Redwood County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census the population was 15,425. Its county seat is Redwood Falls, along the Redwood River near its confluence with the Minnesota River. The Lower Sioux Indian Reservation (also known as the Mdewakankton Tribal Reservation) is entirely within the county, along the southern bank of the Minnesota River in Paxton and Sherman townships. In the 2000 census it had a population of 335.

History The Minnesota Legislature created the county on February 8, 1862, with Redwood Falls as the county seat. It was named for the Redwood River, which flows eastward through the county.

Geography The Minnesota River flows southeast along the county's northeastern border. The Redwood River flows east through the upper part of the county, draining into the Minnesota near Redwood Falls. The Cottonwood River flows east through the lower part of the county, entering adjacent Brown County before discharging into the Minnesota. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, carved with drainages and sprinkled with lakes.Redwood County MN Google Maps (accessed April 5, 2019) The largely rural area is devoted to commodity crops of corn and soybeans. The terrain slopes to the east, with its highest point in the southwest corner at ASL."Find an Altitude/Redwood County MN" Google Maps (accessed April 5, 2019) The county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.4%) is water.

Airports Redwood Falls Municipal Airport (RWF)

Major highways

U.S. Highway 14 U.S. Highway 71 Minnesota State Highway 19 Minnesota State Highway 67 Minnesota State Highway 68 Minnesota State Highway 330

Adjacent counties

Renville County - northeast Brown County - east Cottonwood County - south Murray County - southwest Lyon County - west Yellow Medicine County - northwest

Lakes Source:

Daubs Lake Gales Lake Lake Francis Lake Redwood Long Lake Three Lakes Tiger Lake

Protected areas Source:

Alexander Ramsey State Park Cedar Mountain Scientific and Natural Area Cedar Rock Scientific and Natural Area Daubs Lake State Wildlife Management Area Delhi State Wildlife Management Area Gales State Wildlife Management Area Honner State Wildlife Management Area Klabunde State Wildlife Management Area Luescher-Barnum State Wildlife Management Area Mammenga State Wildlife Management Area Paul State Wildlife Management Area Rohlik State Wildlife Management Area Swedes Forest Scientific and Natural Area (part) Waterbury State Wildlife Management Area Westline State Wildlife Management Area Willow Lake State Wildlife Management Area

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +Redwood County, Minnesota – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)19,06816,83215,87914,11913,12398.59%97.55%94.43%87.92%85.08%Black or African American alone (NH)2272271760.01%0.16%0.13%0.44%0.49%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1402725267447740.72%1.58%3.13%4.63%5.02%Asian alone (NH)4831535044140.25%0.18%0.32%3.14%2.68%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 Census921xx0.05%0.01%0.01%Other race alone (NH)13113160.07%0.01%0.01%0.02%0.10%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census133281525xx0.79%1.75%3.40%Hispanic or Latino (any race)70911923354960.36%0.53%1.14%2.09%3.22%Total19,34117,25416,81516,05915,425 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 15,425. The median age was 40.8 years. 25.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 20.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 102.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.7 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 85.9% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 5.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.7% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.8% from some other race, and 4.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.2% of the population.

29.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 70.1% lived in rural areas.

There were 6,318 households in the county, of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.1% were married-couple households, 20.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 7,086 housing units, of which 10.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 78.6% were owner-occupied and 21.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 15.2%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, the county had 16,815 people, 6,674 households, and 4,524 families. The population density was . There were 7,230 housing units at an average density of . The county's racial makeup was 94.97% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 3.24% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 1.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 55.8% were of German and 13.7% Norwegian ancestry.

There were 6,674 households, of which 31.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.30% were married couples living together, 7.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.20% were non-families. 28.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.02.

26.50% of the county's population was under age 18, 6.60% was from age 18 to 24, 24.80% was from age 25 to 44, 22.70% was from age 45 to 64, and 19.30% was age 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 99.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.50 males.

The county's median household income was $37,352, and the median family income was $46,250. Males had a median income of $30,251 versus $21,481 for females. The county's per capita income was $18,903. About 5.50% of families and 7.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.30% of those under age 18 and 8.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Belview Clements Delhi Lamberton Lucan Milroy Morgan Redwood Falls (county seat) Revere Sanborn Seaforth Vesta Wabasso Walnut Grove Wanda

Unincorporated communities Source: Gilfillan Lower Sioux Indian Community Morton (part) Rowena

Townships

Brookville Township Charlestown Township Delhi Township Gales Township Granite Rock Township Honner Township Johnsonville Township Kintire Township Lamberton Township Morgan Township New Avon Township North Hero Township Paxton Township Redwood Falls Township Sheridan Township Sherman Township Springdale Township Sundown Township Swedes Forest Township Three Lakes Township Underwood Township Vail Township Vesta Township Waterbury Township Westline Township Willow Lake Township

Politics Redwood County is a reliably Republican county. In only one national election since 1948 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate, and even then, the margin of victory was under 2%.

See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Redwood County, Minnesota

Footnotes

Further reading Franklyn Curtiss-Wedge, The History of Redwood County, Minnesota. In Two Volumes. Chicago: H.C. Cooper Jr. and Co., 1916. Volume 1 | Volume 2

External links Redwood County government's website