Douglas County, Minnesota

Douglas County, Minnesota
Map of Minnesota highlighting Douglas County
Location in the U.S. state of Minnesota
Map of the United States highlighting Minnesota
Minnesota's location in the U.S.
Founded March 8, 1858 (created)
1866 (organized)[1]
Named for Stephen Douglas
Seat Alexandria
Largest city Alexandria
Area
  Total 720 sq mi (1,865 km2)
  Land 637 sq mi (1,650 km2)
  Water 83 sq mi (215 km2), 11%
Population (est.)
  (2015) 37,075
  Density 57/sq mi (22/km²)
Congressional district 7th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.co.douglas.mn.us

Douglas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2010 census, the population was 36,009.[2] Its county seat is Alexandria.[3] Douglas County was established in 1858. It is named for Stephen Douglas,[4] of Illinois. The county was formed in 1858 and organized in 1866.

Douglas County comprises the Alexandria, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Douglas County is the home of Minnesota's only wine-grape appellation, the 10,880 acres (44.0 km2) Alexandria Lakes AVA.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 720 square miles (1,900 km2), of which 637 square miles (1,650 km2) is land and 83 square miles (210 km2) (11%) is water.[5] It contains more than 250 lakes.

The county includes two of Minnesota's biomes: prairie grassland in the west and southeast, savannas (also prairie ecosystems) in the middle, and temperate deciduous forest in the south-central, north, and east.[6]

Douglas is one of 17 Minnesota counties where savanna soils dominate.

Native vegetation based on NRCS soils information[7]

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
18704,239
18809,130115.4%
189014,60660.0%
190017,96423.0%
191017,669−1.6%
192019,0397.8%
193018,813−1.2%
194020,3698.3%
195021,3044.6%
196021,3130.0%
197022,8927.4%
198027,83921.6%
199028,8393.6%
200032,82113.8%
201036,0099.7%
Est. 201537,075[8]3.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010-2015[2]

As of the census of 2000,[13] there were 32,821 people, 13,276 households, and 9,027 families residing in the county. The population density was 52 people per square mile (20/km²). There were 16,694 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.49% White, 0.18% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 0.48% from two or more races. 0.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 38.5% were of German, 24.6% Norwegian and 8.1% Swedish ancestry.

Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 U.S. census data

There were 13,276 households out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.00% were married couples living together, 6.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.00% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.00% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 17.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,703, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $30,968 versus $21,240 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,850. About 5.60% of families and 8.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.30% of those under age 18 and 11.00% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Major highways

Airports

Alexandria Municipal Airport, also known as Chandler Field, is a city-owned public-use airport located two nautical miles (3.7 km) southwest of the central business district of Alexandria, a city in Douglas County.

Communities

Cities

Townships

Unincorporated community

See also

References

  1. "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  2. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 108.
  5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  6. "Minnesota's Biomes" (PDF). Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. 2008. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
  7. Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp. 53 - 56. ISBN 978-0-615-50320-2.
  8. "County Totals Dataset: Population, Population Change and Estimated Components of Population Change: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  9. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  11. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  12. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  13. "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

External links

Coordinates: 45°56′N 95°27′W / 45.94°N 95.45°W / 45.94; -95.45

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