Mille Lacs County ( ) is a county in the East Central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,459. Its county seat is Milaca. The county was founded in 1857, and its boundary was expanded in 1860.

Mille Lacs County is included in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Statistical Area.

A portion of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is in the county.

Etymology The name Mille Lacs, meaning "thousand lakes" in French, was associated with Mille Lacs Lake in the region. (Its full name in French was Grand lac du pays des mille lacs.) This is the largest lake in the Brainerd Lakes Area, which French colonists and traders called the "Region of the Thousand Lakes" (Pays des mille lacs).Upham, Warren. (1920; repr. 1991), Minnesota Place Names, St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press.

History The US legislature established the Wisconsin Territory effective July 3, 1836. It existed until its eastern portion was granted statehood (as Wisconsin) in 1848. The federal government set up the Minnesota Territory from the remaining territory effective March 3, 1849. The newly organized territorial legislature created nine counties across the territory in October of that year. On May 23, 1857, one of those original counties, Benton, had its eastern portion partitioned off to create Mille Lacs County. The original county consisted of the portion of the contemporary Mille Lacs County east of the west branch of the Rum River and two townships now part of Isanti County, adjacent to Mille Lacs County. In 1858 the 12 townships forming the contemporary southern 10 townships of Mille Lacs County and the two northwestern townships in Isanti County were organized apart from Benton and Mille Lacs Counties to form Monroe County, leaving the northern "Square Top-knot" as Mille Lacs County. In 1860, Monroe and Mille Lacs Counties merged. Shortly thereafter, the two southeastern townships were transferred to Isanti County, forming the county's present boundaries.

Geography The Rum River flows south through the county, originating from Mille Lacs Lake. It is joined by the West Branch of the Rum River, which rises in northwest Mille Lacs County and flows south-southeast to its confluence with the Rum at Princeton. The county terrain consists of wooded rolling hills, carved by drainages, with open areas devoted to agriculture.Mille Lacs County MN Google Maps (accessed May 3, 2019) The terrain slopes to the south and east, with its highest point at from the southwest shoreline of Mille Lacs Lake, in Mille Lacs Kathio State Park. A hill there measures ASL.Mille Lacs County High Point, Minnesota. PeakBagger.com (accessed May 3, 2019)

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is landThe total county area can be accurately calculated using its described boundaries. The quantity of "land", however, is not consistent across all sources. The US Census Bureau lists 572 square miles; the Mille Lacs County website "History" section lists 583 square miles, and the Census Bureas's Quick Facts website lists 574.47 square miles. and (16%) is water.

Major highways

U.S. Highway 169 Minnesota State Highway 18 Minnesota State Highway 23 Minnesota State Highway 27 Minnesota State Highway 47 Minnesota State Highway 95

Airports Milaca Municipal Airport (18Y) - northeast of Milaca Princeton Municipal Airport (PNM) - southwest of Princeton

Adjacent counties

Aitkin County - north Kanabec County - northeast Isanti County - southeast Sherburne County - south Benton County - southwest Morrison County - west Crow Wing County - northwest

Protected areas Sources:

Father Hennepin State Park Four Brooks State Wildlife Management Area (part) Kunkel State Wildlife Management Area Mille Lacs Kathio State Park Mille Lacs National Wildlife Refuge Mille Lacs State Wildlife Management Area Rum River State Forest Solana State Forest (part)

Demographics

2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 26,459. The median age was 41.7 years. 23.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 100.6 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 88.0% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 5.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.7% from some other race, and 4.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.8% of the population.

18.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 81.8% lived in rural areas.

There were 10,593 households in the county, of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.7% were married-couple households, 19.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 12,786 housing units, of which 17.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.4% were owner-occupied and 23.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.3%.

Racial and ethnic composition +Mille Lacs County, Minnesota – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)17,77317,90620,76023,58223,13196.44%95.91%92.97%90.36%87.42%Black or African American alone (NH)20265996780.11%0.14%0.26%0.37%0.29%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)4956151,0321,5341,4662.69%3.29%4.62%5.88%5.54%Asian alone (NH)443545791240.24%0.19%0.20%0.30%0.47%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 Census326xx0.01%0.01%0.02%Other race alone (NH)2611411980.14%0.01%0.06%0.04%0.37%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census2034161,075xx0.91%1.59%4.06%Hispanic or Latino (any race)72872143774810.39%0.47%0.96%1.44%1.82%Total18,43018,67022,33026,09726,459 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 22,330 people, 8,638 households, and 6,003 families in the county. The population density was . There were 10,467 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 93.55% White, 0.27% Black or African American, 4.68% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. 0.96% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 31.9% were of German, 14.4% Swedish and 14.2% Norwegian ancestry.

There were 8,638 households, out of which 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 25.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.03.

The county population contained 27.00% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 16.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,977, and the median income for a family was $44,054. Males had a median income of $32,348 versus $22,036 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,656. About 6.70% of families and 9.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.90% of those under age 18 and 11.30% of those age 65 or over. Communities Cities

Bock Foreston Isle (Chi-minising) Milaca (county seat) Onamia Pease Princeton (partly in Sherburne County) Wahkon

Census-designated place Vineland (Neyaashiing)

Unincorporated communities

Bayview Cove Estes Brook Long Siding Opstead Page Woodward Brook

Ghost towns

Brickton Burnhelm Siding Esteville Freer Johnsdale Soule's Crossing Stirling

Townships

Bogus Brook Township Borgholm Township Bradbury Township Dailey Township East Side Township Greenbush Township Hayland Township Isle Harbor Township Kathio Township Lewis Township Milaca Township Milo Township Mudgett Township Onamia Township Page Township Princeton Township South Harbor Township

Politics Mille Lacs County voters have traditionally voted a balanced ticket, but in the past few decades have become strongly Republican. Since 1980 the county selected the Republican Party candidate in 67% of national elections (as of 2020), and has done so in every election beginning in 2000.

Education School districts include: - Text list

Isle Public School District Milaca Public School District Ogilvie Public School District Onamia Public Schools Princeton Public School District

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

References

External links Mille Lacs County government’s website Minnesota Department of Transportation map of Mille Lacs County