Minnesota, the Gopher State


Land area: 79,617 sq. mi. (14)
Population (2010): 5,303,925 (21), up 7.81% since 2000
Population density: 66.62 per sq. mi. (31)
U.S. Representatives (2013-22): 8
Entered Union: 11-May-1858 (32)

Nowadays, people might equate Minnesota with Minneapolis’ Metrodome or Bloomington’s Mall of America. I prefer to think about the 10,000 lakes (give or take a dozen). Driving north, past Eveleth, home of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame (they play on the frozen lakes, you see), you get into some fabulous territory. You go through a forest and lakes pop up on either side of you. And don’t forget the hundreds of miles of the upper Mississippi – it starts a little ways west of Grand Rapids.

No. of Counties I’ve Visited: 87 of 87

County Pop. (2010)     Latest Visit   County Seat Visited?
Aitkin 16,202 1-Sep-2010 Aitkin yes
Anoka 330,844 2-Sep-2010 Anoka
Becker 32,504 10-Aug-2005 Detroit Lakes yes
Beltrami 44,442 1-Sep-2010 Bemidji yes
Benton 38,451 23-Aug-2010 Foley
Big Stone 5,269 10-Aug-2005 Ortonville
Blue Earth 64,013 22-Aug-2010 Mankato yes
Brown 25,893 23-Aug-2010 New Ulm yes
Carlton 35,386 2-Sep-2010 Carlton
Carver 91,042 23-Aug-2010 Chaska yes
Cass 28,567 1-Sep-2010 Walker yes
Chippewa 12,441 10-Aug-2005 Montevideo yes
Chisago 53,887 8-Aug-1995 Center City
Clay 58,999 24-Aug-2010 Moorhead yes
Clearwater 8,695 1-Sep-2010 Bagley yes
Cook 5,176 2-Sep-2010 Grand Marais yes
Cottonwood 11,687 22-Aug-2010 Windom yes
Crow Wing 62,500 1-Sep-2010 Brainerd yes
Dakota 398,552 22-Aug-2010 Hastings yes
Dodge 20,087 22-Aug-2010 Mantorville
Douglas 36,009 23-Aug-2010 Alexandria yes
Faribault 14,553 22-Aug-2010 Blue Earth yes
Fillmore 20,866 22-Aug-2010 Preston
Freeborn 31,255 22-Aug-2010 Albert Lea yes
Goodhue 46,183 22-Aug-2010 Red Wing yes
Grant 6,018 23-Aug-2010 Elbow Lake yes
Hennepin 1,152,425 2-Sep-2010 Minneapolis yes
Houston 19,027 21-Aug-2010 Caledonia
Hubbard 20,428 1-Sep-2010 Park Rapids yes
Isanti 37,816 2-Sep-2010 Cambridge yes
Itasca 45,058 1-Sep-2010 Grand Rapids yes
Jackson 10,266 22-Aug-2010 Jackson yes
Kanabec 16,239 2-Sep-2010 Mora yes
Kandiyohi 42,239 23-Aug-2010 Willmar yes
Kittson 4,552 10-Aug-2005 Hallock
Koochiching 13,311 8-Aug-1995 International Falls
Lac qui Parle 7,259 10-Aug-2005 Madison
Lake 10,866 2-Sep-2010 Two Harbors yes
Lake of the Woods 4,045 8-Aug-1995 Baudette yes
Le Sueur 27,703 22-Aug-2010 Le Center
Lincoln 5,896 10-Aug-2005 Ivanhoe
Lyon 25,857 10-Aug-2005 Marshall yes
McLeod 36,651 23-Aug-2010 Glencoe yes
Mahnomen 5,413 10-Aug-2005 Mahnomen yes
Marshall 9,439 10-Aug-2005 Warren
Martin 20,840 22-Aug-2010 Fairmont
Meeker 23,300 23-Aug-2010 Litchfield yes
Mille Lacs 26,097 2-Sep-2010 Milaca yes
Morrison 33,198 23-Aug-2010 Little Falls yes
Mower 39,163 22-Aug-2010 Austin yes
Murray 8,725 10-Aug-2005 Slayton
Nicollet 32,727 23-Aug-2010 St. Peter yes
Nobles 21,378 10-Aug-2005 Worthington
Norman 6,852 10-Aug-2005 Ada
Olmsted 144,248 22-Aug-2010 Rochester yes
Otter Tail 57,303 23-Aug-2010 Fergus Falls yes
Pennington 13,930 10-Aug-2005 Thief River Falls yes
Pine 29,750 2-Sep-2010 Pine City yes
Pipestone 9,596 10-Aug-2005 Pipestone
Polk 31,600 1-Sep-2010 Crookston yes
Pope 10,995 23-Aug-2010 Glenwood yes
Ramsey 508,640 3-Sep-2010 St. Paul yes
Red Lake 4,089 10-Aug-2005 Red Lake Falls yes
Redwood 16,059 23-Aug-2010 Redwood Falls yes
Renville 15,730 23-Aug-2010 Olivia yes
Rice 64,142 18-Aug-1998 Faribault yes
Rock 9,687 10-Aug-2005 Luverne yes
Roseau 15,629 8-Aug-1995 Roseau
St. Louis 200,226 2-Sep-2010 Duluth yes
Scott 129,928 22-Aug-2010 Shakopee yes
Sherburne 88,499 23-Aug-2010 Elk River
Sibley 15,226 23-Aug-2010 Gaylord yes
Stearns 150,642 23-Aug-2010 St. Cloud
Steele 36,576 22-Aug-2010 Owatonna yes
Stevens 9,726 10-Aug-2005 Morris yes
Swift 9,783 10-Aug-2005 Benson
Todd 24,895 1-Sep-2010 Long Prairie
Traverse 3,558 10-Aug-2005 Wheaton
Wabasha 21,676 21-Aug-2010 Wabasha yes
Wadena 13,843 1-Sep-2010 Wadena yes
Waseca 19,136 18-Aug-1998 Waseca yes
Washington 238,136 3-Sep-2010 Stillwater
Watonwan 11,211 22-Aug-2010 St. James yes
Wilkin 6,576 24-Aug-2010 Breckenridge yes
Winona 51,461 21-Aug-2010 Winona yes
Wright 124,700 23-Aug-2010 Buffalo yes
Yellow Medicine 10,438 10-Aug-2005 Granite Falls

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