CHISAGO COUNTY, MINNESOTA

'Chisago County' is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2000, the population was 41,101. Its county seat is Center City⁶.

Contents

History

Geography

Major Highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Cities and towns

Schools

External links

History

Chisago County is, like many other counties in Minnesota, strongly influenced by the Swedish immigrants that settled there in the middle of the 19th century. It was here Vilhelm Moberg made his research for his The Emigrants suite in the 1950s. His fictional characters Karl-Oskar and Kristina Nilsson from Ljuder parish in Småland settled around the Lake Ki-Chi-Saga (from the Ojibwe language ''Ki-chi-saga-igun'' (''Gichi-zaaga'igan'' in the contemporary spelling) meaning "Big Lake-with-an-outlet," which was later shortened to Lake Chisago). The heritage of the early settlers is still honoured by the annual Karl Oskar Days in Lindstrom.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,146 km² (442 mi²). 1,082 km² (418 mi²) of it is land and 64 km² (25 mi²) of it (5.62%) is water.

Major Highways

★ Interstate 35 ★ U.S. Highway 8 ★ U.S. Highway 61 ★ Minnesota State Highway 95

★ Minnesota State Highway 243 ★ Minnesota State Highway 361

Adjacent counties

★ Pine County, Minnesota (north)

★ Burnett County, Wisconsin (northeast)

★ Polk County, Wisconsin (east)

★ Washington County, Minnesota (south)

★ Anoka County, Minnesota (southwest)

★ Isanti County, Minnesota (west)

★ Kanabec County, Minnesota (northwest)

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 41,101 people, 14,454 households, and 11,086 families residing in the county. The population density was 38/km² (98/mi²). There were 15,533 housing units at an average density of 14/km² (37/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.21% White, 0.51% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.31% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 1.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 31.3% were of German, 18.1% Swedish, 11.3% Norwegian and 6.9% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 14,454 households out of which 41.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.50% were married couples living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.30% were non-families. 18.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the county the population was spread out with 30.20% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 32.20% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 9.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 103.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $52,012, and the median income for a family was $57,335. Males had a median income of $40,743 versus $27,653 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,013. About 3.20% of families and 5.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.40% of those under age 18 and 8.00% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Cities	Townships	Unincorporated Communities
★ Center City ★ Chisago City ★ Harris ★ Lindstrom ★ North Branch ★ Rush City ★ Shafer ★ Stacy ★ Taylors Falls ★ Wyoming	★ Amador Township ★ Chisago Lake Township ★ Fish Lake Township ★ Franconia Township ★ Lent Township ★ Nessel Township ★ Rushseba Township ★ Shafer Township ★ Sunrise Township ★ Wyoming Township	★ Almelund ★ Franconia ★ Palmdale ★ Rush Point ★ Stark ★ Sunrise

Schools

★ Chisago Lakes High School

External links

★ Chisago County government's website

★ Chisago County DFL website

★ Chisago County Historical Society website

★ Minnesota DOT Highway map of Chisago County
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