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Paynesville, Minnesota facts for kids

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Paynesville
Koronis Cinema, Downtown Paynesville
Koronis Cinema, Downtown Paynesville
Motto(s): 
"An Area For All Seasons"
Location of Paynesville  within Stearns County, Minnesota
Location of Paynesville
within Stearns County, Minnesota
Country United States
State Minnesota
County Stearns
Government
 • Type Mayor–council government
Area
 • Total 2.29 sq mi (5.93 km2)
 • Land 2.29 sq mi (5.93 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
1,175 ft (358 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 2,388
 • Estimate 
(2021)
2,449
 • Density 1,042.79/sq mi (402.66/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
56362
Area code(s) 320
FIPS code 27-49966
GNIS feature ID 2396168

Paynesville is a city in Stearns County, Minnesota, United States, on Lake Koronis, in the central part of the state. The population was 2,388 at the 2020 census. It is part of the St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Paynesville was platted in 1857 by Edwin E. Payne, and named for him. The town was completely evacuated to the relative safety of Richmond and St. Cloud during the 1862 Dakota War; the Dakota burned the townsite to the ground. The town was subsequently rebuilt, this time with the addition of a wooden stockade built by the U.S. Army.

The arrival of the Soo Line and Great Northern Railway in 1886 spurred increased settlement near the railroad lines, leading to the formation of the new settlements of Jim Town along the Soo Line and North Paynesville near the Great Northern. Jim town, on the site of today's downtown Paynesville, became the largest of the three Paynesvilles, eventually merging with the others as New Paynesville, later shortened back to Paynesville.

A post office has been in operation at Paynesville since 1857.

Geography

Paynesville lies along the North Fork of the Crow River and Lake Koronis. According to the United States Census Bureau, it has an area of 2.32 square miles (6.01 km2), all land.

Demographics

2013-0408-PaynesvilleCH
Paynesville City Hall
Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 127
1890 352 177.2%
1900 373 6.0%
1910 901 141.6%
1920 1,060 17.6%
1930 1,121 5.8%
1940 1,317 17.5%
1950 1,503 14.1%
1960 1,754 16.7%
1970 1,920 9.5%
1980 2,140 11.5%
1990 2,275 6.3%
2000 2,267 −0.4%
2010 2,432 7.3%
2020 2,388 −1.8%
2021 (est.) 2,449 0.7%
U.S. Decennial Census
2020 Census

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,432 people, 1,065 households, and 635 families living in the city. The population density was 1,048.3 inhabitants per square mile (404.8/km2). There were 1,148 housing units at an average density of 494.8 units per square mile (191.0 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.0% White, 0.5% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.

There were 1,065 households, of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.4% were non-families. 35.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.83.

The median age in the city was 42.4 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.6% were from 25 to 44; 21.9% were from 45 to 64; and 25.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Minnesota State Highways 4, 23, and 55 are three of Paynesville's main highways. Freight rail service is provided by the Soo Line's Paynesville Subdivision. Passenger rail service was formerly provided by the Great Northern Railway and by the Soo Line's Winnipeger until 1970; since then the nearest active train station to Paynesville has been in St. Cloud.

The City of Paynesville operates Paynesville Municipal Airport (PEX/KPEX), a small general aviation airport.

Area lakes

Lake Koronis

One mile south of Paynesville, the 3014-acre Lake Koronis offers some of the best fishing in the area, with an abundance of walleye, bass, and northern pike. It reaches a maximum depth of 132 feet and averages 29 feet deep. Aquatic invasive species found in the lake include starry stonewort and zebra mussels.

Rice Lake

About five miles east-southeast of Paynesville, the 1639-acre Rice Lake also offers excellent walleye, bass, and northern pike fishing. There is public lake access on the northwest shore, at the end of 180th Street, and on the southwest shore, at the end of 253rd Avenue.

See also

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