CHISAGO County, MN

Chisago County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 56,621. Its county seat is Center City.

Chisago County is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Chisago County was organized in 1851. It took its name from Chisago Lake. Swedish immigrants were the predominant group in Chisago County from the early to late 1800s, and strongly influenced the county's religious and cultural development. The county has retained and continues to celebrate much of its Swedish heritage.

Geography

Chisago County lies on Minnesota's eastern border, abutting the western border of Wisconsin (across the Saint Croix River). The Saint Croix flows south-southeast along the county's eastern border. The Sunrise River flows north through the county's central part, collecting the waters of the North Branch Sunrise River and Hay Creek before discharging into the St. Croix at the county's eastern boundary. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the south and east, with its highest point near the northwest corner, at 1,017' (310m) ASL. The county has an area of , of which is land and (6.2%) is water.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in Center City have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1977 and a record high of was recorded in July 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in January to in June.

Demographics

thumb|Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 U.S. census data

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 53,887 people, 19,470 households, and 14,389 families in the county. The population density was 130/sqmi (50.1/km²). There were 21,172 housing units at an average density of 51.0/sqmi (19.7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.80% White, 1.20% Black or African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. 1.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 19,470 households, out of which 37.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.00% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.10% were non-families. 20.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.09.

The county population contained 25.70% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 28.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 101.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.50 males. The per capita income for the county was $29,293. About 6.20% of the population was below the poverty line.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 41,101 people, 14,454 households, and 11,086 families in the county. The population density was 99.0/sqmi (38.2/km²). There were 15,533 housing units at an average density of 37 per square mile (14/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.21% White, 0.51% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.31% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 1.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 31.3% were of German, 18.1% Swedish, 11.3% Norwegian and 6.9% Irish ancestry.

There were 14,454 households, out of which 41.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.50% were married couples living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.30% were non-families. 18.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.18.

The county population contained 30.20% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 32.20% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 9.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 103.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $52,012, and the median income for a family was $57,335. Males had a median income of $40,743 versus $27,653 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,013. About 3.20% of families and 5.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.40% of those under age 18 and 8.00% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Arts and culture

Chisago County is strongly influenced by the German, Swedish and Norwegian immigrants who settled there in the mid-19th century. It provided the setting for much of Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg's suite of novels The Emigrants in the 1950s, and Moberg engaged in both archival and oral history research for his books to recreate the early Swedish immigration in the area. Sculptor Ian Dudley's bronze statue of Moberg stands in Chisago City's park. His fictional characters Karl-Oskar and Kristina Nilsson from Ljuder parish in Småland settled around the Lake Ki-Chi-Saga (from the Ojibwe language Ki-chi-saga-igun (Gichi-zaaga'igan in the contemporary spelling) meaning "Big Lake-with-an-outlet," which was later shortened to Lake Chisago). The early settlers' heritage is still honored by the annual Karl Oskar Days in Lindström.

Government and politics

Chisago County has trended conservative in recent state and federal elections, backing every Republican nominee for president since 2000.