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Beltrami County, Minnesota facts for kids

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Beltrami County
Beltrami County Courthouse
Map of Minnesota highlighting Beltrami County
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Map of the United States highlighting Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Minnesota
Founded February 28, 1866 (created)
1896 (organized)
Named for Giacomo Constantino Beltrami
Seat Bemidji
Largest city Bemidji
Area
 • Total 3,056 sq mi (7,920 km2)
 • Land 2,505 sq mi (6,490 km2)
 • Water 551 sq mi (1,430 km2)  18%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 46,228
 • Estimate 
(2023)
46,718 Increase
 • Density 18.6/sq mi (7.2/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts 7th, 8th

Beltrami County (/bɛlˈtræmi/ bel-TRAM-ee) is a county in northern Minnesota. In 2020, about 46,228 people lived there. The main city and government center is Bemidji.

The county is named after Giacomo Beltrami. He was an Italian explorer who visited the area in 1825. Beltrami County was officially created in 1866.

Bemidji is part of a "Micropolitan Statistical Area." This means it's a smaller city area with strong ties to nearby towns.

Parts of two Indian reservations are in the county. These are the Leech Lake and Red Lake reservations. The very start of the Mississippi River flows through the southern part of the county, right through Bemidji. Beltrami is one of only three counties in Minnesota that touches nine other counties!

Exploring Beltrami County's Land

Beltrami County is known for its beautiful natural areas. The southwest part of the county is considered the start of the Mississippi River. This famous river flows through the southern part of the county.

A big part of the middle and upper county is covered by the two sections of Red Lake. The land here has rolling hills covered with trees. You'll also find many lakes and ponds.

The county covers about 3,056 square miles. About 551 square miles of this is water. This makes it the fourth-largest county in Minnesota by total area.

Main Roads to Travel

You can get around Beltrami County using several important highways:

  • US 2.svg U.S. Highway 2
  • US 71.svg U.S. Highway 71
  • MN-1.svg Minnesota State Highway 1
  • MN-72.svg Minnesota State Highway 72
  • MN-89.svg Minnesota State Highway 89
  • MN-197.svg Minnesota State Highway 197

Neighboring Counties

Beltrami County shares borders with nine other counties:

Parks and Forests to Explore

Beltrami County has many protected areas for nature lovers:

  • Buena Vista State Forest
  • Chippewa National Forest (part)
  • Lake Bemidji State Park
  • Mississippi Headwaters State Forest (part)
  • Pine Island State Forest (part)
  • Red Lake Peatland Scientific and Natural Area (part)
  • Three Island Lake County Park

Weather in Beltrami County

Weather chart for Bemidji, Minnesota
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
0.7
 
16
-4
 
 
0.6
 
24
3
 
 
0.9
 
36
16
 
 
1.5
 
53
30
 
 
2.7
 
67
43
 
 
4.1
 
75
52
 
 
4.3
 
79
57
 
 
3.5
 
77
55
 
 
2.8
 
66
45
 
 
2.3
 
54
35
 
 
1.1
 
34
19
 
 
0.6
 
21
3
temperatures in °F
precipitation totals in inches
source: The Weather Channel

The weather in Beltrami County can change a lot. In Bemidji, the average temperature in January is about -4°F. In July, it's around 79°F.

The coldest temperature ever recorded was -50°F in January 1950. The hottest was 101°F in July 1975. The county gets the most rain in July.

Who Lives in Beltrami County?

Historical population
Census Pop.
1870 80
1880 10 −87.5%
1890 312 3,020.0%
1900 11,030 3,435.3%
1910 19,337 75.3%
1920 27,079 40.0%
1930 20,707 −23.5%
1940 26,107 26.1%
1950 24,962 −4.4%
1960 23,425 −6.2%
1970 26,373 12.6%
1980 30,982 17.5%
1990 34,384 11.0%
2000 39,650 15.3%
2010 44,442 12.1%
2020 46,228 4.0%
2023 (est.) 46,718 5.1%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2020

The population of Beltrami County has grown over the years. In 2020, the county had 46,228 people.

People in 2020

Beltrami County Racial Composition
Race Num. Perc.
White 32,445 70.2%
Black or African American 519 1.12%
Native American 9,198 20%
Asian 268 0.6%
Pacific Islander 15 0.03%
Other/Mixed 2,675 5.8%
Hispanic or Latino 1,108 2.4%

Cities and Towns

Beltrami County has several cities and many smaller communities.

Cities in the County

Other Communities

There are also many townships and smaller places where people live. Some of these are:

Learning in Beltrami County

Students in Beltrami County attend schools in various districts:

  • Bemidji Public School District
  • Blackduck Public School District
  • Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools
  • Kelliher Public School District
  • Red Lake Public School District
  • Grygla Public School District

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Beltrami para niños

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