RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most sparsely populated, Minnesota counties · 1990

Minnesota counties with the fewest residents per square mile (1990). This list covers the 87 counties in Minnesota that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 87 is 25.

Flip the list · Most densely populated, US counties →

MinnesotaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS –

01Cook County, MNMN5,5223–

02Lake of the Woods County, MNMN3,7703–

03Lake County, MNMN10,7465–

04Kittson County, MNMN4,0315–

05Koochiching County, MNMN11,5875–

06Marshall County, MNMN8,7986–

07Aitkin County, MNMN16,2527–

08Traverse County, MNMN3,1308–

09Clearwater County, MNMN8,6478–

10Roseau County, MNMN15,2469–

11Mahnomen County, MNMN5,1539–

12Norman County, MNMN6,3369–

13Wilkin County, MNMN6,28810–

14Red Lake County, MNMN3,94010–

15Cass County, MNMN31,43011–

16Grant County, MNMN6,08511–

17Lac qui Parle County, MNMN6,70412–

18Big Stone County, MNMN5,05413–

19Lincoln County, MNMN5,58313–

20Murray County, MNMN7,94214–

21Beltrami County, MNMN47,05514–

22Swift County, MNMN9,76314–

23Pine County, MNMN30,47215–

24Itasca County, MNMN45,40415–

25Yellow Medicine County, MNMN9,47715–

26Pope County, MNMN11,42016–

27Hubbard County, MNMN22,36916–

28Polk County, MNMN30,54516–

29Jackson County, MNMN9,85717–

30Renville County, MNMN14,35618–

31Stevens County, MNMN9,74719–

32Redwood County, MNMN15,26520–

33Cottonwood County, MNMN11,40520–

34Rock County, MNMN9,52420–

35Becker County, MNMN35,49721–

36Pennington County, MNMN13,68622–

37Pipestone County, MNMN9,26023–

38Chippewa County, MNMN12,40623–

39Faribault County, MNMN13,88824–

40Fillmore County, MNMN21,54024–

41Sibley County, MNMN15,35624–

42Wadena County, MNMN14,38825–

43Kanabec County, MNMN16,62825–

44Todd County, MNMN26,06025–

45Otter Tail County, MNMN61,04126–

46Morrison County, MNMN34,62026–

47Watonwan County, MNMN11,45927–

48Nobles County, MNMN22,33828–

49St. Louis County, MNMN200,51832–

50Martin County, MNMN19,44032–

51Mille Lacs County, MNMN27,75333–

52Houston County, MNMN18,40034–

53Carlton County, MNMN36,71134–

54Meeker County, MNMN23,60334–

55Lyon County, MNMN25,68435–

56Dodge County, MNMN21,37636–

57Wabasha County, MNMN21,53738–

58Waseca County, MNMN18,68843–

59Brown County, MNMN25,51744–

60Crow Wing County, MNMN69,13244–

61Douglas County, MNMN40,12045–

62Freeborn County, MNMN30,44047–

63Clay County, MNMN67,73448–

64Kandiyohi County, MNMN44,72049–

65Le Sueur County, MNMN29,45352–

66Mower County, MNMN40,97153–

67Goodhue County, MNMN48,19554–

68Isanti County, MNMN44,38659–

69Nicollet County, MNMN34,27363–

70McLeod County, MNMN36,63165–

71Steele County, MNMN37,46472–

72Blue Earth County, MNMN70,63472–

73Chisago County, MNMN59,14274–

74Benton County, MNMN41,74474–

75Winona County, MNMN50,52376–

76Stearns County, MNMN164,11088–

77Sherburne County, MNMN104,19497–

78Rice County, MNMN69,93999–

79Wright County, MNMN157,559104–

80Carver County, MNMN114,379135–

81Scott County, MNMN159,017162–

82Olmsted County, MNMN166,731163–

83Washington County, MNMN286,895379–

84Dakota County, MNMN457,710489–

85Anoka County, MNMN381,605577–

86Hennepin County, MNMN1,284,7841,864–

87Ramsey County, MNMN541,6233,191–

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

Download CSV (full list, 87 rows)

UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS