Mahnomen County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,411. Its county seat is Mahnomen.
The county is part of the White Earth Indian Reservation."White Earth Indian Reservation" (United States Census Bureau map) It is the only county in Minnesota entirely within an Indian reservation. Mahnomen, East Polk, and Becker counties constitute one of northwestern Minnesota's biggest cattle-raising areas.
History The county was created from the east half of Norman County on December 27, 1906, with Mahnomen, a former railway station town, as the county seat. The county was named for the town, the name of which is one spelling of the Ojibwe word for "wild rice".
From 1857 to 1858, similarly named Manomin County existed in Minnesota, which merged into Anoka County.
Geography The Wild Rice River enters the county from Clearwater County and flows west through the central part of the county. The White Earth River originates from White Earth Lake on the county's southern border and flows northwest to its confluence with the Wild Rice near Mahnomen. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, carved with drainages. The eastern part of the county is dotted with lakes and ponds and largely wooded. All non-wooded areas are devoted to agriculture where possible.Mahnomen County MN Google Maps (accessed April 18, 2019) The county slopes to the west and north, with its highest point near the middle of the east border, at ASL. The county has an area of , of which is land and (4.3%) is water. Mahnomen is one of 17 Minnesota savanna region counties with more savanna soils than either prairie or forest soils.
Major highways U.S. Highway 59 Minnesota State Highway 113 Minnesota State Highway 200
Airports Mahnomen County Airport (3N8) - south of Mahnomen
Adjacent counties
Polk County - north Clearwater County - east Becker County - south Norman County - west
Protected areas Source:
Beaulife State Wildlife Management Area Bejou State Wildlife Management Area Budde Meadow State Wildlife Management Area Dittmer State Wildlife Management Area Foot State Wildlife Management Area Hasselton State Wildlife Management Area (part) Loncrace State Wildlife Management Area Mahgre State Wildlife Management Area Rush Lake State Wildlife Management Area Santee Prairie Scientific and Natural Area Wambach State Wildlife Management Area Warren Lake State Wildlife Management Area
Demographics
Racial and ethnic composition +Mahnomen County, Minnesota – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)4,5083,8273,2522,6982,27881.45%75.87%62.66%49.84%42.10%Black or African American alone (NH)1171180.02%0.02%0.13%0.20%0.15%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)9901,1841,4652,1482,25617.89%23.47%28.23%39.68%41.69%Asian alone (NH)953370.16%0.10%0.06%0.06%0.13%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census010xx0.00%0.02%0.00%Other race alone (NH)0060170.00%0.00%0.12%0.00%0.31%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census411453691xx7.92%8.37%12.77%Hispanic or Latino (any race)272746991540.49%0.54%0.89%1.83%2.85%Total5,5355,0445,1905,4135,411 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 5,411. The median age was 38.7 years. 28.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.7 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 42.6% White, 0.1% Black or African American, 42.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.7% from some other race, and 13.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.8% of the population.
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 2,014 households in the county, of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 39.0% were married-couple households, 20.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 2,550 housing units, of which 21.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 68.2% were owner-occupied and 31.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.6%.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,190 people, 1,969 households, and 1,366 families in the county. The population density was . There were 2,700 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 62.85% White (3,262 people) 0.13% Black or African American (7 people), 28.55% Native American (1,482 people), 0.06% Asian (3 people), 0.31% from other races (16 people), and 8.09% (420 people) from two or more races. 0.89% of the population (46 people) were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 29.4% (1525 people) were of German and 17.0% (882 people) Norwegian ancestry.
There were 1,969 households, out of which 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.60% were married couples living together, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.60% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.14.
The county population contained 29.20% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 23.50% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 102.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,053, and the median income for a family was $35,500. Males had a median income of $23,614 versus $21,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,438. About 11.80% of families and 16.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.30% of those under age 18 and 15.30% of those age 65 or over.
Communities Cities Bejou Mahnomen (county seat) Waubun
Census-designated places
Beaulieu Midway Naytahwaush Pine Bend Riverland Roy Lake The Ranch Twin Lakes West Roy Lake
Unincorporated community Mahkonce
Townships
Beaulieu Township Bejou Township Chief Township Clover Township Gregory Township Heier Township Island Lake Township La Garde Township Lake Grove Township Little Elbow Township Marsh Creek Township Oakland Township Pembina Township Popple Grove Township Rosedale Township Twin Lakes Township
Government and politics For several decades, Mahnomen County voters have tended to vote Democratic. As of 2020, the county has selected the Democratic candidate in six of the past ten presidential elections. However, since 2016, the county has trended Republican, voting for Donald Trump all three times, with Trump increasing his vote share in 2020 and 2024, receiving 53% of the vote in 2024. The county also voted Republican by double-digit margins for every statewide office in the 2022 Midterm Elections, potentially signifying a realignment.
+County Board of CommissionersPositionNameDistrictNext ElectionCommissioner and Vice ChairDarvin SchoenbornDistrict 12024Commissioner and ChairpersonDavid GerayDistrict 22026CommissionerLarry OlsonDistrict 32024CommissionerKaren AhmannDistrict 42026CommissionerJohn DarcoDistrict 52024 +State Legislature (2018-2020)PositionNameAffiliationDistrictSenateSteve GreenRepublicanDistrict 2House of RepresentativesMatt BlissRepublicanDistrict 2B +U.S Congress (2022-2025)PositionNameAffiliationDistrictHouse of RepresentativesPete StauberRepublican8thSenateAmy KlobucharDemocratN/ASenateTina SmithDemocratN/A
See also
USS Mahnomen County (LST-912)
References
External links County of Mahnomen website