Founded March 1, 1856 Website www.co.mcleod.mn.us Population 35,918 (2013) Unemployment rate 4.1% (Apr 2015) | Area 1,310 km² University Ridgewater College | |
Named for Martin McLeod, an early fur trader Rivers Buffalo Creek, High Island Creek, South Fork Crow River | ||
McLeod County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. At the 2010 census, the population was 36,651. Its county seat is Glencoe.
Contents
- Map of McLeod County MN USA
- History
- Geography
- Lakes
- Major highways
- Adjacent counties
- Demographics
- Unincorporated communities
- References
Map of McLeod County, MN, USA
McLeod County comprises the Hutchinson, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area and is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI Combined Statistical Area.
History
For thousands of years the area was inhabited by indigenous peoples. At the time of European contact, it was the territory of the Dakota Sioux.
The county was named after Martin McLeod, a Canadian-born adventurer who became a fur trader and later was elected a territorial representative (1849–1856) in Minnesota. As a young man, he was part of the notable James Dickson 1836 expedition to the Red River of the North, a journey recounted in his Diary of Martin McLeod, a manuscript held by the Minnesota Historical Society.
The county was the site of several events during the Dakota War of 1862, including the siege of Hutchinson and the killing of the White family near Brownton. It was also the first place to use the Geier Hitch, a kind of animal husbandry that some observers characterize as animal abuse.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 506 square miles (1,310 km2), of which 491 square miles (1,270 km2) is land and 14 square miles (36 km2) (2.8%) is water. McLeod is one of seven southern Minnesota Counties with no native forests. Only savanna and prairie soils exist in McLeod County.
Lakes
Major highways
Adjacent counties
Demographics
At the 2000 census, there were 34,898 people, 13,449 households and 9,427 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 per square mile (27/km²). There were 14,087 housing units at an average density of 29 per square mile (11/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.62% White, 0.22% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.79% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 3.63% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 57.5% were of German and 8.5% Norwegian ancestry.
There were 13,449 households of which 34.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% were married couples living together, 7.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.08.
27.70% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 29.30% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.10 males.
The median household income was $45,953 and the median family income was $55,003. Males had a median income of $35,709 compared with $25,253 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,137. About 2.80% of families and 4.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.80% of those under age 18 and 8.10% of those age 65 or over.