RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most sparsely populated, Minnesota counties · 2010

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

01Lake of the Woods County, MNMN3,7703−11%

02Cook County, MNMN5,5224+0%

03Kittson County, MNMN4,0314−14%

04Koochiching County, MNMN11,5874−7%

05Lake County, MNMN10,7465−2%

06Marshall County, MNMN8,7985−7%

07Traverse County, MNMN3,1306−14%

08Norman County, MNMN6,3368−8%

09Clearwater County, MNMN8,6479+3%

10Wilkin County, MNMN6,2889−8%

11Aitkin County, MNMN16,2529+6%

12Roseau County, MNMN15,2469−4%

13Red Lake County, MNMN3,9409−5%

14Lac qui Parle County, MNMN6,7049−10%

15Mahnomen County, MNMN5,15310+4%

16Big Stone County, MNMN5,05411−9%

17Lincoln County, MNMN5,58311−8%

18Grant County, MNMN6,08511−4%

19Murray County, MNMN7,94212−5%

20Swift County, MNMN9,76313−18%

21Yellow Medicine County, MNMN9,47714−6%

22Cass County, MNMN31,43014+5%

23Jackson County, MNMN9,85715−9%

24Renville County, MNMN14,35616−8%

25Polk County, MNMN30,54516+1%

26Pope County, MNMN11,42016−2%

27Itasca County, MNMN45,40417+2%

28Stevens County, MNMN9,74717−3%

29Beltrami County, MNMN47,05518+12%

30Cottonwood County, MNMN11,40518−4%

31Redwood County, MNMN15,26518−4%

32Rock County, MNMN9,52420−0%

33Faribault County, MNMN13,88820−10%

34Pipestone County, MNMN9,26021−3%

35Pine County, MNMN30,47221+12%

36Chippewa County, MNMN12,40621−5%

37Hubbard County, MNMN22,36922+11%

38Pennington County, MNMN13,68623+3%

39Fillmore County, MNMN21,54024−1%

40Becker County, MNMN35,49725+8%

41Watonwan County, MNMN11,45926−6%

42Wadena County, MNMN14,38826+1%

43Sibley County, MNMN15,35626−1%

44Todd County, MNMN26,06026+2%

45Otter Tail County, MNMN61,04129+0%

46Martin County, MNMN19,44029−4%

47Morrison County, MNMN34,62030+5%

48Nobles County, MNMN22,33830+3%

49Kanabec County, MNMN16,62831+8%

50St. Louis County, MNMN200,51832−0%

51Houston County, MNMN18,40034−4%

52Lyon County, MNMN25,68436+2%

53Meeker County, MNMN23,60338+3%

54Carlton County, MNMN36,71141+12%

55Wabasha County, MNMN21,53741+0%

56Brown County, MNMN25,51742−4%

57Freeborn County, MNMN30,44044−4%

58Waseca County, MNMN18,68845−2%

59Mille Lacs County, MNMN27,75346+17%

60Dodge County, MNMN21,37646+13%

61Kandiyohi County, MNMN44,72053+3%

62Mower County, MNMN40,97155+1%

63Clay County, MNMN67,73456+15%

64Douglas County, MNMN40,12057+10%

65Goodhue County, MNMN48,19561+5%

66Le Sueur County, MNMN29,45362+9%

67Crow Wing County, MNMN69,13263+13%

68Nicollet County, MNMN34,27373+10%

69McLeod County, MNMN36,63175+5%

70Winona County, MNMN50,52382+3%

71Steele County, MNMN37,46485+9%

72Blue Earth County, MNMN70,63486+14%

73Isanti County, MNMN44,38687+21%

74Benton County, MNMN41,74494+12%

75Stearns County, MNMN164,110112+13%

76Rice County, MNMN69,939129+13%

77Chisago County, MNMN59,142130+31%

78Wright County, MNMN157,559189+39%

79Sherburne County, MNMN104,194204+37%

80Olmsted County, MNMN166,731221+16%

81Carver County, MNMN114,379257+30%

82Scott County, MNMN159,017365+45%

83Washington County, MNMN286,895619+18%

84Dakota County, MNMN457,710708+12%

85Anoka County, MNMN381,605784+11%

86Hennepin County, MNMN1,284,7842,080+3%

87Ramsey County, MNMN541,6233,341−0%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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