Chisago County, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chisago County
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![]() Old Chisago County Courthouse originally in Center City, Minnesota, moved in 1990 to Almelund, Minnesota.
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![]() Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
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![]() Minnesota's location within the U.S. |
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Country | ![]() |
State | ![]() |
Founded | September 1, 1851 |
Named for | Chisago Lake |
Seat | Center City |
Largest city | North Branch |
Area | |
• Total | 442 sq mi (1,140 km2) |
• Land | 415 sq mi (1,070 km2) |
• Water | 28 sq mi (70 km2) 6.2%% |
Population
(2020)
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• Total | 56,621 |
• Estimate
(2021)
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57,469 ![]() |
• Density | 136.4/sq mi (52.7/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Congressional district | 8th |
Chisago County ( shi-SAH-goh) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 56,621. Its county seat is Center City.
Chisago County is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
Chisago County was organized in 1851. It took its name from Chisago Lake.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 442 square miles (1,140 km2), of which 415 square miles (1,070 km2) is land and 28 square miles (73 km2) (6.2%) is water. Examples of native vegetation in the county: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wild_River_State_Park_New_Wiki_Version.jpg
Major highways
Interstate 35
US Highway 8
US Highway 61
Minnesota State Highway 95
Minnesota State Highway 243
- List of county roads
Adjacent counties
- Pine County, Minnesota (north)
- Burnett County, Wisconsin (northeast)
- Polk County, Wisconsin (east)
- Washington County, Minnesota (south)
- Anoka County, Minnesota (southwest)
- Isanti County, Minnesota (west)
- Kanabec County, Minnesota (northwest)
National protected area
Climate and weather
Weather chart for Center City, Minnesota | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
0.9
24
2
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0.9
31
7
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1.6
43
19
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2.8
59
33
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3.7
70
45
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4.5
79
56
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4.4
84
60
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3.9
81
58
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3.6
72
49
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2.8
60
37
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1.9
42
22
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1.1
27
8
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temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches source: The Weather Channel |
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Metric conversion
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In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Center City have ranged from a low of 2 °F (−17 °C) in January to a high of 84 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −38 °F (−39 °C) was recorded in January 1977 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in July 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 0.89 inches (23 mm) in January to 4.48 inches (114 mm) in June.
Demographics
Historical population | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1860 | 1,743 | — | |
1870 | 4,358 | 150.0% | |
1880 | 7,982 | 83.2% | |
1890 | 10,359 | 29.8% | |
1900 | 13,248 | 27.9% | |
1910 | 13,537 | 2.2% | |
1920 | 14,445 | 6.7% | |
1930 | 13,189 | −8.7% | |
1940 | 13,124 | −0.5% | |
1950 | 12,669 | −3.5% | |
1960 | 13,419 | 5.9% | |
1970 | 17,492 | 30.4% | |
1980 | 25,717 | 47.0% | |
1990 | 30,521 | 18.7% | |
2000 | 41,101 | 34.7% | |
2010 | 53,887 | 31.1% | |
2020 | 56,621 | 5.1% | |
2021 (est.) | 57,469 | 6.6% | |
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020 |

2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 53,887 people, 19,470 households, and 14,389 families in the county. The population density was 130/sqmi (50.1/km2). There were 21,172 housing units at an average density of 51.0/sqmi (19.7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.80% White, 1.20% Black or African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. 1.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 19,470 households, out of which 37.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.00% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.10% were non-families. 20.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.09.
The county population contained 25.70% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 28.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 101.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.50 males. The per capita income for the county was $29,293. About 6.20% of the population was below the poverty line.
Communities
Cities
- Center City (county seat)
- Chisago City
- Harris
- Lindström
- North Branch
- Rush City
- Shafer
- Stacy
- Taylors Falls
- Wyoming
Townships
- Amador Township
- Chisago Lake Township
- Fish Lake Township
- Franconia Township
- Lent Township
- Nessel Township
- Rushseba Township
- Shafer Township
- Sunrise Township
- Wyoming Township (former, now defunct)
Unincorporated communities
Arts and culture
Chisago County is, like many other counties in Minnesota, strongly influenced by the German, Swedish and Norwegian immigrants that settled there in the middle of the 19th century. It provided the setting for much of Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg's The Emigrants suite of novels in the 1950s, and Moberg engaged in both archival and oral history research in preparation for his books to recreate the early Swedish immigration in the area. Sculptor Ian Dudley's bronze statue of the author, holding his bicycle as if ready to ride away, stands on a stepped platform in Chisago City’s town park. His fictional characters Karl-Oskar and Kristina Nilsson from Ljuder parish in Småland settled around the Lake Ki-Chi-Saga (from the Ojibwe language Ki-chi-saga-igun (Gichi-zaaga'igan in the contemporary spelling) meaning "Big Lake-with-an-outlet," which was later shortened to Lake Chisago). The heritage of the early settlers is still honored by the annual Karl Oskar Days in Lindström.
Education
- Chisago Lakes High School
- North Branch Area High School
- Rush City High School
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Chisago para niños
![]() | Alma López |
![]() | Juana Martinez-Neal |
![]() | William Villalongo |
![]() | Teresita Fernández |