Kandiyohi County, Minnesota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kandiyohi County
U.S. county
Kandiyohi County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
Founded	March 20, 1858
Named for	"where buffalo fish come" (Dakota)
Seat	Willmar
Largest city	Willmar
Area
• Total	862 sq mi (2,230 km2)
• Land	797 sq mi (2,060 km2)
• Water	66 sq mi (170 km2)  7.6%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	43,732
• Estimate  (2023)	43,813
• Density	54.9/sq mi (21.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	7th

Kandiyohi County (KAN-dee-YOH-hy) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. In 2020, about 43,732 people lived there. The main town, called the county seat, is Willmar. It has been the county seat since 1871.

Kandiyohi County is also part of the "Willmar, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area". This is a way the government groups nearby towns and cities for statistics.

History of Kandiyohi County

The name 'Kandiyohi' comes from the Dakota language. It means "where the buffalo fish come".

The county was officially created on March 20, 1858. At first, the town of Kandiyohi (then called Kandiyohi Station) was chosen as the county seat in 1870. The county was much smaller back then, only covering the southern half of its current size.

Things grew slowly. In 1870, the state government decided that Monongalia County should join with Kandiyohi. By November 21, 1871, they agreed to make Willmar the new county seat. Willmar was chosen because it was more centrally located.

Geography of Kandiyohi County

Kandiyohi County has rolling hills. Some areas have trees, but most of the land is used for farming. The land gently slopes toward the south and west. The highest point is in the northeastern part, about 1,306 feet (398 meters) above sea level.

The county covers a total area of 862 square miles (2,233 square kilometers). About 797 square miles (2,064 square kilometers) are land, and 66 square miles (171 square kilometers) are covered by water. This means about 7.6% of the county is water. Kandiyohi County is one of seven counties in southern Minnesota that do not have forest soils. Instead, it has prairie ecosystems, which include savannas and open grasslands.

Soils of Sibley State Park

Lakes in Kandiyohi County

There are almost 70 named lakes in Kandiyohi County. Some of the well-known ones include:

Major Highways in Kandiyohi County

Many important roads pass through Kandiyohi County, connecting it to other parts of Minnesota and beyond.

Counties Nearby

Kandiyohi County shares its borders with several other counties:

Protected Natural Areas

Kandiyohi County has several areas set aside to protect nature and wildlife. These are called State Wildlife Management Areas or State Parks.

Population of Kandiyohi County

The population of Kandiyohi County has grown steadily over the years. Here's how the number of people living there has changed:

In 2020, the United States Census counted 43,732 people living in Kandiyohi County. Most residents are White, but the county is becoming more diverse. There are growing numbers of Black or African American, Asian, and Hispanic or Latino residents.

Communities in Kandiyohi County

Kandiyohi County is home to several cities, small towns, and townships.

Cities in Kandiyohi County

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller communities that are not officially organized as cities or towns.

Townships in Kandiyohi County

Townships are local government areas that often include rural land and smaller communities.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Kandiyohi para niños