Brown County, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
Brown County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Minnesota
. As of 2010, the population was 25,893. Its county seat
is New Ulm
.
flows along the county's northern boundary; two of its tributaries, the Cottonwood
and Little Cottonwood
Rivers, flow eastwardly through the county.
of 2000, there were 26,911 people, 10,598 households, and 7,164 families residing in the county. The population density
was 44 people per square mile (17/km²). There were 11,163 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.82% White
, 0.10% Black
or African American
, 0.12% Native American
, 0.41% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 0.91% from other races
, and 0.63% from two or more races. 2.03% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 67.1% were of German and 9.6% Norwegian ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 10,598 households out of which 31.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.30% were married couples
living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 29.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.30% 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 3.00.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.30% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 25.60% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 17.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,800, and the median income for a family was $49,811. Males had a median income of $32,347 versus $23,918 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $19,535. About 4.40% of families and 6.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.00% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.
† A small part of Comfrey extends into Cottonwood County
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. As of 2010, the population was 25,893. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is New Ulm
New Ulm, Minnesota
New Ulm is a city in Brown County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,522 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Brown County....
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 618.6 square miles (1,602.2 km²), of which 610.86 square miles (1,582.1 km²) (or 98.75%) is land and 7.74 square miles (20 km²) (or 1.25%) is water. The Minnesota RiverMinnesota River
The Minnesota River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately 332 miles long, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It drains a watershed of nearly , in Minnesota and about in South Dakota and Iowa....
flows along the county's northern boundary; two of its tributaries, the Cottonwood
Cottonwood River (Minnesota)
The Cottonwood River is a tributary of the Minnesota River, 152 miles long, in southwestern Minnesota in the United States. Via the Minnesota River, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of in an agricultural region...
and Little Cottonwood
Little Cottonwood River
The Little Cottonwood River is a tributary of the Minnesota River, 83 miles long, in southwestern Minnesota in the United States...
Rivers, flow eastwardly through the county.
Lakes
- Altermatt Lake: almost entirely in Leavenworth Township, but the southern shore extends into Mulligan Township
- Bachelor Lake: in Stark Township
- Boise Lake: in Burnstown Township
- Clear Lake: in Sigel Township
- Gilman Lake: in Stark Township
- Horseshoe Lake: in Milford Township
- Juni Lake: in Sigel Township
- Lake Cottonwood: in Cottonwood Township
- Lake Hanska: eastern half is in Lake Hanska Township; western half is in Albin Township
- Linden Lake: in Linden Township
- Lone Tree Lake: in Eden TownshipEden Township, Brown County, MinnesotaEden Township is a township in Brown County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 321 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which is land and is water....
- Omsrud Lake: in Lake Hanska Township
- School Lake: in Sigel Township
- Sleepy Eye Lake: in Home Township
- Zanders Lake: mostly in Stark Township, but the eastern fifth is in Sigel Township
Major highways
|
 Minnesota State Highway 257Minnesota State Highway 257 Minnesota State Highway 257 is a highway in southwest Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with Brown County Road 20 in the town of Hanska and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with State Highway 15 in Linden Township, 6 miles north of Madelia.The route is in...  Minnesota State Highway 258Minnesota State Highway 258 Minnesota State Highway 258 is a highway in southwest Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with Brown County Road 17 in Comfrey and continues north to its northern terminus at its intersection with U.S... |
U.S. Highway 14
Adjacent counties
- Nicollet CountyNicollet County, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 29,771 people, 10,642 households, and 7,311 families residing in the county. The population density was 66 people per square mile . There were 11,240 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
(northeast) - Blue Earth CountyBlue Earth County, MinnesotaBlue Earth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 64,013. Its county seat is Mankato.Blue Earth County is part of the Mankato–North Mankato Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
(southeast) - Watonwan CountyWatonwan County, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 11,876 people, 4,627 households, and 3,141 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile . There were 5,036 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
(south) - Cottonwood CountyCottonwood County, MinnesotaCottonwood County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 11,687. Its county seat is Windom.-History:...
(southwest) - Redwood CountyRedwood County, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 16,815 people, 6,674 households, and 4,524 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile . There were 7,230 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
(west) - Renville CountyRenville County, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 17,154 people, 6,779 households, and 4,623 families residing in the county. The population density was 18 people per square mile . There were 7,413 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
(northwest)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 26,911 people, 10,598 households, and 7,164 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 44 people per square mile (17/km²). There were 11,163 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.82% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.10% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.12% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.41% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.91% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.63% from two or more races. 2.03% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 67.1% were of German and 9.6% Norwegian ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 10,598 households out of which 31.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.30% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 29.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.30% 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 3.00.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.30% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 25.60% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 17.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,800, and the median income for a family was $49,811. Males had a median income of $32,347 versus $23,918 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $19,535. About 4.40% of families and 6.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.00% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
| Cities | Townships | Unincorporated | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Eden Township, Brown County, Minnesota Eden Township is a township in Brown County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 321 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which is land and is water.... |
North Star Township, Brown County, Minnesota North Star Township is a township in Brown County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 325 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 35.4 square miles... |
Essig, Minnesota Essig is an unincorporated community in Brown County, Minnesota, United States. Essig is located on U.S. Route 14 west of New Ulm. Essig has a post office with ZIP code 56030.... Godahl, Minnesota Godahl is an unincorporated community in Brown and Watonwan counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota.-Location:Godahl sits on the boundary line for Brown and Watonwan, counties, occupying two counties. The community is located between Sleepy Eye and St. James on Minnesota State Highway 4... Leavenworth, Minnesota Leavenworth is an unincorporated community located in Brown County, Minnesota at latitude 44.222 and longitude -94.802 . The elevation is 997 feet. Leavenworth appears on the Leavenworth U.S. Geological Survey Map.... Searles, Minnesota Searles is an unincorporated community in Brown County, Minnesota, United States. Searles is located on Minnesota State Highway 15 south of New Ulm. Searles has a post office with ZIP code 56084.... |
† A small part of Comfrey extends into Cottonwood County
Cottonwood County, Minnesota
Cottonwood County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 11,687. Its county seat is Windom.-History:...
.