RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Fastest shrinking, Minnesota counties · 2000

Minnesota counties with the steepest population decline since the prior decennial census. This list covers the 87 counties in Minnesota that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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YEAR2000 2010 2020

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION GROWTHVS 2000

01Koochiching County, MNMN11,587-11.9%+0%

02Lac qui Parle County, MNMN6,704-9.6%+0%

03Kittson County, MNMN4,031-8.4%+0%

04Marshall County, MNMN8,798-7.6%+0%

05Big Stone County, MNMN5,054-7.4%+0%

06Traverse County, MNMN3,130-7.4%+0%

07Lincoln County, MNMN5,583-6.7%+0%

08Norman County, MNMN6,336-6.7%+0%

09Pipestone County, MNMN9,260-5.7%+0%

10Stevens County, MNMN9,747-5.5%+0%

11Yellow Medicine County, MNMN9,477-5.2%+0%

12Murray County, MNMN7,942-5.1%+0%

13Wilkin County, MNMN6,288-5.0%+0%

14Red Lake County, MNMN3,940-5.0%+0%

15Martin County, MNMN19,440-4.9%+0%

16Faribault County, MNMN13,888-4.5%+0%

17Cottonwood County, MNMN11,405-4.2%+0%

18Jackson County, MNMN9,857-3.5%+0%

19Polk County, MNMN30,545-3.5%+0%

20Renville County, MNMN14,356-2.9%+0%

21Redwood County, MNMN15,265-2.5%+0%

22Freeborn County, MNMN30,440-1.4%+0%

23Chippewa County, MNMN12,406-1.1%+0%

24Rock County, MNMN9,524-0.9%+0%

25Brown County, MNMN25,517-0.3%+0%

26Grant County, MNMN6,085+0.7%+0%

27St. Louis County, MNMN200,518+1.2%+0%

28Clearwater County, MNMN8,647+1.4%+0%

29Clay County, MNMN67,734+1.6%+0%

30Fillmore County, MNMN21,540+1.7%+0%

31Watonwan County, MNMN11,459+1.7%+0%

32Pennington County, MNMN13,686+2.1%+0%

33Lyon County, MNMN25,684+2.6%+0%

34Mahnomen County, MNMN5,153+2.9%+0%

35Mower County, MNMN40,971+3.3%+0%

36Blue Earth County, MNMN70,634+3.5%+0%

37Nobles County, MNMN22,338+3.7%+0%

38Wadena County, MNMN14,388+4.2%+0%

39Winona County, MNMN50,523+4.5%+0%

40Todd County, MNMN26,060+4.5%+0%

41Pope County, MNMN11,420+4.6%+0%

42Ramsey County, MNMN541,623+5.2%+0%

43Nicollet County, MNMN34,273+6.0%+0%

44Lake County, MNMN10,746+6.2%+0%

45Kandiyohi County, MNMN44,720+6.3%+0%

46Houston County, MNMN18,400+6.6%+0%

47Sibley County, MNMN15,356+6.9%+0%

48Morrison County, MNMN34,620+7.1%+0%

49Becker County, MNMN35,497+7.6%+0%

50Itasca County, MNMN45,404+7.7%+0%

51Waseca County, MNMN18,688+8.0%+0%

52Hennepin County, MNMN1,284,784+8.1%+0%

53Carlton County, MNMN36,711+8.2%+0%

54Goodhue County, MNMN48,195+8.4%+0%

55Meeker County, MNMN23,603+8.6%+0%

56Roseau County, MNMN15,246+8.7%+0%

57McLeod County, MNMN36,631+9.0%+0%

58Le Sueur County, MNMN29,453+9.4%+0%

59Wabasha County, MNMN21,537+9.5%+0%

60Steele County, MNMN37,464+9.6%+0%

61Lake of the Woods County, MNMN3,770+10.9%+0%

62Swift County, MNMN9,763+11.5%+0%

63Stearns County, MNMN164,110+12.1%+0%

64Otter Tail County, MNMN61,041+12.7%+0%

65Dodge County, MNMN21,376+12.7%+0%

66Benton County, MNMN41,744+13.4%+0%

67Douglas County, MNMN40,120+14.5%+0%

68Rice County, MNMN69,939+15.2%+0%

69Beltrami County, MNMN47,055+15.3%+0%

70Olmsted County, MNMN166,731+16.7%+0%

71Kanabec County, MNMN16,628+17.1%+0%

72Mille Lacs County, MNMN27,753+19.6%+0%

73Isanti County, MNMN44,386+20.7%+0%

74Anoka County, MNMN381,605+22.3%+0%

75Hubbard County, MNMN22,369+23.0%+0%

76Aitkin County, MNMN16,252+23.1%+0%

77Crow Wing County, MNMN69,132+24.5%+0%

78Cass County, MNMN31,430+24.6%+0%

79Pine County, MNMN30,472+24.8%+0%

80Dakota County, MNMN457,710+29.3%+0%

81Wright County, MNMN157,559+31.0%+0%

82Cook County, MNMN5,522+33.6%+0%

83Chisago County, MNMN59,142+34.7%+0%

84Washington County, MNMN286,895+37.9%+0%

85Carver County, MNMN114,379+46.5%+0%

86Sherburne County, MNMN104,194+53.6%+0%

87Scott County, MNMN159,017+54.7%+0%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES