Carver County, Minnesota


Carver County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 106,922. Its county seat is Chaska. Carver County is named for explorer Jonathan Carver, who in 1766–67, traveled from Boston to the Minnesota River and wintered among the Sioux near the site of New Ulm. Carver County is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Statistics

In 2017, Carver County was ranked by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as the healthiest county in the State of Minnesota for the fifth year in a row. The foundation explained health outcomes represent “how healthy counties are within the state,” whereas health factors represent “an estimate of the future health of counties as compared with other counties within a state,” based on health behaviors, clinical care, and other environmental factors. Carver County continued to rank as the number one healthiest county throughout the state for 2018, 2019, and 2020.
In 2018, Carver County was ranked as the #1 "Happiest Place in America" according to a study conducted by the data firm Smart Asset. Carver County was one of three United States counties to receive a top 5 ranking for the third straight year. The other two counties were Loudoun and Fairfax counties in Virginia. The study compared counties across the country using the following eight factors: unemployment rate, poverty rate, affordability ratio, marriage rate, divorce rate, bankruptcy rate, life expectancy, and physical activity rate. In particular, Carver County scored well thanks to strong economic conditions with an unemployment rate of only 3.1% and a poverty rate of only 4.1%. Additionally, according to the data, 62% of residents were married and only 8% divorced. In each of those metrics, Carver ranked in the top 40 in the country.

Geography

The Minnesota River flows east-northeasterly along the county's southern border. The South Fork of the Crow River flows northeasterly through the upper western and central portions of the county. Carver Creek flows southeasterly from the county's central area, discharging into the Minnesota at the county's southern border. The terrain consists of low rolling hills, dotted with lakes in the eastern portion. The area is devoted to agriculture.
The terrain slopes to the east and south, with its northwest corner at ASL. A small hill northeast of Miller Lake rises to ASL, for the county's highest point.
The county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. It is Minnesota's second-smallest county by land area and third-smallest by total area.
Carver is one of seven southern Minnesota counties with no forest soils; only prairie ecosystems of savannas and prairies can be found in Carver County. It is also one of 17 Minnesota counties where savanna soils dominate.

Lakes

is home to seven lakes of 235 acres or larger. The largest is Lake Waconia, Minnesota's 73rd largest lake and the Twin Cities' second largest lake, with an area of 2,996 acres.
TownshipLakes
Benton TownshipBarlous Lake, Benton Lake, Maria Lake, Meuwissen Lake, Myers Lake, Rice Lake, Winkler Lake
Camden TownshipBerliner Lake, Eagle Lake, Smith Lake
Dahlgren TownshipAue Lake
Hancock TownshipAssumption Lake, Gaystock Lake, Maria Lake, Miller Lake,
Hollywood TownshipLippert Lake
Laketown TownshipCarl Krey Lake, Lake Auburn, Lake Virginia, Lake Waconia, Lake Zumbra, Lunsten Lake, Marsh Lake, Parley Lake, Piersons Lake, Reitz Lake, Schutz Lake, Stieger Lake, Sunny Lake, Turbid Lake, Wasserman Lake, Lake Bavaria
San Francisco TownshipHallquist Lake, Kelly Lake, Long Lake, Scott Lake,
Waconia TownshipBurandt Lake, Donders Lake, Goose Lake, Hydes Lake, Lake Minnewashta, Lake Patterson, Lake Waconia, Rutz Lake, Swan Lake
Watertown TownshipBuck Lake, Goose Lake, Lippert Lake, Mud Lake, Oak Lake, Swede Lake
Young America TownshipBarnes Lake, Brand Lake, Braunworth Lake, Tiger Lake, Young America Lake

Major highways

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Chaska have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1970 and a record high of was recorded in July 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in August.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, the county had a population of 106,922. The median age was 38.6 years. 27.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 12.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.3 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 86.5% White, 2.1% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.4% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.3% from some other race, and 5.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.0% of the population.
75.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 24.7% lived in rural areas.
There were 38,863 households in the county, of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 62.6% were married-couple households, 12.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 19.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 40,380 housing units, of which 3.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 81.1% were owner-occupied and 18.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%.

Racial and ethnic composition

''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 can be of any race.''

2010 census

The ethnic makeup of the county, according to the 2010 census, was the following:
There were 33,486 households, out of which 42.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.22.
The median income for a household in the county was $83,773, and the median income for a family was $96,913. Males had a median income of $66,150 versus $46,696 for females. The per capita income for the county was $37,457. About 3.3% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.5% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 70,205 people, 24,356 households, and 18,778 families in the county. The population density was. There were 24,883 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 95.95% White, 0.59% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 1.56% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.87% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. 2.55% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 44.3% were of German, 12.1% Norwegian, 7.1% Irish and 6.2% Swedish ancestry.
There were 24,356 households, out of which 45.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.40% were married couples living together, 7.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.90% were non-families. 18.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.26.
The county population contained 31.50% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 34.70% from 25 to 44, 19.50% from 45 to 64, and 7.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 100.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $65,540, and the median income for a family was $73,577. Males had a median income of $47,271 versus $32,107 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,486. About 2.30% of families and 3.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.60% of those under age 18 and 6.90% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

According to the county's comprehensive annual financial reports, the top employers by number of employees in the county are the following.
EmployerEmployees
Employees
Independent School District 112 2,0561,129
Ridgeview Medical Center1,5001,500
Emerson Process Management1,2011,800
Strom Aviation1,001
IWCO Direct1,0001,000
Independent School District 110 900
Carver County785793
Beckman Coulter780780
Bernard Group600
General Mills600
SuperValu700
Target700
Elkay Manufacturing620
Lake Region Manufacturing600