RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most sparsely populated, Minnesota counties · 1990

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

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

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YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Cook County, MNMN5,5223−25%

02Lake of the Woods County, MNMN3,7703−10%

03Lake County, MNMN10,7465−6%

04Kittson County, MNMN4,0315+9%

05Koochiching County, MNMN11,5875+14%

06Marshall County, MNMN8,7986+8%

07Aitkin County, MNMN16,2527−19%

08Traverse County, MNMN3,1308+8%

09Clearwater County, MNMN8,6478−1%

10Roseau County, MNMN15,2469−8%

11Mahnomen County, MNMN5,1539−3%

12Norman County, MNMN6,3369+7%

13Wilkin County, MNMN6,28810+5%

14Red Lake County, MNMN3,94010+5%

15Cass County, MNMN31,43011−20%

16Grant County, MNMN6,08511−1%

17Lac qui Parle County, MNMN6,70412+11%

18Big Stone County, MNMN5,05413+8%

19Lincoln County, MNMN5,58313+7%

20Murray County, MNMN7,94214+5%

21Beltrami County, MNMN47,05514−13%

22Swift County, MNMN9,76314−10%

23Pine County, MNMN30,47215−20%

24Itasca County, MNMN45,40415−7%

25Yellow Medicine County, MNMN9,47715+5%

26Pope County, MNMN11,42016−4%

27Hubbard County, MNMN22,36916−19%

28Polk County, MNMN30,54516+4%

29Jackson County, MNMN9,85717+4%

30Renville County, MNMN14,35618+3%

31Stevens County, MNMN9,74719+6%

32Redwood County, MNMN15,26520+3%

33Cottonwood County, MNMN11,40520+4%

34Rock County, MNMN9,52420+1%

35Becker County, MNMN35,49721−7%

36Pennington County, MNMN13,68622−2%

37Pipestone County, MNMN9,26023+6%

38Chippewa County, MNMN12,40623+1%

39Faribault County, MNMN13,88824+5%

40Fillmore County, MNMN21,54024−2%

41Sibley County, MNMN15,35624−6%

42Wadena County, MNMN14,38825−4%

43Kanabec County, MNMN16,62825−15%

44Todd County, MNMN26,06025−4%

45Otter Tail County, MNMN61,04126−11%

46Morrison County, MNMN34,62026−7%

47Watonwan County, MNMN11,45927−2%

48Nobles County, MNMN22,33828−4%

49St. Louis County, MNMN200,51832−1%

50Martin County, MNMN19,44032+5%

51Mille Lacs County, MNMN27,75333−16%

52Houston County, MNMN18,40034−6%

53Carlton County, MNMN36,71134−8%

54Meeker County, MNMN23,60334−8%

55Lyon County, MNMN25,68435−3%

56Dodge County, MNMN21,37636−11%

57Wabasha County, MNMN21,53738−9%

58Waseca County, MNMN18,68843−7%

59Brown County, MNMN25,51744+0%

60Crow Wing County, MNMN69,13244−20%

61Douglas County, MNMN40,12045−13%

62Freeborn County, MNMN30,44047+1%

63Clay County, MNMN67,73448−2%

64Kandiyohi County, MNMN44,72049−6%

65Le Sueur County, MNMN29,45352−9%

66Mower County, MNMN40,97153−3%

67Goodhue County, MNMN48,19554−8%

68Isanti County, MNMN44,38659−17%

69Nicollet County, MNMN34,27363−6%

70McLeod County, MNMN36,63165−8%

71Steele County, MNMN37,46472−9%

72Blue Earth County, MNMN70,63472−3%

73Chisago County, MNMN59,14274−26%

74Benton County, MNMN41,74474−12%

75Winona County, MNMN50,52376−4%

76Stearns County, MNMN164,11088−11%

77Sherburne County, MNMN104,19497−35%

78Rice County, MNMN69,93999−13%

79Wright County, MNMN157,559104−24%

80Carver County, MNMN114,379135−32%

81Scott County, MNMN159,017162−35%

82Olmsted County, MNMN166,731163−14%

83Washington County, MNMN286,895379−27%

84Dakota County, MNMN457,710489−23%

85Anoka County, MNMN381,605577−18%

86Hennepin County, MNMN1,284,7841,864−8%

87Ramsey County, MNMN541,6233,191−5%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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