Douglas County, Minnesota


Douglas County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 39,006. Its county seat is Alexandria.
Douglas County comprises the Alexandria, Minnesota, Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Douglas County is the home of Minnesota's only wine-grape appellation, the Alexandria Lakes AVA.
WWW co.douglas.mn.us

History

The territorial legislature created Douglas County on March 8, 1858, shortly before Minnesota attained statehood. It was named for political figure Stephen A. Douglas, who was serving as a US Senator from Illinois at the time of the county's creation. The county organization was completed in 1866.

Geography

Spruce Creek flows southeast through northeastern Douglas county. The county consists of rolling hills, heavily dotted with lakes and ponds, especially in its north-to-south central portion. The hilly terrain generally slopes to the south and west; its highest point is near the northeast corner, at ASL. The county has an area of, of which is land and is water. It contains more than 250 lakes.
The county includes two of Minnesota's biomes: prairie grassland in the west and southeast, savannas in the middle, and temperate deciduous forest in the south-central, north, and east. Douglas is one of 17 Minnesota counties where savanna soils predominate.

Major highways

Airports

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

  • Anderson State Wildlife Management Area
  • Balgaard State Wildlife Management Area
  • Chermak State Wildlife Management Area
  • Herberger Lake State Wildlife Management Area
  • Kensington State Wildlife Management Area
  • La Grand State Wildlife Management Area
  • Lake Carlos State Park
  • Osakis State Wildlife Management Area North Unit
  • Red Rock Wildlife Management Area
  • Roger M. Holmes State Wildlife Management Area
  • Schnepf State Wildlife Management Area
  • Thornberg State Wildlife Management Area
  • Urness State Wildlife Management Area

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 39,006. The median age was 43.8 years. 21.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.2 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 94.6% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.7% from some other race, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.1% of the population.
48.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 51.4% lived in rural areas.
There were 16,557 households in the county, of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 53.4% were married-couple households, 18.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 21,769 housing units, of which 23.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.0% were owner-occupied and 25.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.9%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 32,821 people, 13,276 households, and 9,027 families in the county. The population density was. There were 16,694 housing units at an average density of. 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.
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.
The county population contained 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.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Government and politics

Douglas County traditionally votes Republican. In only one presidential election since 1964 has it selected the Democratic candidate. In recent years the Republican tilt in the county has increased, with Donald Trump receiving 67% of the county's vote in 2024, the best performance for a Republican presidential candidate since Theodore Roosevelt in 1904.