Nelson and Osakis. Minnesota State Highway 29 connects to Glenwood and Parkers Prairie.

Interstate 94 and U.S. Highway 52 pass through the south part of Alexandria. These highways make it easy to travel to larger cities like Minneapolis-St. Paul and Fargo-Moorhead.

Rainbow Rider provides public transportation within Alexandria and the surrounding area.

Alexandria's Airport

The Alexandria Municipal Airport is also known as Chandler Field. It is owned by the city and is used by the public. The airport is about two nautical miles (3.7 km) southwest of the city's main business area.

News and Entertainment: Media

Newspapers in Alexandria

The Alexandria Echo Press is the local newspaper. It is published twice a week and is owned by the Forum Communications Company.

Television in Alexandria

Alexandria used to have its own local TV stations, KCCO and KSAX. These stations would show local news, weather, and sports. Over time, these local broadcasts stopped. Now, Alexandria mostly gets its TV from stations in Minneapolis.

There is also a group called Selective TV, Inc. It is a non-profit organization that broadcasts several cable channels for free. People in the area can watch these channels without paying for a subscription.

Radio Stations in Alexandria

AM radio stations
Frequency	Call sign	Name	Format	Owner
1490	KXRA		News/Talk	Paradis Broadcasting Inc.

FM radio stations
Frequency	Call sign	Name	Format	Owner
90.9	K215BL (KSJR Translator)	Classical MPR	Classical	Minnesota Public Radio
91.7	K219FA (WJFM Translator)	SonLife Radio	Christian	Jimmy Swaggart Ministries
92.3	KXRA	KX92	Classic rock	Paradis Broadcasting Inc.
94.3	KULO	Cool 94.3	Oldies	Hubbard Broadcasting
97.3	KRVY	97.3 The River	Adult Contemporary	Iowa City Broadcasting Company, Inc.
98.5	KLKX	K-Lakes 98.5	Adult Standards	Alexandria Community Radio Educational Organization, Inc.
99.3	KXRZ	Z-99	Hot AC	Paradis Broadcasting Inc.
100.3	K262AT (KXRA-AM Translator)		News/Talk	Paradis Broadcasting Inc.
100.7	KIKV	KIK FM 100.7	Country	Hubbard Broadcasting

Sports in Alexandria

Alexandria has a junior ice hockey team called the Alexandria Blizzard. They play in the North American 3 Hockey League at the Runestone Community Center.

Viking Speedway is a dirt track where car races are held every Saturday night from April to September. They also have special events throughout the year. Viking Speedway was named "Track of the Year" in 2005 by WISSOTA, a racing organization.

Sometimes, a Northwoods League baseball game is played at Knute Nelson Memorial Park. The Willmar Stingers team plays as the Alexandria Beetles for one night. This is to honor Alexandria's old baseball team, which played from 2001 to 2012.

Famous People from Alexandria

Lars K. Aaker, state legislator
Richard Battey, judge
Hilda Bettermann, state representative
Marvin W. Bursch, state legislator and businessman
Dave Dalby, center for the Oakland Raiders
Walter H. Campbell, state legislator, businessman and lawyer
Frederick J. Foslien, state legislator, farmer, and businessman
John Hammergren, CEO of McKesson Corporation
Duane Hanson, sculptor
Edward Hanson, 28th governor of American Samoa
Hal Haskins, professional basketball player
John Hawkes, actor
Todd Hendricks, professional football player
Jed Johnson, interior designer and film director
Peter Krause, actor
Tom Lehman, PGA golfer
Brock Lesnar, professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist
Clifford Lofvegren, state legislator, businessman, and farmer
Knute Nelson, U.S. senator
Julian O. Newhouse, businessman and state legislator
Richard Peterson, architect, fighter ace
Walter Roth, farmer and state legislator
Gary Serum, pitcher for the Minnesota Twins
Henrik Shipstead, U.S. senator
Bruce P. Smith, halfback for the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams
Cliff Sterrett, cartoonist
Hill H. Wilson, businessman and state legislator
Theodore G. Winkjer, businessman, farmer, and state legislator

Images for kids

Alexandria Post Office (historic)
Location of the city of Alexandria within Douglas County, Minnesota

Alexandria, Minnesota facts for kids

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