Benton County, Minnesota

Benton County is a county in the East Central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 38,451.[2] Its county seat is Foley.[3]

Benton County
U.S. county
Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Gilman, Minnesota.
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°42′N 94°00′W
Country United States
State Minnesota
FoundedOctober 27, 1849 (created)
1850 (organized)[1]
Named forThomas Hart Benton
SeatFoley
Largest citySauk Rapids
Area
 • Total413 sq mi (1,070 km2)
 • Land408 sq mi (1,060 km2)
 • Water4.8 sq mi (12 km2)  1.2%%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total38,451
 • Estimate 
(2019)
40,889
 • Density97.9/sq mi (37.8/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district6th
Websitewww.co.benton.mn.us

Benton County is part of the St. Cloud, MN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI Combined Statistical Area.

History

Established in 1849 and organized in 1850, the county is one of the oldest in Minnesota.[4] It was named for Thomas Hart Benton, a United States Senator from Missouri.[5] Its county seat for many years was Sauk Rapids, at the confluence of the Sauk and Mississippi Rivers. The county seat moved to Watab in 1856 and returned to Sauk Rapids in 1859. Sauk Rapids became the terminus of a railroad line in 1874, but was destroyed by a tornado in 1886. In 1897 the county seat moved to Foley, where it remains. As St. Cloud expanded into a metropolitan area, the northern part of Benton County became a suburb.

Geography

The Mississippi River flows southeast along Benton County's western border, and the Platte River flows south through the county's northwest corner, discharging into the Mississippi at the county's western border. The terrain consists of low rolling hills, wooded or devoted to agriculture.[6] It generally slopes to the south and east, although its western portion slopes into the river valleys. The county's highest point is a small hill near the midpoint of the northern border, one mile (1.6 km) north of Brennyville, at 1,311' (399m) ASL.[7] The county has a total area of 413 square miles (1,070 km2), of which 408 square miles (1,060 km2) is land and 4.8 square miles (12 km2) (1.2%) is water.[8] It is the fifth-smallest county in Minnesota by land area and fourth-smallest by total area.

Soils of Benton County[9]
Soils of Sartell WMA neighborhood

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Lakes[6]
  • Donovan Lake (part)
  • Graham Lake
  • Little Rock Lake
  • Mayhew Lake

Protected areas[6]
  • Benlacs State Wildlife Management Area (part)
  • Bibles State Wildlife Management Area
  • Englund Ecotone Scientific and Natural Area
  • Sartell State Wildlife Management Area
  • Wisneski State Wildlife Management Area

Climate and weather
Foley, Minnesota
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
0.7
 
 
21
2
 
 
0.6
 
 
27
7
 
 
1.6
 
 
39
20
 
 
2.6
 
 
56
33
 
 
3
 
 
69
44
 
 
4.2
 
 
78
54
 
 
3.3
 
 
82
59
 
 
3.8
 
 
80
56
 
 
3.5
 
 
70
47
 
 
2.5
 
 
57
35
 
 
1.4
 
 
39
22
 
 
0.8
 
 
25
7
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[10]

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Foley have ranged from a low of 2 °F (−17 °C) in January to a high of 82 °F (28 °C) in July, although a record low of −43 °F (−42 °C) was recorded in January 1977 and a record high of 107 °F (42 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 0.62 inches (16 mm) in February to 4.17 inches (106 mm) in June.[10]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1850418—
186062750.0%
18701,558148.5%
18803,01293.3%
18906,284108.6%
19009,91257.7%
191011,61517.2%
192014,07321.2%
193015,0567.0%
194016,1067.0%
195015,911−1.2%
196017,2878.6%
197020,84120.6%
198025,18720.9%
199030,18519.8%
200034,22613.4%
201038,45112.3%
Est. 201940,889[11]6.3%
US Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010-2019[2]
Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 U.S. census data

As of the 2000 United States Census,[16] there were 34,226 people, 13,065 households, and 8,518 families in the county. The population density was 83.9/sqmi (32.4/km²). There were 13,460 housing units at an average density of 33/sqmi (12.7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.22% White, 0.78% Black or African American, 0.52% Native American, 1.15% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 0.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 47.8% were of German, 12.1% Polish and 8.8% Norwegian ancestry.

There were 13,065 households out of which 35.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.10% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.80% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.14.

The county population contained 27.10% under the age of 18, 12.20% from 18 to 24, 31.00% from 25 to 44, 18.70% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,968, and the median income for a family was $51,277. Males had a median income of $33,214 versus $22,737 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,008. About 4.50% of families and 7.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.30% of those under age 18 and 12.60% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Townships

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns[6]

Government and politics

Benton County voters have tended to vote Republican for the past few decades. As of 2016 the county selected the Republican candidate in 64% of presidential elections since 1964.

Presidential election results
Presidential elections results[17]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 64.2% 12,872 28.1% 5,640 7.7% 1,546
2012 55.3% 10,849 41.7% 8,173 3.0% 597
2008 53.5% 10,338 43.7% 8,454 2.8% 547
2004 54.6% 10,043 43.8% 8,059 1.5% 282
2000 51.4% 7,663 40.3% 6,009 8.3% 1,236
1996 36.5% 4,835 45.4% 6,006 18.1% 2,392
1992 35.2% 5,053 35.9% 5,156 29.0% 4,162
1988 50.3% 6,060 48.7% 5,861 1.0% 119
1984 57.5% 6,830 41.4% 4,922 1.1% 131
1980 46.8% 5,513 44.8% 5,272 8.5% 997
1976 37.4% 4,099 56.9% 6,235 5.8% 631
1972 49.4% 4,652 45.4% 4,282 5.2% 492
1968 43.3% 3,470 50.2% 4,022 6.5% 524
1964 37.5% 2,818 62.2% 4,679 0.3% 23
1960 44.2% 3,324 55.6% 4,175 0.2% 16
1956 57.8% 3,591 42.0% 2,609 0.3% 16
1952 59.5% 3,856 40.0% 2,587 0.5% 33
1948 38.2% 2,297 60.4% 3,632 1.4% 86
1944 56.8% 2,988 42.9% 2,258 0.3% 18
1940 55.8% 3,491 43.8% 2,742 0.5% 28
1936 30.7% 1,783 53.5% 3,111 15.8% 919
1932 24.8% 1,329 72.9% 3,901 2.2% 120
1928 46.3% 2,373 53.3% 2,732 0.4% 21
1924 41.9% 1,629 14.7% 572 43.4% 1,687
1920 78.8% 2,920 15.0% 554 6.2% 230
1916 49.1% 1,020 45.5% 945 5.4% 113
1912 24.4% 468 29.3% 562 46.4% 890
1908 54.1% 1,001 41.4% 765 4.5% 84
1904 71.9% 1,205 25.8% 433 2.3% 38
1900 51.6% 849 45.6% 751 2.8% 46
1896 46.6% 778 52.0% 867 1.4% 24
1892 25.6% 426 34.7% 577 39.7% 659
County Board of Commissioners[18]
Position Name District
Commissioner Warren Peschl District 1
Commissioner Ed Popp District 2
Commissioner Steve Heinen District 3
Commissioner and Vice Chair Spencer Buerkle District 4
Commissioner and Chairperson Allen "Jake" Bauerly District 5
State Legislature (2018-2020)
Position Name Affiliation District
  Senate Jeff Howe[19] Republican District 13
  Senate Jerry Relph[20] Republican District 14
  Senate Andrew Mathews [21] Republican District 15
  House of Representatives Tim O'Driscoll[22] Republican District 13B
  House of Representatives Dan Wolgamott[23] Democrat District 14B
  House of Representatives Shane Mekeland[24] Republican District 15B
U.S Congress (2018-2020)
Position Name Affiliation District
  House of Representatives Tom Emmer[25] Republican 6th
  Senate Amy Klobuchar[26] Democrat N/A
  Senate Tina Smith[27] Democrat N/A
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See also

References
  1. "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved August 31, 2013.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2007.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 49.
  6. Benton County MN Google Maps (accessed 5 March 2019)
  7. Benton County High Point, Minnesota. PeakBagger.com (accessed May 4, 2019)
  8. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  9. Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp. 61-64. ISBN 978-0-615-50320-2.
  10. "Monthly Averages for Foley MN". The Weather Channel. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
  11. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  12. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  13. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  14. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  15. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  16. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  17. Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  18. "County Board | Benton County, MN". www.co.benton.mn.us. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  19. "MN State Senate". www.senate.mn. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  20. "MN State Senate". www.senate.mn. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  21. "MN State Senate". www.senate.mn. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  22. "Rep. Tim O'Driscoll (13B) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  23. "Rep. Dan Wolgamott (14B) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  24. "Rep. Shane Mekeland (15B) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  25. "Congressman Tom Emmer". Congressman Tom Emmer. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  26. "U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar". www.klobuchar.senate.gov. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  27. "Home". Senator Tina Smith. Retrieved June 24, 2020.

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