Itasca County

History

The boundaries of Itasca County were first defined in 1849, upon the creation of the Minnesota Territory. It was originally much larger, stretching over today's Cook, Lake, Saint Louis, Koochiching, eastern Lake of the Woods, eastern Beltrami, Itasca, northern Aitkin, and northern Carlton Counties.

Itasca County was originally named for Lake Itasca (no longer in the county's present borders), which was determined to be the true source of the Mississippi River. After many disputes over the Mississippi's source, Henry Schoolcraft set out to find it in 1832. When he did, he named it Lake Itasca. At its source, the Mississippi can be crossed on foot. It then flows past Bemidji, through Itasca County, to the Gulf of Mexico.

Geography

The terrain of Itasca County is hilly, heavily wooded, and studded with lakes and ponds. It generally slopes to the east, with its highest areas on its upper western border, at 1,437 ft (438 m) ASL. The county has an area of 2,928 square miles (7,580 km2), of which 2,668 square miles (6,910 km2) is land and 260 square miles (670 km2) (8.9%) is water. It is Minnesota's third-largest county by area.

Itasca County's landscape varies greatly. The low plains, rolling hills, and wetlands are where there was glacial activity in the past. This area has been forested for centuries. The forests include pines, spruces, hardwoods, cedar, and tamarack. Forestry and logging are major sectors in the area's economy.

Itasca County has many bodies of water, including creeks, rivers, and more than 1,400 lakes. The bodies of water support various wildlife species. Major bodies of water in the county include Lake Winnibigoshish, Pokegama Lake, Deer Lake, the Mississippi River, Bowstring Lake, and the Blandin Paper Mill Reservoir.

Protected areas

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Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 45,014. The median age was 46.5 years. 21.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 24.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 102.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.0 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 89.7% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 3.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 5.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.4% of the population.

23.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 77.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 18,968 households in the county, of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.9% were married-couple households, 19.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 25,375 housing units, of which 25.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 79.9% were owner-occupied and 20.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.3%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 43,992 people, 17,789 households, and 12,381 families in the county. The population density was 16.5 per square mile (6.4/km2). There were 24,528 housing units at an average density of 9.19 per square mile (3.55/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.64% White, 0.16% Black or African American, 3.40% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. 0.60% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 25.6% were of German, 13.8% Norwegian, 7.7% Finnish, 7.2% Swedish, 6.2% Irish, 5.0% United States or American and 5.0% English ancestry.

There were 17,789 households, out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were married couples living together, 7.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.40% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.91.

The county population contained 24.40% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 24.40% from 25 to 44, 26.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 99.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.20 males age 18 and over.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,234, and the median income for a family was $44,025. Males had a median income of $37,066 versus $22,327 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,717. About 7.70% of families and 10.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.60% of those under age 18 and 8.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Census-designated places

Ball Club

Goodland

Inger

Politics

Like fellow Iron Range counties St. Louis County, Carlton County, and Lake County, Itasca County voted strongly Democratic in presidential elections for about 80 years after the Great Depression, selecting the Democratic nominee in every election from 1932 through 2012. In 2016, the county swung Republican as Donald Trump received 54.1% of the vote. In 2020, Trump won 57.4% of the vote, the first time the county had voted Republican in two consecutive presidential elections since 1924 and 1928. In 2024, Trump won 59% of the vote, the most for a Republican presidential nominee since 1924.