St. Louis County, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
St. Louis County
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St. Louis County Courthouse in Duluth
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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 |  United States |
| State |  Minnesota |
| Founded | February 20, 1855 |
| Named for | St. Louis River |
| Seat | Duluth |
| Largest city | Duluth |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6,860 sq mi (17,800 km2) |
| • Land | 6,247 sq mi (16,180 km2) |
| • Water | 612 sq mi (1,590 km2) 8.9%% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 200,231 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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199,182  |
| • Density | 32.1/sq mi (12.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
St. Louis County is a county located in the Arrowhead Region of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 200,231. Its county seat is Duluth. It is the largest county in Minnesota by land area, and the largest in the United States by total area east of the Mississippi River, ahead of Aroostook County, Maine.
St. Louis County is included in the Duluth, MN-Superior WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Major industries include pulpwood production and tourism. Open pit mining of taconite and processing it into high grade iron ore remains an important part of the economy of the Iron Range. Parts of the federally recognized Bois Forte and Fond du Lac Indian reservations are in the county.
Contents
History
St. Louis County was created on March 3, 1855 by acts of the territorial legislature. It was named for the St. Louis River, the largest river entering Lake Superior. It is a major river flowing through the county. As of 1860 the population was only 406. By 1870 it was 4,561. According to the state census, by 1895 the population had grown to 78,575.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 6,860 square miles (17,800 km2), of which 6,247 square miles (16,180 km2) is land and 612 square miles (1,590 km2) (8.9%) is water. By area, it is the largest county in Minnesota and the second largest in the United States east of the Mississippi River.
St. Louis County is known for its spectacular natural beauty. It includes Voyageurs National Park,Superior National Forest and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. It is the gateway to the North Shore of Lake Superior. St. Louis county has 1,000 lakes and hundreds of miles of rivers and trout streams.
Saint Louis County has one of the most important fresh water ports in the United States, located in Duluth on Lake Superior. The county is part of the Iron Range, which has a significant taconite mining industry. Three-fourths of the iron ore in the United States comes from this area.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 406 | — | |
| 1870 | 4,561 | 1,023.4% | |
| 1880 | 4,504 | −1.2% | |
| 1890 | 44,862 | 896.0% | |
| 1900 | 82,932 | 84.9% | |
| 1910 | 163,274 | 96.9% | |
| 1920 | 206,391 | 26.4% | |
| 1930 | 204,596 | −0.9% | |
| 1940 | 206,917 | 1.1% | |
| 1950 | 206,062 | −0.4% | |
| 1960 | 231,588 | 12.4% | |
| 1970 | 220,693 | −4.7% | |
| 1980 | 222,229 | 0.7% | |
| 1990 | 198,213 | −10.8% | |
| 2000 | 200,528 | 1.2% | |
| 2010 | 200,226 | −0.2% | |
| 2020 | 200,231 | 0.0% | |
| 2021 (est.) | 199,182 | −0.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020 |
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As of the 2010 census, there were 200,226 people in the county. The racial makeup of the county was 94.0% White, 2.2% Native American, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.9% Asian, 0.2% of some other race and 2.3% of two or more races. 1.2% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). According to the 2010–2015 American Community Survey, the ancestral makeup was 24.3% German, 15.9% Norwegian, 13.0% Swedish, and 10.2% Irish.
As of the 2000 census, there were 200,528 people, 82,619 households, and 51,389 families in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile (12/km2). There were 95,800 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.86% White, 0.85% Black or African American, 2.03% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 1.35% from two or more races. 0.80% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
27.60% of households included children under the age of 18, 49.30% were married couples living together, 9.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.80% were non-families. 31.20% of all households consisted of individuals, and 13.00% of individuals 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.90.
The population contained 22.40% under the age of 18, 11.40% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,306, and the median income for a family was $47,134. Males had a median income of $37,934 versus $24,235 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,982. About 7.20% of families and 12.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.10% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de St. Louis (Minnesota) para niños
