RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most densely populated, Minnesota counties · 1990

Minnesota counties ranked by residents per square mile (2023). This list covers the 87 counties in Minnesota that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

Flip the list · Most sparsely populated, US counties →

MinnesotaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most sparsely populated Best broadband access Worst broadband access

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Ramsey County, MNMN541,6233,191−5%

02Hennepin County, MNMN1,284,7841,864−8%

03Anoka County, MNMN381,605577−18%

04Dakota County, MNMN457,710489−23%

05Washington County, MNMN286,895379−27%

06Olmsted County, MNMN166,731163−14%

07Scott County, MNMN159,017162−35%

08Carver County, MNMN114,379135−32%

09Wright County, MNMN157,559104−24%

10Rice County, MNMN69,93999−13%

11Sherburne County, MNMN104,19497−35%

12Stearns County, MNMN164,11088−11%

13Winona County, MNMN50,52376−4%

14Benton County, MNMN41,74474−12%

15Chisago County, MNMN59,14274−26%

16Blue Earth County, MNMN70,63472−3%

17Steele County, MNMN37,46472−9%

18McLeod County, MNMN36,63165−8%

19Nicollet County, MNMN34,27363−6%

20Isanti County, MNMN44,38659−17%

21Goodhue County, MNMN48,19554−8%

22Mower County, MNMN40,97153−3%

23Le Sueur County, MNMN29,45352−9%

24Kandiyohi County, MNMN44,72049−6%

25Clay County, MNMN67,73448−2%

26Freeborn County, MNMN30,44047+1%

27Douglas County, MNMN40,12045−13%

28Crow Wing County, MNMN69,13244−20%

29Brown County, MNMN25,51744+0%

30Waseca County, MNMN18,68843−7%

31Wabasha County, MNMN21,53738−9%

32Dodge County, MNMN21,37636−11%

33Lyon County, MNMN25,68435−3%

34Meeker County, MNMN23,60334−8%

35Carlton County, MNMN36,71134−8%

36Houston County, MNMN18,40034−6%

37Mille Lacs County, MNMN27,75333−16%

38Martin County, MNMN19,44032+5%

39St. Louis County, MNMN200,51832−1%

40Nobles County, MNMN22,33828−4%

41Watonwan County, MNMN11,45927−2%

42Morrison County, MNMN34,62026−7%

43Otter Tail County, MNMN61,04126−11%

44Todd County, MNMN26,06025−4%

45Kanabec County, MNMN16,62825−15%

46Wadena County, MNMN14,38825−4%

47Sibley County, MNMN15,35624−6%

48Fillmore County, MNMN21,54024−2%

49Faribault County, MNMN13,88824+5%

50Chippewa County, MNMN12,40623+1%

51Pipestone County, MNMN9,26023+6%

52Pennington County, MNMN13,68622−2%

53Becker County, MNMN35,49721−7%

54Rock County, MNMN9,52420+1%

55Cottonwood County, MNMN11,40520+4%

56Redwood County, MNMN15,26520+3%

57Stevens County, MNMN9,74719+6%

58Renville County, MNMN14,35618+3%

59Jackson County, MNMN9,85717+4%

60Polk County, MNMN30,54516+4%

61Hubbard County, MNMN22,36916−19%

62Pope County, MNMN11,42016−4%

63Yellow Medicine County, MNMN9,47715+5%

64Itasca County, MNMN45,40415−7%

65Pine County, MNMN30,47215−20%

66Swift County, MNMN9,76314−10%

67Beltrami County, MNMN47,05514−13%

68Murray County, MNMN7,94214+5%

69Lincoln County, MNMN5,58313+7%

70Big Stone County, MNMN5,05413+8%

71Lac qui Parle County, MNMN6,70412+11%

72Grant County, MNMN6,08511−1%

73Cass County, MNMN31,43011−20%

74Red Lake County, MNMN3,94010+5%

75Wilkin County, MNMN6,28810+5%

76Norman County, MNMN6,3369+7%

77Mahnomen County, MNMN5,1539−3%

78Roseau County, MNMN15,2469−8%

79Clearwater County, MNMN8,6478−1%

80Traverse County, MNMN3,1308+8%

81Aitkin County, MNMN16,2527−19%

82Marshall County, MNMN8,7986+8%

83Koochiching County, MNMN11,5875+14%

84Kittson County, MNMN4,0315+9%

85Lake County, MNMN10,7465−6%

86Lake of the Woods County, MNMN3,7703−10%

87Cook County, MNMN5,5223−25%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

Download CSV (full list, 87 rows)

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