RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 87 SHOWN OF 87

Most sparsely populated, Minnesota counties · 2020

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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YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Lake of the Woods County, MNMN3,7703−17%

02Kittson County, MNMN4,0314−20%

03Cook County, MNMN5,5224+8%

04Koochiching County, MNMN11,5874−16%

05Marshall County, MNMN8,7985−11%

06Lake County, MNMN10,7465−1%

07Traverse County, MNMN3,1306−19%

08Norman County, MNMN6,3367−13%

09Clearwater County, MNMN8,6479+1%

10Aitkin County, MNMN16,2529+3%

11Wilkin County, MNMN6,2889−9%

12Lac qui Parle County, MNMN6,7049−17%

13Red Lake County, MNMN3,9409−8%

14Roseau County, MNMN15,2469−6%

15Mahnomen County, MNMN5,15310+4%

16Big Stone County, MNMN5,05410−11%

17Lincoln County, MNMN5,58311−12%

18Grant County, MNMN6,08511−3%

19Murray County, MNMN7,94212−11%

20Yellow Medicine County, MNMN9,47713−14%

21Swift County, MNMN9,76313−18%

22Jackson County, MNMN9,85714−11%

23Cass County, MNMN31,43015+11%

24Renville County, MNMN14,35615−14%

25Polk County, MNMN30,54516−1%

26Pope County, MNMN11,42017+1%

27Itasca County, MNMN45,40417+2%

28Stevens County, MNMN9,74717−4%

29Redwood County, MNMN15,26518−8%

30Cottonwood County, MNMN11,40518−5%

31Beltrami County, MNMN47,05518+17%

32Faribault County, MNMN13,88820−14%

33Rock County, MNMN9,52420−0%

34Pipestone County, MNMN9,26020−5%

35Pine County, MNMN30,47220+9%

36Chippewa County, MNMN12,40622−4%

37Pennington County, MNMN13,68623+3%

38Hubbard County, MNMN22,36923+16%

39Fillmore County, MNMN21,54025+1%

40Sibley County, MNMN15,35625−3%

41Watonwan County, MNMN11,45926−5%

42Wadena County, MNMN14,38826+3%

43Todd County, MNMN26,06027+3%

44Becker County, MNMN35,49727+17%

45Martin County, MNMN19,44028−8%

46Morrison County, MNMN34,62030+7%

47Otter Tail County, MNMN61,04130+5%

48Kanabec County, MNMN16,62831+7%

49Nobles County, MNMN22,33831+7%

50St. Louis County, MNMN200,51832−0%

51Houston County, MNMN18,40034−4%

52Lyon County, MNMN25,68435−1%

53Meeker County, MNMN23,60338+3%

54Wabasha County, MNMN21,53741−1%

55Carlton County, MNMN36,71142+14%

56Brown County, MNMN25,51742−4%

57Freeborn County, MNMN30,44044−5%

58Waseca County, MNMN18,68845−3%

59Mille Lacs County, MNMN27,75346+18%

60Dodge County, MNMN21,37647+18%

61Kandiyohi County, MNMN44,72055+6%

62Mower County, MNMN40,97156+4%

63Douglas County, MNMN40,12061+19%

64Clay County, MNMN67,73462+28%

65Goodhue County, MNMN48,19563+8%

66Le Sueur County, MNMN29,45364+13%

67Crow Wing County, MNMN69,13266+20%

68McLeod County, MNMN36,63175+5%

69Nicollet County, MNMN34,27377+16%

70Winona County, MNMN50,52379−1%

71Steele County, MNMN37,46487+11%

72Blue Earth County, MNMN70,63492+24%

73Isanti County, MNMN44,38694+31%

74Benton County, MNMN41,744101+21%

75Stearns County, MNMN164,110118+19%

76Rice County, MNMN69,939135+18%

77Chisago County, MNMN59,142136+38%

78Wright County, MNMN157,559214+57%

79Sherburne County, MNMN104,194224+51%

80Olmsted County, MNMN166,731249+31%

81Carver County, MNMN114,379302+52%

82Scott County, MNMN159,017424+69%

83Washington County, MNMN286,895695+33%

84Dakota County, MNMN457,710782+24%

85Anoka County, MNMN381,605862+22%

86Hennepin County, MNMN1,284,7842,313+15%

87Ramsey County, MNMN541,6233,628+8%

SHOWING 1–87 OF 87

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