FILLMORE County, MN

Fillmore County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 21,228. Its county seat is Preston. Fillmore County is included in the Rochester, MN Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Fillmore County was created on March 5, 1853. It is named for Millard Fillmore, the 13th President of the United States. Fillmore County was an early destination for Euro-American settlement following the United States' 1851 treaties with the Dakota nations. Norwegian immigrants were particularly numerous. In 1860 Fillmore was Minnesota's most populous county.

Geography

Fillmore County is on Minnesota's border with Iowa. The Root River drains the county, flowing eastward. The North Branch and the Middle Branch combine east of Shady Creek, while the South Branch meets their combined flow at Preston. Bear Creek drains the lower part of the county, discharging into the Root in the eastern part of the county. Willow Creek also drains a portion of the lower county, discharging into the Root at Preston. The Upper Iowa River flows eastward, mostly in adjoining Iowa counties, but briefly enters Fillmore County near the midpoint of its southern border.

The county's terrain consists of rolling hills, carved by gullies and drainages, with the available area dedicated to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the east; its highest point is on the lower western border, at 1,378' (420m) ASL. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.09%) is water.

The county is part of the Driftless Area or Paleozoic plateau. This part of Minnesota was ice-free during the last ice age. Fillmore County also displays a karst topography.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

Demographics

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 20,866 people, 8,545 households, and 5,763 families in the county. The population density was 24.2/sqmi (9.36/km²). There were 9,732 housing units at an average density of 11.3/sqmi (4.36/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.2% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. 1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,545 households, out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.60% were non-families. 28.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.32% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.94.

The county population contained 24.3% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 28.20% from 45 to 64, and 17.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.80 males.

In 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $45,888, and the median income for a family was $59,034. Males had a median income of $39,239 versus $33,571 for females. 2015 estimates state the per capita income for the county was $26,348. In 2015, about 7.4% of families and 11.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.50% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

thumb|County landscape in autumn

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Government and politics

Fillmore County was a swing county until the 2016 presidential election. From 1980 to 2016, the county predicted the president 67% of the time. Since 2016, Fillmore County has shifted rightward and has voted for the Republican nominee by double digits.