Cass County, Minnesota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cass County
U.S. county
The Cass County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
Founded	September 1, 1851 (created) 1897 (organized)
Named for	Lewis Cass
Seat	Walker
Largest city	Lake Shore
Area
• Total	2,414 sq mi (6,250 km2)
• Land	2,022 sq mi (5,240 km2)
• Water	393 sq mi (1,020 km2)  16%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	30,066
• Estimate  (2023)	31,446
• Density	14.9/sq mi (5.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	8th

Cass County is a county located in the middle of Minnesota, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 30,066 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, is Walker. Cass County was officially started in 1851 and began its government in 1897.

Cass County is part of the Brainerd area, which is a group of towns that are connected. A large part of the Leech Lake Indian Reservation is also located within the county.

History of Cass County

Cass County in 1851 (pink) and how it looks today (red)

Cass County was created on September 1, 1851. The government of Minnesota Territory decided to form it. However, the county didn't set up its own government until 1897.

The county was named after Lewis Cass. He was an important political leader from Michigan in the 1800s.

Geography of Cass County

Cass County covers a total area of about 2,414 square miles. A big part of this, 393 square miles (16%), is water. This means there are many lakes and ponds here!

The land in Cass County has rolling hills covered with trees. It slopes down towards the south and east. The highest point in the county is about 1,614 feet above sea level.

The Crow Wing River flows along the southern edge of the county. The Gull River also flows through the lower part of the county. It eventually joins the Crow Wing River.

Main Roads in Cass County

Neighboring Counties

Cass County shares borders with several other counties:

Protected Natural Areas

Parts of these important natural areas are found in Cass County:

Climate and Weather in Cass County

The weather in Cass County changes a lot throughout the year. In Walker, the county seat, January is usually the coldest month. Temperatures can average around 0°F. July is the warmest month, with average temperatures around 79°F.

However, temperatures can go to extremes! The coldest temperature ever recorded was -44°F in February 1996. The hottest was 103°F in August 1976.

The county also gets rain and snow. July usually has the most rain, with about 4.11 inches. February is often the driest month, with about 0.62 inches of precipitation.

Population and People

Every ten years, the United States counts its population in what's called a census. The numbers above show how the population of Cass County has changed over time. In 2020, the population was 30,066 people. By 2023, it was estimated to have grown to about 31,446 people.

Towns and Areas

Cass County has many different communities, from small cities to tiny villages.

Cities in Cass County

Census-Designated Place

• Whipholt

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller places that are not officially cities or towns.

Townships

Townships are local government areas, often covering rural parts of the county.

Unorganized Territories

These are areas within the county that don't have their own township government.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Cass (Minnesota) para niños