Carver County, Minnesota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carver County
U.S. county
Carver County Sheriff's Office and Justice Center in Chaska, Minnesota
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
Founded	February 20, 1855
Named for	Jonathan Carver
Seat	Chaska
Largest city	Chaska
Area
• Total	376 sq mi (970 km2)
• Land	354 sq mi (920 km2)
• Water	22 sq mi (60 km2)  5.8%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	106,922
• Estimate  (2023)	111,057
• Density	302/sq mi (117/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts	3rd, 6th
Website	www.co.carver.mn.us

Carver County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It's a place with lots of farms and wild areas. Many small towns are also found here. In 2020, about 106,922 people lived in Carver County. The main city, or county seat, is Chaska.

The county is named after Jonathan Carver. He was an explorer who traveled a lot. In 1766 and 1767, he journeyed from Boston to the Minnesota River. He spent a winter with the Sioux people near where New Ulm is today. Carver County is also part of the larger Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area.

Carver County: Healthy and Happy

Carver County is known for being a great place to live. For many years, it has been ranked as one of the healthiest counties in Minnesota. This ranking comes from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. They look at things like how healthy people are now. They also check things that might affect health in the future. These include healthy habits, medical care, and the environment. Carver County was the top healthiest county from 2017 to 2020.

In 2018, a study called Carver County the "#1 Happiest Place in America." This study looked at eight important things. These included how many people had jobs and how many lived in poverty. They also checked how affordable things were and how many people were married or divorced. How long people live and how active they are were also part of the study.

Carver County did very well because of its strong economy. Only about 3.1% of people were without jobs. Also, only 4.1% of people lived in poverty. The study also found that 62% of residents were married. Only 8% were divorced, which was a low number. These good scores helped Carver County rank high for happiness.

Geography and Nature

The Minnesota River flows along the southern edge of Carver County. The South Fork of the Crow River also runs through the western and central parts. Carver Creek flows into the Minnesota River. The land here has gentle hills and many lakes, especially in the east. Most of the land is used for farming.

The county's highest point is a small hill northeast of Miller Lake. It is about 1,080 feet (329 meters) above sea level. The total area of Carver County is about 376 square miles (974 square kilometers). About 354 square miles (917 square kilometers) is land. The remaining 22 square miles (57 square kilometers) is water, which is about 5.8% of the total.

Carver County is special because it has no forest soils. Instead, you'll find mostly savannas and prairies. These are open grasslands with some scattered trees.

Beautiful Lakes in Carver County

Lake Waconia is the largest lake in Carver County.

Carver County has seven lakes that are 235 acres or larger. The biggest is Lake Waconia. It's the 73rd largest lake in Minnesota. It's also the second largest lake in the Twin Cities area. Lake Waconia covers about 2,996 acres.

Here are some of the lakes found in different townships:

Main Roads

Many roads help people travel through Carver County.

Neighboring Counties

Carver County shares borders with these other counties:

Parks and Protected Areas

Carver County has many natural areas for people to enjoy.

Weather in Carver County

The weather in Carver County changes with the seasons. In Chaska, the county seat, January is usually the coldest month. Temperatures can drop to about 4°F (minus 16°C). July is the warmest month, with highs around 81°F (27°C).

However, temperatures can be extreme. The coldest ever recorded was -41°F (minus 41°C) in January 1970. The hottest was 105°F (41°C) in July 1988. Rainfall also changes throughout the year. August usually gets the most rain, about 5.05 inches (128 mm). February is the driest, with about 0.66 inches (17 mm) of rain.

Population and People

Carver County has grown a lot over the years. In 1860, about 5,106 people lived there. By 2020, the population had grown to 106,922. The county continues to grow, with an estimated 111,057 people in 2023.

Who Lives in Carver County?

In 2020, most people in Carver County were White (about 85.5%). Other groups included Black or African American (2%), Asian (3.4%), and people of two or more races (3.6%). About 5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

In 2010, about 42% of households had children under 18 living there. Most families (62.9%) were married couples. The average household had about 2.74 people. The average family had about 3.22 people.

The average income for a household in 2010 was around $83,773 per year. For families, it was about $96,913. Only a small number of people (about 4.9%) lived below the poverty line. This means Carver County is a place where many people have good jobs and stable homes.

This chart shows the age groups of people living in Carver County in 2022.

Economy and Jobs

Carver County has many different types of jobs. The biggest employers include school districts and hospitals. Manufacturing companies and other businesses also provide many jobs.

Here are some of the top employers in Carver County:

Cities and Towns

Carver County has several cities and smaller communities.

Cities

Unincorporated communities

These are smaller places that are not officially cities.

Townships

Townships are areas of land that include rural areas and sometimes small communities.

Famous People from Carver County

Some well-known people have lived in Carver County.

• Arc Carnes (artist) - An artist.

Images for kids

• 

  Soils of the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum area

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Carver para niños