Kandiyohi County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, its population is 43,732. As of November 20, 1871, its county seat is Willmar.

Kandiyohi County comprises the US Census Bureau's "Willmar, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area".

History Kandiyohi County is named for a Dakota word meaning "where the buffalo fish come". (kandi’ - the buffalo fish + oh-hi’-yu - v. of hiyu - to come through).* It was organized on March 20, 1858, with Kandiyohi established as the county seat in 1870 (it was then called Kandiyohi Station, as it was merely a stop on the railroad line). The original county occupied only the southern half of its current area. Development was slow, and in 1870 the state legislature called for Monongalia County to merge with Kandiyohi. It took until November 21, 1871, to agree on the centrally located Willmar as the county seat.

In March 1915, a law was signed to give Minnesota counties the right to choose whether to allow alcohol production. At this point, all cities in Kandiyohi County had already voted to ban alcohol. Until May 1965, when county option was eliminated, Kandiyohi was a dry county; no beverages with over 3.2% alcohol could be sold.

Geography The terrain of Kandiyohi County consists of rolling hills, partly wooded, mostly devoted to agriculture.Kandiyohi County MN Google Maps (accessed March 14, 2019) The territory slopes to the south and west, with the highest point near its northeastern corner, at ASL. The county has a total area of , of which are land and (7.6%) are covered by water. Kandiyohi County is one of seven southern Minnesota counties that have no forest soils; only prairie ecosystems of savannas and prairies exist.

Lakes Source:

There are nearly 70 named lakes in the county. Among these include:

Big Kandiyohi Lake Green Lake Little Kandiyohi Lake Long Lake (Dovre Township) Long Lake: (Irving and Roseville townships) Nest Lake Swan Lake (Colfax and Lake Andrew townships) Swan Lake: (Dovre and Willmar townships) Swan Lake: (Kandiyohi Township) Swan Lake: (Mamre Township) Woodcock Lake (Green Lake Township) Woodcock Lake: (New London and Green Lake townships)

Major highways

U.S. Highway 12 U.S. Highway 71

Minnesota State Highway 4 Minnesota State Highway 7 Minnesota State Highway 9 Minnesota State Highway 23

Minnesota State Highway 40 Minnesota State Highway 55 Minnesota State Highway 104

Adjacent counties

Stearns County (north) Meeker County (east) Renville County (south) Chippewa County (southwest) Swift County (west) Pope County (northwest)

Protected areas Source:

Burbank State Wildlife Management Area Dietrich Lange State Wildlife Management Area Oleander State Wildlife Management Area Ringo-Nest State Wildlife Management Area Roseville State Wildlife Management Area Sibley State Park Sunburg State Wildlife Management Area Yohi State Wildlife Management Area

Demographics

2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 43,732. The median age was 39.3 years. 24.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.7 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 80.0% White, 6.1% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 5.1% from some other race, and 6.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 13.5% of the population.

57.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 43.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 17,079 households in the county, of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.8% were married-couple households, 17.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 19,950 housing units, of which 14.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.3% were owner-occupied and 27.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.9%.

Racial and ethnic composition +Kandiyohi County, Minnesota – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)36,28637,05737,21235,96433,30398.70%95.60%90.31%85.14%76.15%Black or African American alone (NH)25751739522,6180.07%0.19%0.42%2.25%5.99%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)611521151071150.17%0.39%0.28%0.25%0.26%Asian alone (NH)1391101521675860.38%0.28%0.37%0.40%1.34%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 Census251637xx0.06%0.04%0.08%Other race alone (NH)4641327980.13%0.01%0.03%0.06%0.22%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census2182961,059xx0.53%0.70%2.42%Hispanic or Latino (any race)2061,3633,2954,7105,9160.56%3.52%8.00%11.15%13.53%Total36,76338,76141,20342,23943,732 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census As of the 2010 census, there were 42,239 people residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 41,203 people, 15,936 households, and 10,979 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 18,415 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 93.62% White, 0.51% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 4.17% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. 8.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 31.4% were of German, 25.8% Norwegian, 9.9% Swedish and 5.6% Dutch ancestry.

There were 15,936 households, out of which 33.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.80% 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 3.05.

The county population contained 26.60% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 26.50% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,772, and the median income for a family was $48,016. Males had a median income of $32,272 versus $22,128 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,627. About 5.90% of families and 9.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.10% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over. Communities Cities

Atwater Blomkest Kandiyohi Lake Lillian New London Pennock Prinsburg Raymond Regal Spicer Sunburg Willmar (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

Hawick Norway Lake Priam Roseland Svea

Townships

Arctander Township Burbank Township Colfax Township Dovre Township East Lake Lillian Township Edwards Township Fahlun Township Gennessee Township Green Lake Township Harrison Township Holland Township Irving Township Kandiyohi Township Lake Andrew Township Lake Elizabeth Township Lake Lillian Township Mamre Township New London Township Norway Lake Township Roseland Township Roseville Township St. Johns Township Whitefield Township Willmar Township

Politics Kandiyohi County voters have switched from Democratic to Republican in recent years. In no national election since 1996 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024). However, Democratic incumbent Amy Klobuchar won the county in 2018 as she coasted to an easy reelection over Republican challenger Jim Newberger. Klobuchar also carried Kandiyohi County in her 2006 and 2012 victories but lost it by 14% in her successful 2024 reelection bid.

See also Kandiyohi County Historical Society National Register of Historic Places listings in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota :Category:People from Willmar, Minnesota

References

External links Kandiyohi County & City of Willmar economic development Commission Kandiyohi County government website MNGenWebUSGenWeb website for Kandiyohi County, Minnesota