Big Stone County, Minnesota


Big Stone County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,166. Its county seat is Ortonville.

History

The county was formed in 1862, and was organized in 1874. It is named for Big Stone Lake.

Geography

Big Stone County lies on the western side of Minnesota. Its southwest boundary line abuts the east boundary line of the state of South Dakota. The Little Minnesota River flows along the county's southwestern boundary. Since 1937, a dam has impounded the river's waters, creating Big Stone Lake. Water flowing out from this lake flows along the south boundary line of the county, and is known as the Minnesota River from that point. Fish Creek flows southwesterly through the northwestern part of the county, discharging into Big Stone Lake at the county's southwestern boundary.
The terrain of Big Stone County is low rolling hills, wooded or devoted to agriculture. The terrain generally slopes to the south and east, although its southwestern portion slopes to the river valley. Its highest point is on its north line near the northwestern corner, east of Lagoona Beach, at ASL. The county has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

Lakes

Source: United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Ortonville have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in February 1994 and a record high of was recorded in July 1966. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in December to in July.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 5,166. The median age was 48.3 years. 21.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 27.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.0 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 93.5% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.5% from some other race, and 3.1% from two or more races. Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino] residents of any race comprised 2.7% of the population.
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 2,224 households in the county, of which 23.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 52.2% were married-couple households, 19.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 2,982 housing units, of which 25.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.3% were owner-occupied and 22.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.9%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,820 people, 2,377 households, and 1,611 families in the county. The population density was. There were 3,171 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 98.44% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.12% from other races, and 0.34% from two or more races. 0.34% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 45.7% were of German, 21.0% Norwegian, 8.0% Swedish and 6.3% Irish ancestry.
There were 2,377 households, out of which 29.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.60% were married couples living together, 5.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.20% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.97.
The county population contained 24.80% under the age of 18, 5.30% from 18 to 24, 21.90% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 24.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 94.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,721, and the median income for a family was $37,354. Males had a median income of $27,857 versus $20,123 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,708. About 7.80% of families and 12.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.50% of those under age 18 and 8.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Government and politics

Between 1928 and 2008, Big Stone County voted Democratic in every election except for two nationwide Republican landslides in 1952 and 1980. The only other time between 1928 and 2000 that the Republican candidate lost by less than 10% was Ronald Reagan during his 1984 landslide reelection. Beginning in 2000, the Democratic margins began to shrink, with George W. Bush losing by about 2% in both 2000 and 2004, and by a margin of no more than 60 votes. Despite favoring Barack Obama by over 6% in 2008, this would prove to be the most recent time Big Stone County would vote Democratic. Mitt Romney narrowly carried the county by 40 votes and less than 1.5% in 2012. But in 2016, Donald Trump greatly expanded the thin margin Romney won the county by as Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton lost by nearly 25%, the first time a Republican won by more than 5% in the county since 1924. Trump further increased his margin of victory in 2020 to over 27%, and improved even more in 2024 to over a 29% margin of victory.

Education

School districts include: