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Polk County, Minnesota facts for kids

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Polk County
U.S. county
Polk County Government Center in Crookston
Polk County Government Center in Crookston
Map of Minnesota highlighting Polk County
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Map of the United States highlighting Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Minnesota
Founded July 20, 1858 (created)
1872 (organized)
Named for James Knox Polk
Seat Crookston
Largest city East Grand Forks
Area
 • Total 1,998 sq mi (5,170 km2)
 • Land 1,971 sq mi (5,100 km2)
 • Water 27 sq mi (70 km2)  1.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 31,192
 • Estimate 
(2023)
 30,412 Decrease
 • Density 15.8/sq mi (6.1/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 7th

Polk County is a county in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 31,192 at the 2020 census. Its county seat is Crookston, and the largest community is East Grand Forks.

Polk County is part of the Grand Forks, ND-MN metropolitan statistical area.

History

In one of its early acts as a state entity, the Minnesota Legislature created the county on July 20, 1858, but did not organize it at that time. The county was named for the 11th president of the United States, James Knox Polk, who signed the congressional act that organized the Minnesota Territory. The county was organized in 1872 and 1873, with the newly settled community of Crookston as the county seat.

Geography

Polk County lies on Minnesota's border with North Dakota (across the Red River). The Red Lake River flows west through the upper central part of the county, discharging into the Red at Grand Forks. The county terrain consists of low, rolling hills, devoted to agriculture. The county slopes to the west and north, with its highest point near its southeast corner, at 1,519 ft (463 m) above sea level. The county has an area of 1,998 square miles (5,170 km2), of which 27 square miles (70 km2) (1.3%) is covered by water. USGS surveys show the county's high point to be 1,575 ft (0.480 km) south of U.S. 2, about 2 km east of Spring Lake, at 47.5197°N, 95.5906°W.

Major highways

  • US 2.svg U.S. Highway 2
  • US 59.svg U.S. Highway 59
  • US 75.svg U.S. Highway 75
  • MN-9.svg Minnesota State Highway 9
  • MN-32.svg Minnesota State Highway 32
  • MN-92.svg Minnesota State Highway 92
  • MN-102.svg Minnesota State Highway 102
  • MN-220.svg Minnesota State Highway 220
  • Polk County 21.svg Polk County State-Aid Highway 21: This is the major connector between Grand Forks and Pennington County, and connects with Pennington County State-Aid Highway 3.
  • County 9 (MN).svg Polk County State-Aid Highway 9: A major connector between Crookston and the south end of Grand Forks, it connects with Grand Forks County Road 7, and functions as a southside connector between US 75 and US 2 in Crookston.
  • County 11 (MN).svg County 46 (MN).svg Polk County State-Aid Highways 11 & 46: US 2 Truck Bypass of Crookston
  • County 2 square.svg Polk County State-Aid Highway 2: Designated and designed for heavy truck traffic connecting US 2 to Roseau County and Marshall County.

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

  • Agassiz Dunes Scientific and Natural Area (part)
  • Belgium State Wildlife Management Area
  • Brandsvold State Wildlife Management Area
  • Castor State Wildlife Management Area
  • Enerson State Wildlife Management Area
  • Erskine State Wildlife Management Area
  • Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge
  • Gully Fen Scientific and Natural Area
  • Hangaard State Wildlife Management Area
  • Hasselton State Wildlife Management Area (part)
  • Hill River State Wildlife Management Area
  • Kroening State Wildlife Management Area
  • Lavoi State Wildlife Management Area
  • Lessor State Wildlife Management Area
  • Mahgre State Wildlife Management Area
  • Malmberg Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
  • Pembina State Wildlife Management Area
  • Polk State Wildlife Management Area
  • Red River State Recreation Area (part)
  • Red River Valley Natural History Area
  • Rindahl State Wildlife Management Area
  • Rydell National Wildlife Refuge
  • Sand Hill Recreation Area
  • Shypoke State Wildlife Management Area
  • Stipa State Wildlife Management Area

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1880 11,433 —
1890 30,192 164.1%
1900 35,429 17.3%
1910 36,001 1.6%
1920 37,090 3.0%
1930 36,019 −2.9%
1940 37,734 4.8%
1950 35,900 −4.9%
1960 36,182 0.8%
1970 34,435 −4.8%
1980 34,844 1.2%
1990 32,498 −6.7%
2000 31,369 −3.5%
2010 31,600 0.7%
2020 31,192 −1.3%
2023 (est.) 30,412 −3.8%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2020

2020 Census

Polk County, Minnesota – Racial and ethnic composition
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020  % 2000  % 2010 % 2020
White (NH) 28,994 28,497 26,538 94.18% 93.30% 85.10%
Black or African American (NH) 86 248 958 0.33% 0.90% 3.10%
Native American (NH) 381 413 376 1.30% 1.40% 1.21%
Asian (NH) 91 210 156 0.30% 0.70% 0.50%
Pacific Islander (NH) 2 2 4 0.00% 0.00% 0.01%
Other race (NH) 0 9 71 1.30% 1.60% 2.00%
Other/mixed (NH) 313 501 1,161 2.77% 2.10% 3.72%
Hispanic or Latino 1,502 1,720 1,999 4.79% 5.40% 6.41%
Total 31,369 31,600 31,192 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

As of the 2020 census, there were 31,192 people, 12,534 households, and 7,852 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,971.00 people per square mile (761.01 people/km2). There were 14,623 housing units. The racial makeup of the county was 85.1% white, 3.1% black or African American, 1.21% Native American, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.5% Asian, % other races, and 3.72% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.41% of the population.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 31,600 people, 12,704 households, and _ families were in the county. The population density was 1,971.13 people per square mile (761.06 people/km2). There were 14,610 housing units.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Townships

  • Andover Township
  • Angus Township
  • Badger Township
  • Belgium Township
  • Brandsvold Township
  • Brandt Township
  • Brislet Township
  • Bygland Township
  • Chester Township
  • Columbia Township
  • Crookston Township
  • Eden Township
  • Esther Township
  • Euclid Township
  • Fairfax Township
  • Fanny Township
  • Farley Township
  • Fisher Township
  • Garden Township
  • Garfield Township
  • Gentilly Township
  • Godfrey Township
  • Grand Forks Township
  • Grove Park-Tilden Township
  • Gully Township
  • Hammond Township
  • Helgeland Township
  • Higdem Township
  • Hill River Township
  • Hubbard Township
  • Huntsville Township
  • Johnson Township
  • Kertsonville Township
  • Keystone Township
  • King Township
  • Knute Township
  • Lessor Township
  • Liberty Township
  • Lowell Township
  • Nesbit Township
  • Northland Township
  • Onstad Township
  • Parnell Township
  • Queen Township
  • Reis Township
  • Rhinehart Township
  • Roome Township
  • Rosebud Township
  • Russia Township
  • Sandsville Township
  • Scandia Township
  • Sletten Township
  • Sullivan Township
  • Tabor Township
  • Tynsid Township
  • Vineland Township
  • Winger Township
  • Woodside Township

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Polk (Minnesota) para niños

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